Yoga Vs Gym: Similarities, Difference, What Is Better?

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If You Are Wondering About Yoga Vs Gym Similarities, Difference, What Is Better? Then This Article Is For You. Here, We Take You Through The Simple Step By Step Process To Help Understand Yoga Vs Gym; Similarities, Difference, What Is Better. Stay Tuned.

Yoga and Gym are two forms of activities which individuals now a days engage in quite frequently. So before delving into the debate of which one is better and why, it is important to understand what these two concepts really mean.

Gym, on the other hand is basically a place where one can work on her or his physical growth, development or build muscles by using certain equipment and performing certain rigorous physical activities with the help of a trainer.

Yoga Vs Gym

Yoga Vs Gym: A Way of Life Vs A Place For Physical Enhancement

So firstly, Yoga is not just a form of physical exercise, but is a way of living. It aims in bringing harmony to life and building a perfect balance among body, mind and spirit. Yoga helps in all round development of an individual by improving the individual’s mental as well as physical health.

Yoga Vs Gym; Similarities 

  1. Both Yoga and Gym helps you build your physical strength. Both these activities aim to make you healthier and fitter as an individual. Also, it makes your body more flexible and adaptive in nature.
  2. Both Yoga and Gym reduces chances of diseases among individuals. As by exercising, one generally becomes fitter and maintains a proper healthy lifestyle, hence it reduces the chances of the individuals being prone to long term diseases.
  3. By involving in both Yoga and Gym, an individual can release their tension or stress.
  4. Both Yoga and Gym makes individual disciplined. It compels individuals to maintain a particular routine and a healthy diet in their course of life.

Difference Between Yoga And Gym

  1. The process by which one has to engage in the activity differs in both cases. In gym, you have to do rigorous physical activities like cycling, swimming and other forms of exercises which would be quite intense for an individual.

    It would initially increase your heart beat, but after a certain time would help you to settle. But in case of Yoga, you are doing several stretching exercises, meditation as well as breathing exercises which would help in making your body and the muscles extremely flexible and would help you to attain peace within yourself. The aim of Yoga is to regulate the entire body mechanism.

  2. Expense rates would differ with each of the process. Yoga is considered to be much less expensive, because in reality you would just need a good yoga mat, with which you would be able to start doing yoga. But in case of gym, such equipment that are present in a gym are not present in normal households.

    So you have to get a membership in a gym for using the same which would incur you some amount of cost. Also, if you want to buy equipment and practise in your home, buying would also involve a certain amount of cost.

  3. In case of regular yoga exercises which individuals do, one doesn’t necessarily need a trainer. They can simply learn the poses from either books or you tube videos. Only if they want to become an expert in Yoga, they would require to have a trainer.

    But, in case of gym, one definitely needs a trainer to guide her or him through the entire process of exercise and who would guide them which exercises would be the most appropriate ones for them and how should they use the equipment present and for what purpose.

  4. Yoga can be practised by individuals belonging to any age group ranging from a child to an elderly person. But in case of gym, elderly individuals or individuals suffering from heart related issues are discouraged from going to a gym.

  5. If you discontinue Yoga, it won’t create withdrawal symptoms among individuals generally. But in case of gym, if you suddenly discontinue gym, it would lead to body soreness and would increase body pain and ache. Also, one would lose it’s shape if she or he suddenly discontinues doing the same.

  6. The place of activity doesn’t matter in case of Yoga. You can do Yoga in any place possible and you would not need a lot of things for the same. But in case of gym, you would require a proper place, proper equipment to do training.

  7. While exercising in a gym, only a few organs of the body are active. But while doing Yoga, all the organs or the body are dynamic and active. In case if gym, while you are exercising, your mind may not be present in that particular space. But in Yoga, attention of your mind is also needed and concentration of your mind and body both is needed.

  8. Gym makes you breathe at a much faster rate, but Yoga makes you breathe in a calm and composed manner with the help of the breathing exercises.

Yoga Vs Gym: What Is Better?

There’s no definite answer to it. It would entirely depend on the purpose and the age group.

Gym For Sports People And Muscle Development

For example, for a sportsman who need to develop proper physical growth or for an actor or a model, who needs to develop muscles and a toned body for her or his profession, gym would be a better option.

Yoga For Elderly And Overall Healthy Life

But for women, working professionals or elderly people whose main concern is to be fit and healthy, Yoga might be a better option. Also for individuals suffering from anxiety or stress, Yoga is a better option as it would help in achieving a certain amount of mental peace and calmness and would help in relaxation.

But keeping in mind all round or overall development of an individual, Yoga might be a better choice as it focuses not only on mental health, but also physical health. So let’s look at some of the reasons which shows why Yoga might be a better choice for most of the individuals.

Also read our post on Best Time To Do Yoga For Weight Loss and Yoga Vs Morning Walk

We May Be Biased, But We Like Yoga More For the Following Reasons

  • Yoga doesn’t only help in physical growth or development but helps in an all round development by improving the mental as well as physical stability of an individual.
  • Yoga develops you entire body both internally and externally. It helps in improving your digestive system and is a great way of detoxing your body.
  • Yoga increases attention span and concentration within an individual. By practicing Yoga regularly. You would become more focused regarding yourself and the goal which you aim to achieve and would be able to give optimum importance and attention towards the same without any disturbance.
  • Yoga can be practiced anywhere without any equipment or trainer. Hence it is easier for individuals to continue doing Yoga regularly.
  • Yoga would reduce your stress and anxiety. It would make you calm as a person and would help you find peace within yourself a midst the chaos that is present everywhere.
  • Yoga can be performed by everyone. Individuals belonging to any age group can perform Yoga and it would not have any adverse effect on this.
  • Yoga stimulates positive thinking within an individual. It helps you accept yourself the way you are without any inhibition.
  • Yoga keeps your internal organs healthy hence giving you anti-ageing benefits.

FAQ’s

Is It Okay To Do Yoga And Gym Both Simultaneously?

Yes. You can do both if you wish to, but you have to chalk out your plan very carefully. If you need to stay healthy as well as need to build proper muscles, then doing both might be ideal for you.

So you need to divide days when you would practice yoga and when you would go to the gym. Also you need to plan your diet accordingly. This might become a little bit hectic for people, but if you can do it then you would be able to get the benefits from both the worlds. What can be better than that?

If My Aim Is To Lose Weight, Yoga Or Gym, Which One Should Be The Ideal One For Me?

Both will help you lose weight after a certain amount of time. But if you need a quicker result, gym would be the better option for you as it would push you. But in case of yoga, yoga isn’t designed for that, it would make you a healthier individual both physically and mentally, and would help your body become lean, but it would take a certain amount of time for the same.

Gym would burn your body fat more quickly and help you achieve your desired body in a shorter span of time. But if you want to attain a result for the longer run, you can do a combination of both which would help you get the benefits from both the practices.

Also read our interesting post on Will Yoga Make Me Fit?

Conclusion

So whether Yoga or Gym is the appropriate one for you depends on your age group and your purpose particularly. But as Yoga doesn’t have any adverse effect in any age group and is suitable for all the age groups, it might be the preferred practice for the majority of individuals.

But there’s no ultimate answer to it. So choose yourself the perfect one for you by keeping in mind the benefits mentioned above.

Do read our popular post on What Does Namaste Mean In Yoga? and Yoga Vs Meditation and Yoga Vs Running