Yoga/Resistance Training

A show on Fit TV last night had a workout that combined asana with resistance training. It was very interesting. Basically, you get into a pose, like triangle, with one small weight in each hand. Then you make some movement, like opening and closing your arms while in Triangle. It was really unique, and felt great. That's one of my favorite things about asana. You can get one kind of enjoyment and benefit from holding a pose for a really long time, and another set of benefits and enjoyment from constant motion.

The workouts I've been doing from Fit TV are not all yoga based. And I've definitely noticed strength. However, it's interesting how combining any other workout with yoga can change your practice. My core strength has improved, and my arms, upper back, and shoulders are stronger. But, I've lost flexibility in my shoulders as interlacing my fingers behind my back and straightening my arms is REALLY hard for me now. I go back and forth on being an asana purist. Some times I feel like doing any other workouts is contradictory or disadvantageous to both the mental and physical benefits of the practice. Other times, I feel a synergistic effect. Probably has more to do with my state of mind than the reality of things.