Your Yoga practice can be used in a number of ways.  Yoga, in itself, can be an intense training program that you perform multiple times a week.  Yoga can also be used to compliment any other type of intense training.  Learn how using Yoga in these two fashions will create variety in and add dimension to your workout routine.

Variety is the Spice of Life

Someone participating in an intense training program or fitness routine should include yoga in their schedule. Variety in exercise is fundamental for seeing improvement in the human body. The body will adapt to whatever you are doing so you have to keep giving it new challenges and new direction. Completing a combination of Pilates or Yoga and coupling it with cardio is an ideal mix. Obviously they each provide differing benefits. Pilates and Yoga are both awesome for strength and conditioning and also create that mind body connection, while cardio is really important for heart health and stress release.

At Virgin Active, we also have a Hot Yoga class – which provides more choices for members. Going to a hot yoga versus a normal yoga class is not necessarily going to be a different set of sequences or salutations. It’s simply the environment. In a warmer environment your muscles will warm quicker and they’ll loosen faster and you’ll find you gain more flexibility benefits. That coupled with the fact it’s warmer you’ll sweat more so you will detoxify more as a result of increased perspiration. I’d recommend doing a yoga class 1-2 times a week.

Christian Mason, National Operations Manager, Virgin Active Health Club