High Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT, is all the rage right now. It can be great for improving your cardiovascular health and increasing your metabolic rate. People all over the nation are praising HIIT training as the end-all-be-all for ultimate fitness. But is it really?
I respectfully beg to differ. While HIIT workouts may be great for the seasoned athlete looking to up her game or the serious workout powerhouse wanting to change up her routine, research shows that when it comes to building muscle mass, increasing mobility and flexibility and helping prevent injury for the general population, yoga is where it’s at.
Don’t get me wrong, there are indisputable benefits to HIIT workouts, but they’re not necessarily for everyone. If you have been living a mainly sedentary lifestyle, are battling obesity or have an existing injury, HIIT workouts are something you will need to work up to, they are not your starting point.
Yoga, on the other hand, can be modified for all ages and fitness levels, for injuries and physical disabilities, and with a myriad of styles and practices you can find what’s right for your athletic style and ability. From Hatha to Vinyasa Flow to Bikram, there is a yoga out there that will meet your workout standards and help you reach your goals.
Besides helping to lengthen and strengthen your muscles, the American Osteopathic Association sites the benefits of yoga as including reduction of stress, lowering of blood pressure, improved respiration and increased cardiovascular and circulatory health. Because yoga includes an element of meditation, it often serves as not only an exercise practice but a coping mechanism for millions of people around the world.
There is a reason yoga has been around for thousands of years. While workout systems may come and go in the world of celebrities and informercials, yoga has been a time honored tradition in India for centuries, bringing a higher level of health, wellness and consciousness to those who make yoga a part of their regular lifestyle. Give it a try and see what is going on inside yourself both physically and mentally. You may like what you find a whole lot.
Namaste.