Some people look to yoga as a way to improve their flexibility, stress relief, balance, and concentration. Others like it as a low-impact way to get some quality resistance training.
If you’re in the second camp, then resistance bands are the perfect addition to your yoga workouts. The best part is, you can get a more challenging workout without having to learn any new yoga poses!
First, let’s see why resistance bands are worth adding to your routine, and then we’ll share a few poses where you can make it happen!
What Are the Benefits of Resistance Bands in Yoga?
Your yoga practice already challenges you to be mindful and move your body in ways that will increase your strength and flexibility. But if you feel like your yoga workouts are getting stale or aren’t challenging you anymore, here are 3 reasons why resistance bands can help!
1) Resistance bands add tension
Yoga is resistance training – but it’s fairly gentle by default. When you’re just using your body weight, you’re mostly fighting against gravity. However, you can add tension in all sorts of new ways with resistance bands to get stronger. Remember, muscles grow based on time under tension, so you can dramatically improve your own strength with just a few resistance bands in a yoga session.
2) Resistance bands support natural movements
A hallmark of yoga is that it connects us to our own internal nature, with a focus on our bodies, breath, and minds. When you use a resistance band, you’re experiencing natural movements and poses that you may actually do in the real world. This is a lot more true-to-life than what you may do on machines at the gym.
3) Resistance bands are easy to use
Unlike a lot of workout gear or equipment, resistance bands are completely intuitive: Simply pick it up and pull. They’re also inexpensive and portable, so you can take them with you even while traveling for an extra boost during yoga.
How to Use Resistance Bands During Yoga
Now that we’ve seen how resistance bands can enhance yoga, it’s time to look at a few poses where you can incorporate them. Of course, these are just a few possibilities to get you started – you can experiment with different poses to figure out what works best for you!
Downward Facing Dog
In the downward-facing dog (or down dog) pose, you can work your hamstrings. Lay your face down to your mat slowly with a band around your ankles. Push up so that you’re bending at the waist with your head down between your arms.
While in this position, gently pulse each leg behind you to work the hamstring.
Chair Pose
Chair pose with a resistance band will boost your back strength! First, stand on a resistance band and hold both ends in your hands. Come up into chair pose (bending slightly at the waist like a squat with your arms over your head) and pull the band up over your head behind you.
It’s okay if you can’t reach all the way up – even partial resistance here will work your back and improve overall stability.
Warrior Pose
If you want to work your arms (while also giving your legs a challenge), look no further than warrior! The Warrior yoga poses are probably the best-known in all of yoga, and they also serve as great opportunities to use resistance bands.
Stand with a leg extended behind you, fully straight. Have the other one bent in front of you like you’re about to lunge, and get in Warrior 1 with your arms above your head and a resistance band around your wrists. Gently pulse your arms in opposite directions.
Then, in Warrior 2, just hold both ends of a resistance band in each hand and pull while your arms are stretched out on either side. It’ll give you a tough stretch!
Half Moon
If you want to work your chest and improve your balance at the same time, bend over at the waist into a half-moon pose with one leg behind you and one leg planted firmly underneath you on the mat.
Step with your foot on one end of the resistance band with the foot touching the ground, and then hold the other end reaching towards the ceiling. Hold and then switch sides.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are resistance bands used in yoga?
Not generally, but as we’ve discussed, resistance bands are a great way
Is it OK to use resistance bands every day?
There’s always a risk of overtraining if you’re working the same muscle groups every day, but if you switch the muscles you focus on and take a rest day periodically, it should be safe to use resistance bands daily.
Can you build your chest with resistance bands?
Yes! Virtually every chest exercise you do with dumbbells can also be done with resistance bands, such as chest flies, crossovers, and presses.
Final Note: Incorporating Resistance Bands into Yoga
With just a few simple modifications to incorporate resistance bands, you can add an element of strength training and engagement to any yoga workout and fully experience all the benefits that yoga has to offer!
We hope you give it a go in your next session and discover new possibilities for your yoga journey!
