Combining Yoga, Pilates and Cardio

Yoga is a solid fitness program in and of itself but some have complained that it doesn't build muscle or do enough for cardio. Depending on the type of yoga you do, or how you use labels, this isn't always the cases. Some who have tried different kids find they can build a huge sweat going and have aching muscles the next day.

While the basics of yoga come from India and the far East it has been adapted to the American style. I don't find this to be a problem at all as this is the way fitness is enhance. Pilates has been mixed into Yoga with  solid results. Others are debatable and seem a little quaky.

Yoga is a good base and when you add in body resistance, modified moves and even a little cardio you can build a fairly solid workout. You are meeting stretch, cardio, and weight training in all the same exercise.

There is an additional benefit to raising your heart rate in every 5 minutes as the competitive cycling up and down of the heart strengthens it like a sprint. The greatest health benefits come from speeding up, slowing down, and speeding up again in interval training. This can be integrated into a yoga routine in a way that also helps heat up muscles for a better stretch and rest.