Ever got confused between doing a fast-paced cardio session and yoga practice? What if you can do both in a single session? That is where cardio yoga for beginners comes into play to help you. Many prefer HIIT to lose fat, and therefore, shift from yoga to cardio. It signifies the lack of awareness regarding the benefits of yoga for you.
The experienced yoga practitioners know the positive changes that they get by having a regular yoga practice, and are aware of how yoga is a perfect option to have a well-balanced physical activity.
What is Cardio Yoga For Beginners?
Cardio is a fast-paced physical movement that you do to raise your heartbeat, so that, your body needs to push beyond its normal limits. On the other hand, yoga is a lifestyle that is practised to enhance overall well-being. However, when you combine fast physical movements with yoga, you get cardio yoga, incorporating the qualities of both things.
There have been plenty of yoga forms that follow fast-paced styles that help you replace a different cardio session. Moreover, when you start a yoga practice, you can incorporate simple yoga stretches for beginners in your routine to ready your body to undertake an intense workout session.
Reasons To Practice Cardio Yoga For Beginners
Easy Warm-up
It is very important to have a proper warm-up and cool-down before and after the workout session. You remain injury-free, and moreover, your body adapts to the exercise mode. However, doing cardio suddenly pushes your body out of the comfortable zone, pushing you on the verge of getting injured.
However, when you practice cardio yoga for beginners, you get an easy start, so that, you never fell a victim to any sudden push. Moreover, over time your body adapts to the habit of practising fast yoga styles.
Read More – How Yoga For Weight Loss Exercises Rids You Of Extra Fat
Gradually Intensify
Since you get a proper start for your body, you never fall short by injuring yourself. However, that doesn’t mean that the intensity is low, or that your body is never shocked. The aim is to make your body ready, so that, you can push it much further without getting hurt.
When you make cardio yoga for beginners a regular practice, over time, your body undergoes an intense yoga session, leaving you gasping for air.
Blending Diversity
Cardio and yoga are two entirely different elements that are combined when you practice cardio yoga for beginners. When you practice it, you get the benefits of both cardio and yoga, automatically enhancing your overall performance.
Also, you get flexibility by practising yoga and muscle endurance by practising cardio. But when you combine cardio yoga for beginners, you get a strong, flexible, and athletic physique.
Flexible Body
There is no doubt that you get a flexible body when you practice yoga. Since cardio yoga for beginners incorporates basic yoga poses into your routine in such a way that you also get the benefits of cardio, you never lose the flexible aspect of your being.
Flexibility enhances your muscle strength, loosening up the tight muscles. Moreover, when you practice yoga, the risk of having any muscle tear or ligament breaks decreases, giving you more power when needed.
Muscle Retention
It is very obvious that you will lose muscle when you do cardio. It is because of too much body movement, raised heartbeat, heavy breathing, loss of water, and much more. But when you practice cardio yoga for beginners, you never lose muscle.
Moreover, when you practice an intense yoga session, your body will undergo extensive time under tension. In turn, your muscles break, and when you do rest, you come back much stronger. Thus, you retain muscle growth when combined with healthy eating habits.
Read More – Chair Yoga for Senior Beginners – Easy Yoga for the Elderly
For you to reap all these benefits of cardio yoga, you should also know the correct sequence of yoga poses.
With that said, given below is a moderate-level cardio yoga sequence in which you can try to work all the major muscle groups including your chest, arms, back, and legs.
Surya Namaskar
Surya Namaskar, also known as Sun Salutations is a sequence of yoga poses that you practice to get the heart rate up and enjoy good health.
Given below is the complete Sun Salutations sequence;
Samasthiti
Stand up straight with both feet together and distribute your body weight evenly on both feet. Rollback your shoulders and keep both hands hanging by your side. Your chin should be parallel to the ground.
Urdhva Hastasana
Inhale. Bend your knees slightly. Raise your arms over your head. Bring your palms together and look at your thumbs.
Uttanasana
Exhale. Straighten your legs. Bend forward from your hips and bring your hands down. Make sure to keep your neck in a relaxed state.
Urdvah Uttanasana
Inhale and lengthen your spine. Look forward and open your shoulders.
Chaturanga Dandasana
Exhale. Step your feet back. Bend your elbows and tuck them to your sides. Lower your body. Keep your knees off the floor. You can also modify this pose by bringing your knees to the ground.
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
Inhale. Point your toes away from your body. Lift your chest. Keep both knees off the ground. Open your shoulders and look towards the ceiling.
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Exhale. Keep your toes under. Lift your hips and keep your shoulders down. Look at your navel. You can remain in this position for up to five deep breaths.
Urdhva Uttanasana
Inhale. Step both feet together between your hands. Lengthen your spine and look in the front while opening your shoulders.
Uttanasana
Exhale. Lower the crown of your head towards the floor. Keep your neck in a relaxed state.
Urdhva Hastasana
Inhale. Bend your knees. Raise both arms over your head and bring your palms together while looking at your thumbs.
Samasthiti
Exhale. Straighten your legs. Bring your arms to the sides.
Note: Do this sequence at a quick pace and repeat it for 20 minutes without rest. It will get your heart rate pumping.
Although Cardio yoga is a relatively safer practice, make sure that you are on a flat surface and do not suffer from any neuropathy or orthopaedic conditions that interfere with the yoga practice.
Wrap Up
Cardio yoga for beginners is a perfect way for you to practice both yoga and cardio without losing the touch with any of the two. Since cardio is a part of it, you also lose fat along with more muscle mass. If you seem lost as to where to start, you can always join yoga for beginners classes to have a better start.
Moreover, you get the opportunity to practice both the elements, programming your mind and body to try a different approach to have a healthy and fit physique.
Also Read – Core Strengthening Basic Yoga Poses For Beginners
FAQs
Q1) What is Cardio Yoga?
Ans) It is one of the popular styles of yoga that combines yoga with cardiovascular exercises. Further, it relaxes your muscles along with improving your stamina and endurance. Furthermore, it is more intense than any other form of exercise.
Q2) Is yoga good for weight loss?
Ans) Absolutely yes! Practising yoga tones down your body removes excess fat from your limbs and improves your overall muscle growth. Furthermore, it increases your flexibility which makes you less prone to injuries. Hence, you lose weight with everything working in your favour.
Q3) Is yoga better than the gym?
Ans) Without any doubt, yoga is better than the gym. At first, you become strong, flexible, mobile, and agile. Also, you heal any physical pain, boost mental health, and learn to live in the present moment. Practising yoga helps you become a master of your mind and body that you cannot achieve in the gym.
