Yoga Cardio Techniques That Are Easy To Follow

When we hear the word yoga, we instantly think of meditation and relaxation.  We don’t usually equate yoga with cardio exercises.  Well, its about time for us to know that yoga can actually be a form of cardio exercise.  In this article, easy to follow yoga cardio exercises will be discussed together with the benefits that come along with it.

For most people, yoga is simply performing a series of exercises and poses that are especially made for relaxation and detoxification. Although the poses may seem to be simple and uncomplicated, they can still raise your heartbeat by as much as 60-85%. Yoga is also believed to make you sweat out the toxins from your body, making your skin flushed and glowing.

The deep stretching exercises involved in yoga are very effective in exercising the cardio system. Although yoga is popularly known as a form of quiet exercise, it is scientifically proven that yoga can be a good alternative to other cardio exercises.

How Can Yoga Be a Form of Cardio?

Before anything else, let us first define the words “cardiovascular exercise”. When we hear the words cardio exercise, we instantly think about toning up, burning calories and losing weight. We may also associate cardio exercises with sweating.

Exercise physiologists may categorize an exercise to be a cardio exercise when it elevates the heart beat to about 60 to 85%. Yoga exercises have been proven to increase heart rate, therefore, it can be considered to be a form of cardio exercise.

Aerobic exercises are said to make oxygen travel continuously through the large and tiny muscles on the body. Studies have shown that increased oxygen flow brings a lot of great benefits to several parts of the body.

Seeking Advice From Yoga Instructors

If you are interested in performing yoga cardio exercises, you might want to consider seeking the advice of certified yoga experts.  They can help you in choosing the right yoga cardio exercises that suits your stamina level to a T.  Yoga instructors can also help you plan an exercise routine that would fit your needs perfectly.

A Great Alternative Workout

Yoga exercises help you strengthen your muscles and boost your cardiovascular system at the same time.  One good thing about yoga is that is mainly composed of simple yet very effective exercises that are not only safe but can also be performed in a manner that does not necessarily involve rigorous physical activity.  Even old people can perform simple yoga since most of its exercises involve slow but firm bodily movements.

Yoga in a cardio form can be considered as a more mellow form of cardio and aerobics.  However, the effects of yoga cardio exercises can still be equated to the good effects of common cardiovascular activities.

We all know that yoga gives innumerable benefits to the ones who practice it.  Cardio yoga can burn body fat naturally (no pills and slimming teas), lower blood pressure, increase bone mass and muscle tone, strengthen the lungs, and reduce fatigue and stress.

More Than Just a Cardio Exercise

Yoga not only boosts the body’s circulation but it can also help with other medical problems like back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, scoliosis, etc.  Aside from that, relaxation of the mind can also be achieved by practicing yoga.  The body is not the only one who benefits from yoga – the mind and soul are also rejuvenated.

Avid fans of yoga claim that they slept better at night compared to the time when they were not practicing yoga yet.  Studies have also shown that people who practice yoga regularly can handle stress better than those who do not practice yoga.

Now that we have already defined cardio yoga and the benefits that come along with it, we will now share some yoga cardio poses that you can practice.  If you are still a beginner, you might want to contact a certified yoga instructor to help you in the first two or three sessions.

Sun Salutation

In this yoga exercise, you have to stand, bend, glide through a push up, squat and backbend.  The movements are done sequentially and these are focused on strengthening the muscles.  Repeating the sequence for 5 times can give you a workout equivalent to using the jump rope for 10 minutes.

Standing Yoga Poses

Almost all yoga poses that are done in a standing position raise the heart rate because the arteries in the legs are extended.  These in turn, increase the blood supply to the lower extremities.  Fresh blood flows into the heart because its lateral wall is stretched fully when one is performing standing yoga cardio exercises.

Holding Poses

Although it is quite strange to expect increased heart rate when you are being still, it is scientifically proven that when you perform holding poses in yoga, you will definitely experience increased heart rate.  It is because the poses that you hold in yoga exercises are not simple poses.  You actually exert effort to hold a certain pose.  In addition to that, you have to shift to different kinds of yoga poses every minute, which requires real effort on your part.

Holding poses in yoga are not only great cardio exercises; they are also beneficial to even the tiniest muscles in your body, making them strong and flexible.

There are a lot of easy to follow yoga exercises that can be found in yoga books as well as on the Internet.  You can research about them or you can simply contact a yoga instructor and inform them about your plan to perform cardio yoga exercises.  The exercises and routines range from simple to complex, and the yoga instructor will assess your stamina and flexibility before letting you perform yoga cardio exercises.  By choosing to practice yoga cardio exercises, you will not only look good on the outside but you will also feel good on the inside.