High-Intensity Meets Yoga: Experience the Ultimate HIIT Yoga Workout
Yoga HIIT workouts, or high-intensity interval training, are a combination of yoga poses and high-intensity interval training (HIIT), which strives to achieve better results. Do you know the feeling of intense for your heart rate yet satisfying? This combination, yoga HIIT, can give your body a difference from inside and out.
Yoga HIIT workouts are intense routines, which include cardio, running, weights, and yoga poses. For some, yoga is a lame exercise compared to weight lifting and cardio workouts. But hear me out, I have tried the yoga HIIT workouts to build strength and noticed the results.
The results I got when doing yoga HIIT workouts are far from what I have imagined. The visible results I have seen gave me the courage to do more and continue as regular exercise.
So, where did I learn it? At first, I admit to encountering different troubles and difficulties. Especially doing the intensity interval training at the hips, arms and legs, it will give your heart rate a jump start like a ball bouncing on the ground. Adjustment of the body like your arms and your hips, with the strength and coordination, are the first you will meet.
If you notice your body in the difficulty of breathing, rest for one minute, inhale and exhale to five breaths, and return to your starting position. Look and feel the amount of time you will be spending if you are doing a downward dog exercise to the floor.
My first try at yoga poses at home were beginners’ moves. With the help of video tutorials, I managed to perform different poses. Then I started looking for another set of workouts. I started looking at cardio conditioning and strength exercises, and there I came across the HIIT.
So when I am already doing HIIT, I include yoga poses as cooldown routines. It is the right combination if you want to relax your body after the cardio and strength workouts. Other than cooldown, I also tried doing yoga poses as a warm-up to HIIT. Guess what? It works perfectly, and I never regret doing yoga HIIT workouts.
So why do the yoga HIIT workouts?
The yoga and HIIT workouts are the opposite. As you can imagine, I explained that I applied yoga poses as warm-up and cooldown to prevent injuries. You must listen to what our body needs. Is it strength or cardio or just basic yoga poses? Can you do it if you switch your legs then switch sides? Can you calculate the percent of your maximal heart rate to build strength and return your entire body and go to starting position without injury?
Knowing this is important to get the benefits from your yoga routine by integrating calories on each exercise for cardio yoga workout. The workout consists of the sequence and practice of different exercises such as lunge and plank using equipment like kettlebell can burn fats, and increase stamina and the flexibility of muscles.
But sometimes, those who performed yoga develop injuries. And you know why is that? Wrong pose and you ta end to push your body too hard at the first session.
When I first did the yoga HIIT workouts, I practiced being careful, especially during the first session. It is essential to find the technique. Proper breathing is necessary to do the yoga HIIT workouts successfully. Keeping yourself calm will help you perform the yoga HIIT workouts.
So how can you manage if you do HIIT workouts from the beginning?
For some that HIIT workouts have been the exercise, in the beginning, it will not be easy to adjust to a new workout routine. It is like the opposite of what I did, and since I am aware of how a yoga lesson can make to your body, here are the yoga poses you can do.
The Warrior II
So how would you do it?
- Stand back with your left foot into a wide stance.
- Turn your left foot in 45 degrees while opening your arms.
- With your arms open, put your right arm forward in line with your right toes then your left arm behind you.
- After that, bend your right knee to lower your hips. Make sure you keep your back leg firm and your back straight.
- Then reach through your fingertips to opposite walls and stay still for three to five breaths.
- Repeat this on the other side.
For more advance of a yoga pose, you can do the following:
- While your both feet parallel to the short edges of the mat, inhale and stretch your arms overhead.
- Then exhale and swan dive into a forward fold. Make sure your hands do not touch the floor. You use a yoga block.
- While in this position, shift your weight in the center of your feet. Slowly, lift your kneecaps, and release the crown of your head toward the floor.
Eagle Arms with a Twist Yoga Pose
- Stand as your starting position while bringing your left arm under your arm. So the position of your elbows is hooked.
- Then slide your left palm up to your right palm.
- After that, inhale and lift your elbows. Make sure you exhale and fold forward your elbows toward your belly button.
- Repeat the breathing five times and switch your arms.
- Then from the fold, place your left hand under your head on the floor or a block.
- Inhale and lift your right arm toward the ceiling. Make sure your right hip is not reaching up or back.
- With your strong legs, maintain as well your breathing pattern about five rounds and switch sides.
Tree-like Yoga Pose
- Your starting position is standing tall, your thighs and abs are engaged.
- Then shift your weight to your left leg and bring your right foot into the side of your left ankle. Make sure you avoid knee joints.
- Afterward, bring your hand to your chest and lift them over your head slowly. It will look like branches are growing toward the sun.
- While doing this, make sure your left thigh is engaged and lift out of your left hip.
- Then relax your shoulders while standing tall and uplifted.
- Try holding your breath 3 to 5 times before switching the legs.
Bridge Yoga Pose
If you want focus strength to your legs, glutes, and back, try doing the bridge yoga pose. This pose will open your front hips and chest. How to do it?
- In this yoga pose, you will start by lying down on your back while bending your knees to put your feet on the floor.
- Then, stretch your fingertips toward your heels and take a gaze towards your knees.
- Inhale and begin to lift your hips, one at a time. It will keep your shoulders on the floor.
- Exhale while lifting your chest and hold your breath for three to five times.
- Then roll down to your back and repeat twice for the best result.
What can we say about it?
Yoga HIIT workouts are the exercises you should do if you want to achieve the best results to get physical fitness and improve mental health. Strength and balance are essential for daily activities. Combining these two exercises, you will gain more benefits than normal HIIT or yoga workouts.