Fitness fans often mention yoga, Pilates and barre in the same conversation because each of these practices focuses on alignment, core strength and flexibility, but yoga is much more than just a system of exercise. It is viewed by many as a sacred modality, a path to spiritual evolution, and a way to create union between mind, body and spirit. But does yoga tone your body as well as increase your mindfulness and awareness? Keep reading to find out!
It’s Strength Training but Not as We Know It!
When used as a form of physical exercise, yoga can, indeed, strengthen and tone the body, but perhaps not in the same way that weightlifting or high-intensity interval training would do.
Yoga incorporates a wide range of weight-bearing and stretching poses that engage various muscle groups, helping to promote strength, flexibility, and balance.
While muscle gains may not be as fast with yoga as with weightlifting, yoga helps to lengthen the muscles and ensure that you will not only increase your overall strength with regular practice but will also develop a leaner, sleeker silhouette.
What is the Best Form of Yoga for Toning the Body?
While some styles, such as power yoga or ashtanga yoga can be perceived as more physically challenging, even the gentler forms such as slow flow or yin yoga can help to tone and strengthen the body with consistent practice.
Building muscle may not be the primary goal of yoga, but almost all forms of this ancient practice will use a comprehensive range of postures that help to sculpt and tone the body in miraculous ways.
If you want to see faster results, however, you might want to start with yoga styles that have evolved from ashtanga yoga, for example, vinyasa and power yoga.
Does Yoga Tone Your Body if You Only Practice Occasionally?
Like many forms of exercise, your success will depend on your commitment to the practice. As with any new fitness habit, consistency is key.
Most people who have been practising yoga consistently for several years have strong, flexible, toned bodies, and abilities that give them immense physical poise, satisfaction and presence. If this is the way you’d like to live in your body, you’ll love the benefits yoga can bring.
Yoga and Body Positivity
When practised consistently over a long period, yoga can instil in practitioners a greater degree of confidence in their bodies and their ability to grow stronger, whatever their shape or size.
The human spirit often thrives when we succeed at learning to do difficult things, and this is yet another beautiful benefit of a committed yoga practice.
Maintaining challenging postures, increasing strength and flexibility and becoming more skilled and balanced over time engenders a sense of achievement that goes far beyond toning and sculpting.
Enjoy the Journey
Start with the end in mind, take a holistic view and remember the great sense of achievement that comes from gradually gaining mastery over the body and union between all aspects of the self.
With yoga, there’s absolutely no need to rush. Enjoying the process and its small wins along the way will help you to keep going when you don’t see results immediately.
Come for the Fitness, Stay for the Growth
If you’re looking for a wonderful, natural form of strength training that also nourishes the soul and brings substantial emotional, mental and physical benefits, yoga could be the perfect choice for you.
Many people will begin yoga as a form of physical exercise and grow to love it for its more holistic advantages. Whatever your reasons for starting your practice, yoga welcomes you without judgement.
If you’re in any doubt about the benefits of starting a yoga practice, the best place to get your questions answered is in a yoga class.
If you’d like to work on increasing your strength, fitness, and overall well-being with yoga, book a class with the Power Yoga Company. We offer over 50 classes a week, most of which are power yoga classes.
Join us in our bright, friendly studio in Parsons Green, London – the perfect space to begin your yoga fitness journey.