Strengthen or Stretch for Health?

Which is more important for your health, yoga or strength training? A safe answer is neither. They are equally important.

BUT, ACTUALLY I DON’T THINK THAT’S THE CASE. If you want to age well and enjoy your time in your human suit, strength training is significantly more important.

This isn’t an either-or discussion, really. Both flexibility and strength are very important for healthy aging. YOU OUGHT TO DO BOTH, but prioritizing strength training is the way to go.

I’ll explain why in a minute.

For this discussion, strength training means resistance training with any combination of weights, resistance bands, resistance machines, or calisthenic work (i.e., pull-ups, push-ups, lunges).

I need to acknowledge that there are yoga styles that are more effective at building muscle mass, as these styles are akin to calisthenic work. Ashtanga Yoga is a good example of that.

As for cardio, I’ll make sure to get into that in a future message. Strength training vs. yoga is the focus because that’s the most common comparison question asked in my clinic regarding exercise.

Here are some important health aspects that regular exercise routines can support and improve:

• Bone density
• Metabolism
• Muscle mass
• Muscle strength
• Posture/alignment
• Balance
• Psycho/emotional balance
• Brain health

RESEARCH HAS SHOWN that strength training is more effective than yoga at building bone density, muscle mass, and metabolism.

Strength training is better at creating stress on the musculoskeletal system, which STIMULATES THE CELLS THAT GENERATE MORE BONE AND MUSCLE.

Consistently, when I assess posture alignment, patients doing regular strength training have superior alignment compared to patients engaging primarily in yoga.

Yoga typically helps more with physical balance and psycho/emotional balance. It’ll increase strength as well, but not as much as strength training. 

Strength training benefits physical and emotional balance, but not as much as yoga. 

It’s important to keep in mind that all of the health features listed above and the body systems that support them are interdependent.

If one of them suffers, one or more other aspects of your health will also suffer.

For instance, there is strong evidence that MAINTAINING MUSCLE MASS IS CRITICAL TO MAINTAINING INSULIN SENSITIVITY (think glucose metabolism and brain health).

So as muscle mass decreases, insulin resistance may increase in the muscles and in the brain! There is now well-publicized, respected research showing that Alzheimer’s DISEASE MAY BE CAUSED BY INSULIN RESISTANCE in the brain.

Another example of one body system affecting another starts with a psychological imbalance.

If your emotional stress is high for a long period, you’re much less likely to engage in exercise and much more likely to indulge in unhealthy eating. So, all the other aspects of health suffer.

Of course, exercise is one of the BEST HEALTH TOOLS you have to keep these interdependent health systems from cascading in the wrong direction. 

And, regardless of my opinion comparing strength training vs. yoga, the BEST EXERCISE IS THE ONE THAT YOU’LL DO.

Figuring out what form of exercise(s) you can do regularly is key to keeping all your body systems optimized.

Prioritize strength training if you can…  And don’t forget to stretch 😉

Feel free to share your experience regarding strength training vs. yoga, or let me know if you have questions.