🎯 Key Points
- CrossFit focuses on high intensity, functional movements to improve overall fitness.
- Yoga emphasizes flexibility, strength, and mental focus through various poses and breathing exercises.
- CrossFit workouts are typically shorter, more intense, and involve a variety of equipment.
- Yoga practices are often longer, slower-paced, and can be done with little to no equipment.
- Both CrossFit and Yoga can improve physical strength, flexibility, and mental well-being when practiced regularly.
Did you know that some exercises commonly used in Cross-Fit classes are postures (asanas) from yoga? Here are 5 very useful postures to do before your Cross-Fit session, they will help you warm up and exercise your arms, legs and core.
Tip: Try to hold each pose for about 30 seconds. Pay attention to your breathing, inhaling and exhaling slowly through your nose, they will serve as a warm-up.
Top 5 CrossFit and Yoga.
1. Virabhadrasana I.
As its name suggests, this posture fills us with vigor.
- Strengthens the legs, especially the quads, arms and back
- Increases mental concentration and energy levels.
- Repeat for each side.
- Make sure your knee is always above the ankle, the back leg must be straight and the toes flexed.
2.Urdhva Mukha Svanasana.
It helps increase the resistance of our arms , through the work of the triceps. It also produces extension of the muscles in the front of the body, particularly our abs and the front of the hips.
- This posture is good before CrossFit because it improves body alignment and you can use it in class or after finishing because it helps reduce fatigue.
- Remember that it is very important that you keep your shoulders away from your ears to prevent your neck from suffering.
- Keep your legs active and lift the center of your chest, it doesn’t matter if at first you can’t go up much, you will get there little by little.
3. Chakrasana.
It is an advanced posture , a very dynamic backbend.
- Stimulates all the energy centers of our body or chakras.
- If it doesn’t work for you, go little by little until you get it, because it helps you improve the mobility of your shoulders, hips and spine.
- Strengthens arms and legs.
- Great stretch of the abdominals with opening of the rib cage.
- Do not do it if you have back injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome or headaches.
4. Vasisthasana.
This posture is named after Vasistha, one of the main sages of India.
- It is a lateral balance that you must do on both sides.
- Work our arms (biceps and triceps) and wrists intensely and tone the abdomen.
- It combines strength and symmetry and helps us increase our confidence.
- To achieve good posture, it is very important that you position your arm correctly, since the wrist has to be just below the shoulder.
- If you still do not have enough strength to hold a complete side plank, you can vary the supports to evolve as your abdomen strengthens, support your knees first or support one knee and raise the other leg in the air.
5. Vrksasana.
With this posture we strengthen our balance and concentration.
- Let’s take advantage of it to pay attention to our feet, the root of the tree.
- The importance of distributing the weight well over the entire sole of the foot constitutes the basis on which to transmit firmness to our legs and the rest of the body, growing in posture.
Bottom Line.
Both CrossFit and Yoga offer unique benefits for physical and mental well-being. CrossFit focuses on high-intensity workouts that build strength and endurance, while Yoga emphasizes flexibility, balance, and relaxation. By incorporating elements of both practices into a fitness routine, individuals can achieve a well-rounded approach to health and fitness. Ultimately, the choice between CrossFit and Yoga depends on individual goals and preferences, but combining the two can provide a comprehensive and holistic approach to overall wellness.
