May 8, 2023 • 7 min read
Should You Do Yoga Before or After a Workout?
Published on May 8, 2023 |
Update on October 19, 2023
NASM Personal Trainer, NASM Fitness Nutrition Specialist, ACE Sports Conditioning Specialist, NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist
Table of Contents
The benefits of yoga have been well-established, but one common question remains: Should you do yoga before or after a workout?
The answer will depend on various factors, such as personal preference, the type, and intensity of a workout, time constraints, goals, and physical condition.
In this article, we will explore the benefits of doing yoga before and after a workout, as well as discuss the factors to consider when deciding.
Here are some of the benefits of doing yoga before your workout:
One of the main benefits of yoga is its ability to improve flexibility and mobility.
By doing yoga before a workout, you can warm up your muscles, joints, and ligaments and increase blood flow and body temperature. [1] [2]
Another benefit of yoga before workouts is its ability to increase your range of motion. [2]
Many weightlifting exercises, such as squats and deadlifts, require a lot of mobility in your hips, ankles, and shoulders.
By doing yoga before weightlifting, you can improve your flexibility in these areas, making it easier to perform these exercises with the proper form and technique.
Yoga can help you focus and center your mind, which can be helpful for a workout.
When lifting heavy weights, it is important to stay present and focused on your form and technique. This is especially helpful for avoiding the risk of getting hurt.
Yoga can help you develop this mental discipline, leading to better performance in the weight room.
Continuing the point above, by improving flexibility and mobility and increasing mental focus and discipline, yoga can also help reduce the risk of injury.
When your body is prepared for physical activity and your mind is focused on proper technique, you are less likely to experience strains, sprains, or other injuries during your weightlifting workout.
Before a workout, it is important to perform yoga poses that engage all parts of your body, preparing it for the workout that is about to come.
Such yoga poses and dynamic moves help increase flexibility and range of motion and enhance blood circulation in the body.
Consider adding the following yoga poses to your exercise regimen and experience the immense benefits it has to offer:
Try this 7-minute full-body yoga warm-up before a workout.
Feel like you’re more comfortable with doing yoga after a workout, here are some of the reasons why that would be a good idea.
After an intense workout session, your muscles may feel tight and sore. Yoga can be a perfect post-workout routine to cool down and stretch out your muscles, improving recovery and reducing the risk of injury.
When you exercise, your body produces stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones can cause tension and anxiety in your body and mind. Yoga can promote relaxation and calmness.
After intense physical activity, your muscles can benefit from some gentle stretches that promote relaxation.
Poses focusing on stretching are all great options to release muscle tension and promote flexibility. Some examples include Downward Facing Dog, Child’s Pose, Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend, etc.
Another concept that works great after a workout is restorative yoga, which involves more passive poses that allow your body to fully relax and release any tension.
A great pose to try for this purpose is the Corpse Pose, which involves lying flat on your back with a bolster supporting your knees and a blanket over your body (optionally), to promote deep rest and relaxation.
Some poses to try after a workout:
Try this cool-down yoga flow after a workout.
The decision to do yoga before or after a workout ultimately depends on your fitness goals and, to a smaller extent, your personal preferences.
It is also important to consider the type of yoga you are doing.
If you decide to do yoga before a workout, there are a few things to keep in mind.
First, make sure you give yourself enough time to warm up your muscles and joints. A good rule of thumb is to do at least 10-15 minutes of yoga before weightlifting.
Second, focus on poses that emphasize mobility and flexibility in the areas you will be working on in your workout session. For example, if you will be doing squats and deadlifts, focus on hip-opening yoga poses such as Pigeon Pose, Lizard Pose, and Garland Pose.
Finally, be mindful of your energy levels. Doing a challenging yoga practice before a workout may leave you feeling fatigued and decrease your performance in the weight room. If you are feeling tired or low on energy, opt for a gentler yoga practice.
Here are some things to consider for yoga after a workout:
The first thing is timing. Make sure you give yourself enough time to cool down and stretch out your muscles. Performing 10 to 15 minutes of yoga after an intense workout is generally enough to cool down.
Then, focus on poses that release tension in the areas you worked out. For example, if you did a lot of upper body work, focus on shoulder-opening yoga poses such as Eagle Pose and Cow Face Pose.
Finally, opt for more gentle, restorative practice. You might even want to try a restorative yoga session with a bolster to achieve maximum muscle relaxation.
By incorporating both yoga and weight training into your routine, you can improve your overall fitness and performance. Yoga can help improve your flexibility, mobility, and range of motion, while weight training can help build strength and muscle mass.
Yoga can also help prevent injury and improve recovery from weight training. By doing yoga before or after weightlifting, you can warm up your muscles and joints, reduce the risk of injury, and improve recovery.
Weight training can also improve your performance in yoga. By building strength and muscle mass, you can improve your ability to hold challenging yoga poses and improve your overall yoga practice.
If you incorporate yoga and cardio into your routine, you may be wondering which one to do first. Your goal matters here as well:
Incorporating yoga into your weightlifting routine can benefit your body and mind.
Whether you choose to do yoga before or after weightlifting, or both, make sure to focus on poses that emphasize mobility, flexibility, and balance.
By combining yoga and weightlifting, you can improve your overall fitness and performance and reduce the risk of injury.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!