Yoga: Can it Replace Cardio Workouts?
by She FIt on August 15, 2009
Sun salutations, standing poses, seated poses, inversions and backbends before relaxation… Yoga is full of moves that will make your body more flexible, increase strength, stamina, realign the spine, and bring your body into a state of relaxation.
Yoga looks completely different for each person. For one person it’s time in the morning to stretch and find a state of relaxation and peace before a hectic day, or other’s it’s for flexibility and balance, while for others it’s sweating in a 100 degree room for several hours changing positions.
From hatha yoga to bikram yoga and ashtanga yoga, these workouts are challenging yet sopeaceful and refreshing… leading to a state of internal bliss.
But can yoga replace one’s cardio workout?
This is a very controversial question.
With so many different types of yoga, each one is going to be a different answer. One hour of yoga burns approximately 200 calories. Of course with any type of exercise, the intensity of that workout is going to effect the amount of calories burned. Below is a list of yoga classes and how it compares to one hour of cardio.
* Hatha Yoga burns 175 calories, similar to a slow walk
* Ashtanga Yoga burns 300 calories, similar to a brisk walk
* Power Yoga burns 300 calories, similar to a brisk walk
* Vinyasa Yoga burns 445 calories, similar to moderate bike riding
* Bikram / Hot Yoga burns 630 calories, similar to one hour of jogging
Yoga is a great alternative workout to mix up your daily routine, but cardio is not all about calories. While you are going to burn the calories to lose weight, you won’t get the same benefits in other areas of a cardio workout. If you are wanting to lose weight, I would suggest not replacing cardio workouts all together, but incorporating yoga into your weekly workouts.
What is your your favorite Yoga Pose?
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Exercise,
exercise yoga,
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{ 20 comments }
I love bikram! I don’t go nearly enough, but I think it gives you the BEST feeling when you walk out of there. My favorite pose is probably a savasana, lol. I’m lazy
calories aside — i prefer yoga to cardio any day!
i would much prefer hitting the mat than hitting the pavement — and that’s what working out is all about, right? doing what you enjoy !
This is such a timely post for me. I love running but am really starting to enjoy a regular yoga practice as well. I hope to always have room in my life for both.
I am a yoga teacher and ashtanga yoga is my passion! I have a hard time believing that bikram burns more calories than ashtanga, as it’s more passive. Bikram is hotter, but that’s water weight coming off. Ashtanga, for me, is muccchhh more challenging. But that’s just my own .02
Check out my blog to see me in all kinds of yoga poses. I do cardio, too, by running. My fave yoga pose is pincha mayurasana, flying peacock, and upside down arm balance, I have pics. Have a great Saturday! Love your blog!
great post! i love yoga but i usually pair it with my cardio workouts instead of just replacing it with cardio. my favorite pose? standing bow pose!
Great post! It’s about time for me to incorporate some more yoga into my weekly workout schedule…
I’m not a yoga girl, but I do pilates. I’d like to one day start doing yoga, for sure, but until then I’m sticking with the cardio and pilates! Thanks for the information though, I had no idea yoga burned so many calories!
I used to do yoga regularly but have stopped because I just don’t have the time! Between working, driving the kids places, and cooking, there is no time for yoga! I decided that I wanted to do a work out the burned more calories but now that I know yoga dies I might start again!
-kaunis.wordpress.com
I honestly don’t know enough about yoga to leave an intelligent reply. I have heard good things about it though.
I don’t do yoga but incorporate a few moves in my stretching routine. I would think about it more for the balance & flexibility.. so important as we age!!! I KNOW!
Thx for the great info!
This is a great topic!!!
I’m just like a previous commenter – I actually do my cardio and yoga in a session! I have somehow labeled Sundays as my “yoga day”. I do a short cardio dvd and then one of my yoga dvds… love it and honestly don’t do it enough. I’m definitely still a beginner, though!
I’ve been wanting to start doing more yoga. I didn’t know there were so many types!
Great article! I did Bikram yoga once and wore my heart rate monitor but my hr was extremely low! so weird!
Great info on yoga! I can’t give up my cardio, but I do enjoy a good yoga workout once in a while!
Thanks for posting the cals burned for the different yogas ~ I had wondered about this in the past, but never got around to investigating it!
I also think yoga has benefits beyond and above what walking can achieve ~ & vice versa
Thanks for coming by my blog! I can use all the support I get!
I started incorporating power yoga in my weekly workouts to complement my running. I do a quick 20 min session, then do strength and stretch. The 20 min sesh is enough to make me sweat in the summer heat!
Bikram is all the workout that I can handle on a regular basis. Camel pose is my favorite. I always feel as if I have purged the stress from my body after that pose.
I had almost given up my search, atlast found the info here. Thx for the great share buddy.
I think you didn’t consider Kalari Yoga. It is an style that gets your heart beating so fast and it is practiced prior to practicing Kalari which is an ancient martial art. My friends call it the “Cardio Yoga”.