I’ve done yoga before and I’ve done lifting before, but I’ve never done “Yoga For Lifting” before, a class exclusively offered to Gymbox members and guests.
Before you start to panic, the class is very straightforward and easy to follow, both for newcomers to yoga and newcomers to lifting. Designed to strengthen key areas that help improve your lifts – particularly the upper back and the hip flexors – Yoga For Lifting has the structure of a yoga class, but focuses on a few key areas and works to increase mobility, flexibility, and balance; all of which are vital in helping you improve your lifting on the gym floor.
1. Improve your general health & fitness
Like all yoga classes, Yoga for Lifting is great for those of us who spend our days sitting at a desk or talking/texting/Grindring on our phones. Do you ever have lower back pain? Have you woken up with a stiff neck or have an annoying knot in your shoulders that you can’t seem to get rid of? Well, then you should be doing yoga of some kind to help improve your various aches and pains, and Yoga for Lifting is ideal, especially if some of those aches and pains also happen to be a result of too many squats or deadlifts (but then is there such a thing as too many squats or deadlifts?)
2. Yoga with props and a purpose
The main difference between this class and more traditional yoga is the use of a single bar to modify some movements and stretches. Where a typical yoga class would start with movements like shoulder rolls and neck rotations, Yoga For Lifting adds in some bar work to increase your range of motion and really work to release tension in the shoulders.
3. Improve body awareness
A huge benefit to Yoga For Lifting, as opposed to simply stretching on the gym floor before a lifting session, is the increased body awareness that comes with it. From becoming aware of your breathing, focusing on your balance and posture, to relaxing with a Shavasana at the end, you leave the class much more attuned to your body. This means you’re more aware of imbalances and weaknesses as well as potential injuries that you might be tempted to “power through” that could cause further injuries down the line.
4. It’s great before AND after lifting
Classes like yoga are often considered to be a good cool down or post-workout stretch. And while this is absolutely still the case, a key benefit of Yoga For Lifting is that it can be beneficial both before and after your lifting session. If your hips tend to be tight and affect how deeply you can squat, or if your shoulder extension is limited and makes you lose balance doing your clean and press, then take the class before you hit the gym floor. If your muscles are so sore you find it difficult to function in life after lifting, then take the class after your workout. Or if you have all the time in the world, then do both!
Try it at Gym Box Cannon Street
For this week only, non-members can explore the range of fantastic classes which GYMBOX offers at their Cannon Street Pop-up Week.
Book your place on EventBrite and give the class a go.
Your deadlifts and squats will thank you!