Yoga and weights may appear like they are polar opposites. One emphasises deep breathing and flexibility, the other explosive power and brute strength. But when you put them together, they can unveil some serious gains in the gym.

You train in the right way — your joints and muscles become tired due to heavy lifting. This can result in tightness over time, which decreases your range of motion and, in turn, reduces your ability to get strong. Yoga in your fitness routine helps increase mobility and core stability to prevent injuries. With more optimal body mechanics, you can use it to push through plateaus and apply more force.

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The following are five weightlifting yoga moves you should use to lift heavy using yoga as a tool.

1. Malasana (Garland Pose)

    A strong, stable squat is vital for nearly every compound movement, such as the barbell back squat, front squat, and snatch. The Garland pose is great for opening the hips, groin, and ankles during your yoga routine. With this deep yogic squat, you train your body to reach the bottom-of-squat position as far down without rounding your lower back (which is far from comfortable). 1-Minute Pose to Improve Ankle Dorsiflexion & Hip Mobility

    2. Downward-Facing Dog

    Shoulder mobility for the overhead press. A lack of it causes your back to arch, which can lead to injury. The downward-facing dog stretches not only the shoulders, but also the hamstrings and calves at once. This pose of pushing your chest towards your thighs opens up your overhead range of motion and gives your upper body preparation for strict presses and jerks.

    3. Bridge Pose

    Strong glutes protect your lumbar spine in heavy lower-body lifts. The bridge pose stimulates your butt while stretching your hip flexors at the same time. A worker sitting at a desk with tight hip flexors is to be expected, and these, too, will severely limit lockout strength on the deadlift. The bridge pose deepens the glute activation while reversing that tightness and offers sustained, strong hip extension.

    4. Boat Pose

    Every single significant compound lift relies on core strength at its very core, literally and figuratively. A solid, sturdy core functions as your built-in personal weightlifting belt that protects your spine. In Boat pose, the legs are highly elevated while your chest is open and you balance on your sit bones. This exercise develops the core and hip flexor strength required to stabilize before a maximum squat or deadlift attempt.

    5. Pigeon Pose

    You know they have tight hips too — just a few reps can easily destroy their lifting mechanics and cause more knee or back pain. Pigeon pose is a vertical, aggressive stretch for the glutes and external hip rotators. It also gets you used to how your knees should track over your toes when the plates get heavy by spending time in the pigeon pose.

    Elevating Your Strength Training

    You do not need to be a true yogi who devotes their whole life and being to these exercises! But this is where adding yoga into your lifting routine can be super easy. To begin with, spend the last five to ten minutes of your workout running through these poses, which will all be easier as your muscles are warm. Otherwise, spend 20 minutes in your active recovery days focusing solely on mobility.

    With the added flexibility comes smoother lifts, shorter recovery times, and you will start set PR, realizing your strength. Go grab the mat, breathe in, and prepare to smash your next PR.

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