Yoga Smarter – Injury Prevention at Your Fingertips

It’s time to dispel some myths about free weights! There is so much more to gain from incorporating weights than just strength. Weights actively help you prevent injury and keep your body protected and balanced.

Importance of Strength Training

Strength training improves the strength of the muscles, tendons, and even the ligaments and bones. The stronger muscles and tendons help hold the body in proper alignment during different poses and protect the bones and joints when moving. The bones become stronger due to the overload placed on them during your training and the ligaments become more flexible.

Eliminating Weak Spots

When an area of the body is used less during an activity it may become weak compared to other areas. This can become a problem when that area (whether a muscle, ligament, joint, or specific bone) is ignited during an activity. That area cannot handle the sudden stress placed on it and an injury occurs. Strength training, using a balanced program like nuPowerYoga, will eliminate these weak areas and balance the body for the activities it is called to do.

Muscle Balance

Muscle imbalances are one of the most common causes of injuries when exercising. When one muscle, or muscle group, becomes stronger than its opposing group, the weaker muscles become fatigued quicker and are more susceptible to injury. A forceful contraction, near maximal output from the stronger muscle can also cause damage to the weaker opposing muscle due to the inability to counter the force.

Joint and Bone Health

Muscle imbalances also affect the joints and bones due to an abnormal pull causing the joint to move in an unnatural pattern. The stronger muscles will cause the joint to pull in that direction causing a stretching of the opposing ligaments and a tightening of the supporting ones. These can lead to chronic pain and an unnatural wearing of the bones. Adding weights to your Yoga practice can help to counter these effects by strengthening the weaker muscles to balance them with their counterparts.

No one has time for injuries, so grab some weights and start protecting your body the next time you hit the mat!

Namaste,

NuPowerYoga Team