Ultimate Fitness Mashup: Combining Yoga With Hiit

ULTIMATE FITNESS MASHUP: COMBINING YOGA WITH HIIT

Did you know that combining Yoga with HIIT can deliver ultimate fitness results? When practiced in the right way this type of workout has numerous advantages.

So how do you make these two types of physical movements work together? If you already have a HIIT regimen in place, you could start by adding yoga moves to your current routine. Another option is to do your regular HIIT workouts on some days and incorporate Yoga into your non-HIIT days. This is a better option since the mental zone, and physical mode required for Yoga is very different from what is needed for HIIT.

Still unsure about how to effectively combine these two dissimilar but complementary types of exercise? There are some great exercise routines available online put together by fitness experts and health professionals. Wondering if it's worth giving this type of workout a try? Here are some of the benefits of combining Yoga with HIIT.

1. There Is Less Risk of Injury
If you are an active person, you know how important it is to stay injury free. A single torn ligament or a twisted ankle can put you out of commission for days or even months. This will sideline your workout efforts and take you back to square one, depending on the severity of the injury. By improving your flexibility and muscle tone, yoga can help prevent injuries such as these. So the chances of you having to take a break from your fitness routine are reduced.

2. You Get a Complete Workout
Various exercises target different muscle fibers. Your fast-twitch muscles also known as Type II Muscle Fibers are predominantly targeted by HIIT workouts. Exercises like bench press, squats and cleans are very effective at targeting these fibers. On the other hand, your stabilizers or Type I Muscle Fibers are targeted by yoga. Some great poses to strengthen these fibers are side angle, half-moon, and side plank. By combining HIIT and yoga moves you not only get cardiovascular and muscle building benefits, but also strengthen the stabilizers that help steady you.

3. You Lose Weight Fast

Many people look for more intense workouts to speed up weight loss. It's well known that HIIT workouts are excellent at burning fat and building muscle. But not many people know that Yoga can play a role in supporting weight loss. It builds flexibility and strength, so adding yoga moves to your HIIT workout can help you see faster weight loss results. In addition, some types of yoga like Ashtanga are quite fast-paced and can cause a rise in your heart rate. All these benefits can give an excellent boost to your weight loss efforts and help you reach your goal weight faster.

4. You Develop Better Balance
Another reason to add yoga to your HIIT routine is that it enhances balance. As you start to do yoga regularly you'll begin to notice that you can do lunges, butt kicks and toe touches much more efficiently without losing your balance. Not being able to balance not only increases your risk of injury but also keeps you from getting the most out of your workouts. Since the main thing on your mind is avoiding hitting the ground, your concentration is also thrown off. By practicing yoga, you'll develop the ability to stay straight no matter what move you're trying to pull off. Since yoga moves are generally calculated and slow, they act as a healthy contrast to HIIT exercises which are much more fast-paced.

5. You Will Be Able To Connect To Your Breath

Many high-intensity workouts can leave you feeling drained and exhausted. But yoga has the opposite effect and leaves you feeling more relaxed. This is because you are required to be focused on your breathing as you execute the moves. It incorporates poses such as Shavasana which require you to let go and relax completely. The best part is that you will be able to continue feeling relaxed and empowered even after you get off the mat.

Final Thoughts
If you swear by one form of exercise, this doesn't mean that you can't experience the benefits of another type of physical movement as well. Yoga and HIIT workouts work extremely well together and incorporating them into your daily routine will allow you to enjoy the numerous benefits.

Always keep in mind that you need to listen to your body and do what feels right for you. But it's good to experiment with different forms of fitness to find what works best with your life and schedule.

Looking for more information on how you can combine 2 different methodologies to your benefit? Visit this website for fitness updates and information about healthy living.