Weight Lifting And Yoga: Can They be Done Together?

I have been doing yoga for a 2-3 months now. I JUST started doing actual weight lifting (literally did my first Stronglift 5x5 workout yesterday).
Now I'm not sure if it is ok to do both. I know Stronglift doesn't even recommend doing cardio on off days as it wants the body to rest to heal (not going to happen as I am preparing for Tough Mudder in September so need to do a good bit of cardio), and I get a pretty good full body workout at yoga. I'm always muscle sore/stiff over most of my body in the couple days after a yoga session, which tells me that I'm working a lot of muscle groups to the point that they probably need to repair.

So since both yoga and the weightlifting are pretty much doing a full body workout, and I'm supposed to be doing 3 days of Stronglifts, split up (tues, thurs, sat), can I do both? Or is that not going to allow my body to heal which will mean that I won't make as much progress and could be damaging?

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I would do yoga as the recovery/rest period after lifting. You could do it on alternate days or following your lifting routine.

My worry is that yoga is not going to allow my body to rest or recover as it gives me a full body workout, like a body weight 'lifting workout'. And since the program doesn't even recommend cardio I know if really wouldnt recommend another 'lifting' session.
So is it ok to add another 'lifting workout' to my week through yoga or will that not allow my body to heal properly and as such hinder my progress?

I used to do yoga more but now I only go once a week. Sometimes I find certain poses difficult depending on what I worked the day before. What kind of yoga do you do? A more stretch light flow might be better if you do it often. You might have see how you do with it...if you feel fatigued you may want to cut down on yoga if SL is going to be your priority.

I do yoga (a 101 type class) the day before my lifting days 2x a week...except for this week, I'm taking a lifting break. I pulled something in my lower back last Thurs and hurt my shoulder in yoga yesterday! Normally, they have complemented each other really well. I'm so much stronger from lifting that I can get deeper into the poses and the mobility/flexibility from yoga help with the lifts.

I know that there is no way I could do them both on the same day. Tried and was too fatigued to enjoy it.

I lift and run on alternating days but I only do legs once per week because running is my priority and, to be honest, my legs look pretty darn good already.

So I think that you may need to decide which is your priority and back down on the one that is secondary to your goals.

Since I started weight training, I don't really do much of power yoga/ashtanga/vinyasa. I try to stick to Yin. Would that type of yoga work for you instead?

I did an intermediate/ advanced vinyasa flow class (high paced, lots of balance poses, insane amount of time in various forms of plank) in place of one SL workout each week. Doing 3 lifting sessions plus yoga was too tiring and time consuming, especially since it was just supposed to supplement my race training.
If I were you, I'd do a slow flow yoga class as a relaxation/ stretching time, rather than doing a strenuous strengthening class, and do 3 days of SL. Stick with the program.
Be prepared to not be able to steadily add weight at the rate the program recommends if you're doing a lot of cardio, though. SL is kinda designed to be a stand alone program. You may have to choose which is more of a priority, in terms of making big improvements- your lifts or your (I assume, based off your TM mention) running. I'm doing a strength maintenance plan during triathlon season, then returning to lower rep progressive strength training in the winter.
Just my $.02!

MysticRealm wrote: »

My worry is that yoga is not going to allow my body to rest or recover as it gives me a full body workout, like a body weight 'lifting workout'. And since the program doesn't even recommend cardio I know if really wouldnt recommend another 'lifting' session.
So is it ok to add another 'lifting workout' to my week through yoga or will that not allow my body to heal properly and as such hinder my progress?

It sounds like you’re doing a more strength oriented version of yoga. Can you switch to a zen or relaxation and flexibility version? I agree it might be too much if you’re class focus is strength.

Are you doing hot or fast yoga? Maybe you're getting a cardio burn off that, but a slow yoga as my instructor says, is flexibility with spirituality. Flexibility without spirituality would be pilates.

My teacher gets a good laugh at his prison class (who get a big kick out of him, too by the way) watching the body builders try and stretch their arms over their heads. Their fast-twitch muscles are well-developed, but flexibility and holds, not so much.

I think the two types of workouts are highly compatible.

jgnatca wrote: »

Are you doing hot or fast yoga? Maybe you're getting a cardio burn off that, but a slow yoga as my instructor says, is flexibility with spirituality. Flexibility without spirituality would be pilates.

My teacher gets a good laugh at his prison class (who get a big kick out of him, too by the way) watching the body builders try and stretch their arms over their heads. Their fast-twitch muscles are well-developed, but flexibility and holds, not so much.

I think the two types of workouts are highly compatible.

Pilates is more of a core workout than a flexibility class, imho.

You can do both, if you can tolerate it.

I do one hot vinyasa class a week and lift heavy 4 days per week. I finish every workout off with 10-15 minutes of yoga that focuses on the body part I worked that day (and I ALWAYS do my hips and legs since I have issues with tightness there). I've found yoga and weightlifting to be complementary as I tend to lose flexibility when I gain muscle and don't do yoga...and the increased strength from lifting allows me to perform yoga poses better.

The question is what are your priority's, yes you can do lots other forms of exercise with strength training, but doing to much may mean you may not make the same progress. Though this will depend on the intensity of the yoga, most serious strength athletes do mobility work on their rest days so doing light yoga would be fine, more intensive yoga may start to impact on progress. the big question is whats important to you?

I agree with Kimo. I've found Vinyasa yoga and weight lifting to be complimentary as well. Although, I stick to the classes that have a normal room temperature or are slightly heated.

You CAN do yoga, but you have to listen to your body and be strategic.

First, It really depends on the type of yoga class,and I don't mean vinyasa vs. hatha. A lot of vinyasa classes can be just as intense, they're based in the ashtanga tradition and they use a lot of weight-bearing poses (down dog/plank/chaturanga/up dog especially) to build heat in the practice. Those poses can really be the equivalent of weight lifting. I decided to transition and do more restorative yoga and yin yoga as part of my practice on days that I lift, or after a particularly intense lifting session.

I do power/vinyasa yoga as well, but generally only once a week or so, and generally after a leg day. I am a lot more likely to be sore due to lifting my body weight in the upper body with yoga vs. lower body. Lower body soreness is generally due to holding poses and stretching muscles past the current range of motion, so I find it less of a problem to do vinyasa or power yoga after leg day than a day when I do significant upper body work. Plus, after doing a ton of squats or deadlifts, I REALLY need to stretch the muscles in my hamstrings, glutes and quads.

noclady1995 wrote: »

Since I started weight training, I don't really do much of power yoga/ashtanga/vinyasa. I try to stick to Yin. Would that type of yoga work for you instead?

I'd have to go with this suggestion. You don't need the workout of a vigorous power-yoga-type practice. You need the stretching of a yin-type class.
Or, at least, I would.
My muscles get tight from lifting and yoga-pose stretches help keep me limber.
That said, I find it really difficult to maintain a regular yoga practice when I am lifting as much as you describe, cuz I am tired, and I have hurt myself a few times doing yoga the day after a hard lifting day. (Just muscle strains)

I do both ashtanga and vinyasa yoga and have been lifting in conjunction to weight training (and crossfit) for a few years now. I practice directly after a weight training session because it has helped to elongate and restore proper blood flow to muscles that I spent time contracting with weight bearing activities. I know that if I just did legs I am not going to be mastering all of the warrior poses so I will do a milder variation of the pose as to not stress my weakened muscle tissues about but rather massage them an oxygenate with yoga and restorative breath. I don't think it is detrimental to do both by any means.

Thanks for the replies.
I usually do Flow, Foundations(Hatha), or Baptiste depending on what's going on when I have free time. It's hot yoga.
I've done one Restorative class, but it's really not the type of Yoga I enjoy. I LIKE the workout aspect, I don't like the relaxation stuff. And I don't give a flying fart about the 'spirituality' I like it for the workout and stretching. So I don't know how I would like Yin. There is a Yin Yang class, not sure if it runs during the times that work for me. That's half flow and half more relaxing.
I may try to do what somebody said they did which is 2x's a week of 5x5 and 1 time a week of yoga, at least until my 10 class pass runs out.
I'm enjoying the 5x5 so far (2 workouts in) so maybe I will wait a few weeks and see how it's going and how I'm liking it once it gets more difficult and the weights get heavier and see how I want to juggle things around.

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