Yoga Poses V Gym Workout

The subject of yoga is very broad, but it can be split into two umbrella terms; traditional and modern yoga. Within these two terms modern yoga is what we usually picture when we think of yoga. Many people look to yoga as an alternative to a heavy workout at the gym, and while you might not think that is an equal trade off, you’d be surprised with just how much weight you can lose when doing some simple yoga stretches and movements! Below will be a list of yoga poses and the average amount of calories you burn while doing them, compared to a traditional workout movement that loses the same amount of calories.

Planks are one of the few poses that can be considered either a gym workout or a yoga pose. Either way you look at it it’s bound to hurt, and on average burns three to five calories per minute. Let’s say that in this instance the plank is a gym workout. That would mean the equivalent for yoga would be the warrior pose. Take a deep lounge and keep your back straight and bent leg in a 90 degree angle. Keep your arms either reaching straight above your head or to your sides. This can burn three to five calories per minute as well.

There is a yoga pose called the Bridge, where you lay on your back with your legs bent, and lift your butt as high off the floor as you can without picking your shoulders up too. To get a better burn lay on your back and out your hands flat next to your head facing the opposite way, and lift your whole body off the floor so there is space under you to fit another body. Doing these poses for a minute can burn two to five calories. For the equivalent gym workout we have russian twists. Sit on the floor with your back straight and your knees bent. Keeping your back straight, lift your feet several inches off the floor and rotate your hands from your left side to your right without moving your entire body while doing it. Doing this for one minute is the equivalent to burning three to four calories.

In yoga there is something called the chair pose, where you stand up with your legs a little bent, butt lowered slightly, and your body angled forward. Lift your arms above your head and hold that pose. Doing this for a minute can help you to lose four to seven calories a minute. Similarly, the wall sit at the gym can be very painful the longer you hold it, and you only lose on average four to five calories.

The final yoga poses and gym workouts will be downward dog and crunches. One of the most well known yoga poses is the downward dog. Start standing and then put your hands on the floor, walking them out until your legs and arms are straight and your butt is slightly raised. Holding this for a minute will burn around two calories. Crunches are notorious for being very painful and uncomfortable. Doing them for a minute will only burn two to three calories. 

Now that you know a little about the similarities and differences of some yoga poses and gym workouts you get to choose which works best for you!