Tip Yoga Moves for Strong Lifters Search Skip to content Menu Menu follow us Store Articles Community Loyal-T Club Loyal-T Points Rewards Subscribe to Save Search Search The World s Trusted Source & Community for Elite Fitness Training Tip Yoga Moves for Strong Lifters Some of the best warm-ups for lifting actually come from the yoga studio Here are a few that anyone can use No Lululemon required by TJ Kuster June 8, 2018August 18, 2019 Tags Mobility, Tips, Training Supplement Your Lifting with Yoga Lifting is more fun than stretching. But sooner or later, you're going to need to stretch. At some point, mobility becomes an issue for every serious lifter. Whether it's tight hips, an immobile thoracic spine, or frozen ankles, you'll come across restrictions that are limiting you from reaching your full potential. This is where yoga comes in. To be truly strong and functional, you should be able to move freely throughout a full range of motion. Yoga not only increases your mobility, but your relative body strength and core stability as well. Mobility Yoga has been around for over a thousand years, and almost all the "new" stretches, "primal movements" or breathing techniques to make you more mobile are derived from it. Yep, it turns out the exercises you thought were cutting edge were performed by dudes in India 5,000 years ago. A little yoga will open your hips, mobilize your T-spine, and stretch your calves. This will increase your strength because your body won't be fighting itself on all your lifts. It'll reduce your potential for injury since you'll be able to move freely. Here's a quick hip-opening yoga sequence. Do it post workout while the muscles are still warm. Relative Body Strength Core Stability Certain "vinyasas" or flow sequences can build a lot of core stability and teach you how to brace your core. Take for example going from "downward facing dog" to a "forward fold." If done right, this movement can develop shoulder and core strength, as well as enhance kinesthetic awareness. Here are some examples: Jump Into Forward Fold Slow Jump Into Forward Fold Forward Jump Into Straddle Leg Handstand Press-Up Forward Jump Into Straight Leg Handstand Press-Up How to Add a Little Yoga Into Your Warm-Up You don't need to do a whole yoga session to reap its benefits. You can learn a few yoga flows and add them into your warm-up. Here's a quick example: Yoga Flow Warm-Up If you really need to work on your mobility, take a power yoga class on your off days. In a few weeks you'll be able to move more freely and will most likely see your lifts increase. Get The T Nation Newsletters Don' t Miss Out Expert Insights To Get Stronger, Gain Muscle Faster, And Take Your Lifting To The Next Level related posts Training Tip The Breathing Squat Challenge Force new leg growth with this classic training method. Here's how to do it. Challenge Training, Legs, Metcon, Squat, Tips, Training Bret Contreras August 24 Training Tip The Athlete s Overhead Press This will increase your ability to transfer force across your body, which is crucial for punching, batting, throwing, and even sprinting. Athletic Performance, Overhead Press, Tips, Training Nick Tumminello March 19 Training Is the Pullover a Back or Chest Exercise Should you do the pullover on pushing day or pulling day? Even the experts argue about it. Here's the scientific, nuanced answer. Back, Bodybuilding, Exercise Coaching, Pecs Merrick Lincoln, DPT January 4 Training Tip Ladies Build Muscle to Get Leaner Lift weights to lose fat. Use these 4 training tools for a smokin' physique. Tips, Training Dani Shugart December 2