There are days when exercise feels wonderfully straightforward. You go for a walk, enjoy a swim, spend an hour in the garden or head out for a run, and return feeling all the better for it. Then there are days when everything feels a little stiffer, your energy isn’t quite what it was, and the thought of another demanding workout holds very little appeal.
It’s often on those days that yoga comes into its own.
Yoga has a rather different approach to movement. There is strength involved, certainly, and sometimes a surprising amount of effort, but there’s also an invitation to slow down, pay attention to your breathing and notice how your body actually feels.
And perhaps that’s why it sits so comfortably alongside other forms of exercise. Rather than replacing the activities you already enjoy, yoga can bring something different to them.
Whether you’re a regular runner, enjoy long countryside walks, prefer a gym session or simply want to feel a little more comfortable moving through everyday life, making room for yoga could be well worth considering.
What Is Yoga, and Where Did It Begin?
Yoga has its roots in ancient India, where it developed over many centuries as a collection of philosophical, spiritual and practical traditions.
Its history is complex, stretching back thousands of years, although the familiar physical postures practised in modern yoga classes developed and changed considerably over time.
The Sanskrit word yoga is commonly associated with joining or uniting, and the practice has long been concerned with the relationship between the mind, body and our wider experience of life.
Traditionally, yoga encompasses far more than physical exercise. Breathing practices, meditation, ethical principles and self-discipline all form part of its broader philosophy.
Today, many people first encounter yoga through its physical postures, known as asanas. Yet even in a modern exercise class, that combination of movement, breathing and attention remains an important part of the experience.
And there isn’t just one way to practise.
Hatha yoga classes often introduce postures at a measured pace, making them a useful starting point for beginners. Vinyasa yoga tends to link movement and breathing in flowing sequences, while restorative yoga uses supported positions to encourage relaxation.
Other approaches, including Iyengar yoga, place particular emphasis on alignment and the careful use of props.
The variety is part of yoga’s appeal. You can find a style that challenges you physically, one that offers a gentler form of movement, or something that sits comfortably between the two.
Why Add Yoga to an Existing Exercise Routine?
When we think about improving our fitness, it’s tempting to concentrate on doing more. Walking further, lifting heavier weights, swimming more lengths or increasing the pace of a run.
But fitness isn’t simply about how hard we can work.
Strength, mobility, balance, coordination and adequate recovery all contribute to how comfortably and confidently we move.
Yoga offers an opportunity to give some of these qualities more attention.
It can also be a welcome change of pace. If most of your exercise involves repeating familiar movements, trying a different range of postures may help you become more aware of areas that feel strong, stiff or less stable.
That doesn’t mean yoga is a substitute for cardiovascular exercise or resistance training. Rather, it can make a useful addition to a varied routine.
Improving Flexibility Without Forcing It
Flexibility is probably the benefit most readily associated with yoga, although it is also the reason some people are reluctant to try it.
There’s a common assumption that you need to be naturally bendy to attend a yoga class. In reality, that would be rather like deciding you must already be fit before going for a walk.
Flexibility develops through practice, and everybody starts somewhere different.
Regular yoga can help improve the range of movement available at certain joints, particularly when postures are approached gradually and practised consistently.
You might notice that reaching towards your feet becomes a little more comfortable, that your shoulders move more freely or that getting down onto the floor no longer feels quite so awkward.
These may seem like small improvements, but they can make a genuine difference to everyday activities.
The important thing is not to force a stretch. A useful stretch may feel noticeable, but it shouldn’t be sharply painful. Moving within a comfortable range is far more valuable than trying to copy the deepest version of a posture.
And there is no prize for touching your toes.
Building Strength and Balance
Yoga can look deceptively gentle until you find yourself holding a standing posture and wondering why your legs have suddenly begun to tremble.
Many yoga positions require you to support and control your own body weight. Postures such as plank, warrior and chair pose can challenge muscles in the legs, shoulders, abdomen and back.
Over time, this may help develop muscular endurance and improve control of movement.
Balance is another important part of yoga, particularly as we get older.
Standing on one leg, shifting weight carefully or moving between positions asks the body to coordinate several things at once. With appropriate practice, balance can improve, which is useful both during exercise and in ordinary daily life.
Yoga can therefore complement strength training, although it doesn’t necessarily provide the progressive resistance needed to develop all aspects of muscular strength or maintain bone health.
For a well-rounded exercise routine, it’s sensible to include a mixture of aerobic activity, muscle-strengthening exercise and movements that challenge balance and mobility.
The Benefits of Yoga for Stress and Mental Wellbeing
Perhaps one of yoga’s most appealing qualities is that it asks us to pay attention to something we often overlook: our breathing.
Most of the day, we breathe without giving it much thought. During yoga, breathing becomes part of the movement, helping establish a steadier rhythm and providing something simple to concentrate on.
That focus can be particularly welcome when the mind is busy.
Research suggests that yoga may help reduce perceived stress and support aspects of mental wellbeing, although the strength of the evidence varies depending on the condition being studied and the type of practice involved.
Some people find that yoga helps them unwind after a demanding day. Others enjoy the quiet concentration of following a sequence of movements without thinking about everything else waiting to be done.
It doesn’t need to be an elaborate ritual.
A few gentle stretches, some comfortable breathing and ten minutes without distractions can provide a useful pause in an otherwise busy day.
Yoga isn’t a replacement for professional treatment for anxiety, depression or other mental health conditions, but it can be one supportive part of looking after ourselves.
Can Yoga Help with Posture and Everyday Aches?
Long periods spent sitting, working at a computer or repeating the same movements can leave us feeling stiff and uncomfortable.
Yoga may help by encouraging movement through different positions, strengthening some of the muscles involved in supporting the body and improving awareness of how we sit, stand and move.
Certain forms of yoga have also been studied as an option for managing chronic lower back pain, with evidence suggesting modest benefits for some people.
However, it’s important not to think of posture as a single perfect position that everyone should maintain.
Our bodies are designed to move, and regularly changing position is often more helpful than trying to sit or stand in one supposedly ideal way.
If you have persistent pain, an injury or a medical condition affecting your movement, seek appropriate professional advice before beginning unfamiliar exercises.
A knowledgeable yoga instructor should also be able to suggest modifications and help you avoid positions that cause discomfort.
How Yoga Complements Walking, Running and Other Exercise
One of the nicest things about yoga is how easily it can fit around activities you already enjoy.
Yoga and Walking
Walking is one of the simplest and most enjoyable ways to stay active, particularly when there’s a stretch of countryside, a woodland path or a coastal view to explore.
Yoga can complement regular walking by providing opportunities to work on balance, hip mobility and gentle strengthening.
After a long walk, a few comfortable stretches may also feel pleasant, particularly if you’ve been climbing hills or covering uneven ground.
Yoga and Running
Running places repeated demands on the legs, hips and feet, and runners often find that certain areas feel particularly tight.
Yoga can introduce a different range of movement and provide opportunities to work on balance, strength and body awareness.
A gentle session may feel welcome on an easier training day, while more demanding yoga classes should be treated as exercise in their own right.
Although yoga may contribute to general conditioning, evidence that it directly prevents running injuries or speeds recovery is limited. Good training progression, adequate rest and appropriate strength work remain important.
Yoga and Strength Training
If you enjoy lifting weights or resistance exercises, yoga can offer a useful contrast.
It provides an opportunity to explore mobility, balance and controlled movement outside the patterns of your usual training.
However, a vigorous yoga session can be physically demanding, so it makes sense to consider how it fits alongside heavier workouts rather than assuming it always counts as rest.
Yoga and Gardening
Gardening may not always be described as exercise, but anyone who has spent an afternoon digging, weeding, planting or moving pots knows how physical it can be.
There is plenty of bending, reaching, kneeling and lifting involved, often in positions we don’t hold during other activities.
Gentle yoga may help maintain mobility and body awareness, making it a useful addition for those of us who spend as much time as possible outdoors.
And after a long day in the garden, a little time stretching out on a mat can feel particularly welcome.
Is Yoga Good for Recovery?
You will often hear yoga described as an excellent way to recover from exercise, but it’s worth making a distinction between gentle movement and a demanding yoga class.
A slow, comfortable session may help you relax and ease the sensation of stiffness after activity. Restorative yoga, in particular, can provide an opportunity to unwind without placing significant additional demands on the body.
But yoga hasn’t been conclusively shown to accelerate muscle repair or prevent exercise-related injuries.
Recovery still depends on familiar essentials: sufficient rest, sleep, appropriate nutrition and allowing your body time to adapt to exercise.
If you’re tired or sore, choose gentle movement rather than pushing through a difficult sequence.
Sometimes the most useful thing you can do is simply rest.
How Often Should You Practise Yoga?
There is no need to begin with an hour-long class every day.
In fact, starting with ten or fifteen minutes a couple of times a week may be a much more enjoyable way to build a habit.
You could try a short morning session before breakfast, a gentle practice after a walk or a longer class at the weekend when you have a little more time.
As you become familiar with the movements, you may find yourself naturally wanting to practise more often.
The key is to choose something that fits your life rather than trying to build your life around an ambitious new routine.
Consistency matters far more than perfection.
Getting Started with Yoga
If you’re completely new to yoga, a beginner-friendly class with a qualified instructor is a sensible place to start.
An instructor can explain the movements, offer alternatives and help you understand how to practise comfortably within your own abilities.
Online classes can also be convenient, particularly if you prefer exercising at home, although it’s worth choosing a reputable instructor who provides clear guidance and modifications.
You don’t need much equipment. A non-slip mat, comfortable clothing and enough room to move are usually sufficient to begin.
If you’re unsure what to look for, my guide to choosing the right yoga equipment explains how to select a mat and which accessories may be useful. (Replace this link with the published article’s direct URL.)
Most importantly, don’t worry about how your practice looks.
Some postures will feel natural, others will take time, and there may be movements that simply aren’t appropriate for your body. That’s all part of learning.
Making a Little Space for Yourself
There is something quietly satisfying about finding an activity that doesn’t ask you to compete with anyone, reach a particular target or constantly improve your performance.
Yoga can be challenging, certainly, but it can also be wonderfully uncomplicated.
A few minutes of movement in the morning. A gentle stretch after working in the garden. A quieter evening practice when the day has been particularly full.
Over time, those small moments can become a familiar and enjoyable part of everyday life.
And perhaps that’s the real value of adding yoga to your exercise routine. Not that it promises to transform everything overnight, but that it gives you another way to look after your strength, mobility and wellbeing.
Sometimes, making room for a little less intensity is exactly what a busy life needs.
Further Reading: How to choose the right Yoga Equipment, NHS Yoga Exercise
Daily Inspiration: Instagram, Pinterest, Threads, Twitter, TikTok, BlueSky