Yoga vs. Exercise: What is the difference?

Although many people consider yoga to be a form of exercise, this is actually a misconception.

Physically, yoga's effect on the body is different from the effect which exercise has on the body, and mentally, exercise glorifies the body and is very Ego-driven and body-centric, whilst the aim of yoga is to transcend our attachment to the body, and to make us realise that it is wrong to self-identify with the body. Essentially, the purpose of yoga is to realise and experience that "self" within, the one which is often clouded by our attachment to our bodies.

I am in no way 'against' exercise, I still believe that it can be beneficial to the body. However, I think that what you gain from yoga is incomparably more than what you gain from exercise; in my experience at least :)

Here are some of the differences between yoga and exercise:

1). Yoga brings a calmness, steadiness and clarity to the mind, whereas exercises makes the mind very hyperactive because it creates a very quick chemical change in the body.

2). The energy you gain from performing yoga asanas stays with you for longer, and creates long-time changes in the body. On the other hand, exercise provides you with an instant hit of energy, and you then have less energy for the rest of the day, as you have expended so much during the workout. Furthermore, through yoga you create more energy within the body, as the energy you gain through performing pranayamas (breathing exercises) is internalised.

3). Exercises can make your body lose its natural flexibility, as it creates a build up of lactic acid, which makes you increasingly stiff over time. Exercise can also strain the muscles. Yoga, on the other hand, improves the flexibility of the body.

4). Yoga stretches, massages and stimulates the internal organs. Yoga asanas are designed to have a specific effect on the glands and internal organs, and to alter the electrochemical activity in the nervous system.

5). When yogasanas are performed, respiration and metabolic rates slow down, the consumption of oxygen and the body temperature drop; all of which contribute to slowing down the ageing process considerably. During exercise, however, the breath and metabolism speed up, oxygen consumption rises and the body gets hot, all of which speed up the ageing process. As a result of these changes, you will likely over-eat the rest of the day after exercising. Eating too much or too often is also very bad for the body, as our bodies have to put all their energy into digesting food, rather than healing and/or maintaining the health of the body.

6). Exercise also imparts a "beneficial stress" on the body; a stress which I don't think is always so beneficial. It activates your 'fight or flight' response and releases cortisol (one of the main causes of stomach fat), which most people are activating all day long anyway during their stressful day. Yoga, on the other hands, helps to eliminate stress and tension from your body and mind, resulting in you feeling calmer and better able to handle stressful situations throughout your day.

7). Exercise causes us to become very body-conscious. In contrast, yoga guides us away and above from the body. It encourages us to separate ourselves from the body, so that we can realise our Higher self.

I hope you enjoyed reading, and that I have motivated you to go do some yoga! ;)

Namaste x