The Yoga Vs Gym debate is among the hot topics in the domain of health and fitness.
Both Yoga and Gym are attracting quite a large bunch of people these days.
If you are targeting good overall health, a fit mind and body, shaped features – then you decide to follow these fitness training methods at some point in time.
But before hitting your fitness goal the crucial question that bothers you is, “Which one of these two is better?” Will yoga benefit you more or does going to the gym and sweating it out give quick results?
You need it all, physical fitness and mental health. So which one of these will suit you better? Here we are to give you detailed information about Yoga and Gym.
In this blog, we’ll discuss:
- What is Yoga?
- What Is Gym?
- Similarities between them, and
- The key differences?
All this will help you understand would what you require and which one of these will fulfill your purpose?
Let’s begin with an introduction to both of these fitness methodologies…
About Yoga and Gym?
Yoga, in plain words, can be defined as “a balance between mind and body, body and soul, soul and mind.” It is a slow and steady method to strengthen your body’s functioning.
Yoga gives peace of mind. It is aimed at creating an equilibrium between your body parts, hence giving you tranquility.
Yoga is of Indian origin. It was invented probably in those days when hermits and saints used to meditate and keep their bodies fit and flexible for reaching further spiritual goals.
Gym, on the other hand, is more a western concept. Gym means rigorous body exhausting activities such as running, weightlifting, intense stretching, etc. It focuses more on the body and physical fitness than spiritual equilibrium.
Although some studies show that these intense physical exercises have sometimes positive effects on our mind also. But still, the aim of gym happens to be losing calories and keeping your body in a proper shape.
As we see that these two exercising formats look a bit similar and a bit different. So let’s consider their differences and similarities here.
This will make the base as well as give the direction to the debate of yoga vs gym. Hence, starting with the similarities…
Similarities Between Yoga and Gym
The key similarities between yoga and gym are:
#1: Activates Body Parts
Both gym and yoga are meant to keep your body parts active. Either you do yoga or go to the gym it keeps you healthy internally.
It manages a smooth function of the respiratory, digestive systems. Both set your hands, feet, and back strong.
#2: Losing Weight
The gym is strictly focused on burning calories, fat, and extra loose skin. An intense workout gives you quick results.
Yoga too, through some asanas and postures, helps you lose extra fat and limp muscles. The result, however, comes slowly as it is not that exhaustive.
#3: Mental Health
Yoga brings mental peace and health. It connects mind and body. Yoga helps to stabilize and regulate your flow of thoughts, reactive capacity.
It strengthens your cautious, unconscious, and subconscious mind so that you are better at dealing with everyday life. Gym, on the other hand, has also some benefits related to mind and mental health.
Research has proved that an intense workout regulates the production of Endorphins in our body, the hormones which are responsible for making us feel good.
These are some similar goals that both yoga and gym hit at. Still, there are some wider differences that sets yoga Vs GYM apart.
Let’s have a look at those differences now…
Differences Between Gym and Yoga
Major differences between gym and yoga are:
#1: Flexibility
Yoga postures provide immense flexibility to the body. All those twist-and-turn yoga asanas enable you to bend the capacity of bones and muscles.
While gym builds muscles and bones strength and endurance. Building more muscles and packs results in a stiff body. It loses its flexibility to a certain extent.
#2: Muscle Building
Youngsters join the gym in order to build abs, biceps, and triceps. These are nothing but packs of muscles that are the result of protein supplement intake and rigorous workouts.
But yoga is aimed at simply a healthy mind and body. It makes your body parts strong and fit but can’t produce extra muscles.
#3: Spiritual Value
Yoga for a long time has been a spiritual thing. It is a practice that is meant for cleansing your mind and creating a proper channel of actions and reactions.
You hit the gym with aspirations of having a well-shaped body with no belly fat. It can give you well-built thigh muscles, arms, chest, etc. It enhances your endurance in terms of physic.
#4: Speedy Results
Any kind of exercise you perform, takes time to give results. When we talk about yoga, it gives you positive outcomes in a long run. It needs patience.
Whichever yoga practice you choose either asanas or breathing practices or body balance yoga or power yoga, take time. But gym sessions are molded in such a way that you can choose whether you want quick results. As it includes hard physical labor, it shows results speedily.
#5: Sustainability Issue
It is seen that the results you get from yoga practices are supposed to sustain for a long duration. While gym sessions, if you stop doing them all those results that showed up in a short time are likely to disappear.
The effects of gym on weight loss is quick but not as long lasting as that of yoga.
#6: Suitable For
Gym is a heavy physical activity that children and senior citizens can’t access. It is meant for a certain group of youngsters only. While yoga can be performed by anyone.
From children to youngsters to senior citizens -all can attempt it as it is and easy going thing.
All these are the difference to fuel the debate- Yoga vs Gym.
However, the prime concern of an exercise pattern however happens to be weight loss. Where does yoga and gym stand in this competition? Which one of them can help you lose weight specially belly fat better?
Let’s take this into consideration…
Yoga or Gym: Better Way to Reduce Weight and Belly Fat
In Yoga, we learn different body balancing postures. It includes stretching of muscles even around your back hips, belly. So it can also help you in losing weight and belly fat.
Practicing yoga makes your overall metabolism function in a better way helping in digesting whatever food you intake properly.
This is a key to managing weight. But as it is not an intense workout it gives you results after a long duration and continuity. Very rare, people choose yoga for weight loss. Most of them opt for high intensity gym exercises.
While going to the Gym means you are ready to sweat it out and pump up all your body systems. Along with giving metabolism a trigger, gym workout sessions aim primarily at burning calories, fat and making loose muscles firm. So they can give you results in a better way and in a short period of time.
Which one to choose, yoga or gym? This still remains a great deal of confusion.
If you are confused as to which one is better. You also want spiritual values and quick burning of calories too, then what should you do? here we can suggest something.
Conclusion
It is not necessary thing that you must choose only one of the two modes of exercise. You can go with both of them in a manner that will give you the best results. Comparing yoga vs gym is not a very good thing to do.
However, both of them are physical activities. But, they have a very different set of purposes.
Opting for alternative days for yoga and gym can be the best in order to benefit yourself with spiritual values and also shed those extra pounds. You should follow both of them in a certain pattern.
It’s not important to find out which one among yoga or gym is better. The important thing is to make a fitness regime to make the most of both of them.
Hope the information in the blog was informative and helpful for you. For more such informative content on health, fitness, and bodybuilding, you can visit www.bigandripped.com.
