Just tried Yoga! What are your thoughts?

[username19853]

I do Karate. I always look for things to help better me as a Karateka. My friend who practices BJJ has been doing yoga and is working on his certification. Tonight, I did hot yoga. My glasses fogged up as soon as I walked in! The instructor also incorporated some "power yoga" movements in it as well. Unfortunately I went to that class a little hungry and not very hydrated, but I was still sitting in a pool of my own sweat by the end of the class.

I truly see how this could help me develop more balance and flexibility, as well as help me to control my breathing. It was also challenging for my muscles throughout my entire body. However, I'm not entirely sure it's ENOUGH muscular development. Not worried about size, just performance.

I'm definitely sticking with Yoga though! What are your thoughts on how Yoga can help a Karateka?

[IcemanSK]

I do Karate. I always look for things to help better me as a Karateka. My friend who practices BJJ has been doing yoga and is working on his certification. Tonight, I did hot yoga. My glasses fogged up as soon as I walked in! The instructor also incorporated some "power yoga" movements in it as well. Unfortunately I went to that class a little hungry and not very hydrated, but I was still sitting in a pool of my own sweat by the end of the class.

I truly see how this could help me develop more balance and flexibility, as well as help me to control my breathing. It was also challenging for my muscles throughout my entire body. However, I'm not entirely sure it's ENOUGH muscular development. Not worried about size, just performance.

I'm definitely sticking with Yoga though! What are your thoughts on how Yoga can help a Karateka?

It sounds like you've found something fantastic for you. Flexibility, better balance, a great sweat...all great reason why hot yoga would be a great asset to your Karate training. I know a lot of folks do it & fall in love with it.

[Nidan Melbourne]

To me Yoga can be beneficial to karateka not just physically but also spiritually. As such I feel like you will grow more as such

[yamesu]

I love yoga. The benefits will vary from person to person in terms of complimenting Karate training.

In purely physical terms, the yoga will open up joints and mobility in ways we generally do not train for in the Marital Arts, so just the stretching is highly beneficial.

[Alan Armstrong]

To do other things to improve your Karateka such as Yoga is wrong. The reasoning for this is that a style a complete style should contain everything you need to succeed. If you feel the need to look elsewhere to improve your style then your style is considered to be incomplete. Do people that practice Yoga do Karate to improve there Yoga? To improve your karate practice more Karate. The person to ask if Yoga will improve your Karate is your Sensei. Yoga will change your neuromuscular connections for better or for worse; depending on your Yoga teacher, only time can tell you this. Yoga is meditative without moving. Tai Chi is meditative with movements. Yoga works for BJJ because the static or slow moving floor movements use many of the same neuromuscular patterns found in both styles. Karate works well with Judo, Aikido and Samurai, because they are all interconnect using many or the same muscle groups in techniques.

[JR 137]

To do other things to improve your Karateka such as Yoga is wrong. The reasoning for this is that a style a complete style should contain everything you need to succeed. If you feel the need to look elsewhere to improve your style then your style is considered to be incomplete. Do people that practice Yoga do Karate to improve there Yoga? To improve your karate practice more Karate. The person to ask if Yoga will improve your Karate is your Sensei. Yoga will change your neuromuscular connections for better or for worse; depending on your Yoga teacher, only time can tell you this. Yoga is meditative without moving. Tai Chi is meditative with movements. Yoga works for BJJ because the static or slow moving floor movements use many of the same neuromuscular patterns found in both styles. Karate works well with Judo, Aikido and Samurai, because they are all interconnect using many or the same muscle groups in techniques.

I disagree. Nothing is all encompassing (let's not get into religion and philosophy). No teacher can teach every aspect of anything to an individual, let alone to all of his/her students.

Moving my your body in different ways can only help, with very few exceptions. Inceasing your flexibility, range of motion, and improving your balance will benefit any physical activity. There's a reason why most professional athletes cross train in different things in the off season. Many do yoga.

I don't practice yoga. I don't have the time nor the sense of urgency. I'm quite sure I should, as a lot of things I do in karate suffer due to a lack of flexibility. No matter how many roundhouse kicks I throw (between a heavy bag 3-4 times a week, and in the dojo 2-3 nights a week), the progress I'm making with them is minuscule. I need more flexibility to increase kicking height, but more importantly I need to be flexible enough to able to throw roundhouse kicks without compensating by leaning too much or turning too far. The further I lean or turn too far, the longer it takes to recover and follow up with other stuff. I don't care to be able to roundhouse kick someone in the head (although it would be nice); I want to seemlessly throw one at thigh height between punches. My lack of flexibility slows this down long enough to easily be countered.

My technique is limited by my lack of flexibility. I know my body and biomechanics well enough to easily make this assessment. My teacher knows my abilities well enough to agree.

I guess I just talked myself into going to yoga one or two nights a week with my wife. Now to convince myself it's not painful, and convince my daughters to stay at the childcare area of the YMCA while we're taking class.

[Alan Armstrong]

Your Sensei should help you with your flexibility issues. You are not the first or will be the last to have flexibility issues in a dojo. Partner up with others and help each other out. Stretch during the day every three hours for 5 minutes. Then increasing to every four hours for 10 minutes during the day. Muscles stretch that's what they are supposed to do. We have a built in mechanism to stop us from over stretching them (spindling) Get past this and Yoga may not seem so important any more. Or if the magic of Yoga is the answer why haven't you joined them? Yoga type exercise's should be a part of every martial art style and not viewed or considered as cross training!

[JR 137]

My teacher can help with stretching. But he'll admit he's no expert. I have a degree in athletic training (sports medicine, not personal training), so I know quite a bit about the subject. Working in college sports medicine and along side strength & conditioning coaches, I also know some people specialize in certain things. I've seen several S&C coaches refer athletes to yoga. A good yoga instructor (not some hack) will take my flexibility further than most other people.

I'll get into a yoga class one of these days

[Alan Armstrong]

TKD martial artists don't run down to the local Yoga club to get flexible. They have exercises built in to there system that covers there specific needs. I've practiced: Yoga, Karate and TKD. The major problem with Karate is not enough warm up time spent on muscles before class. Martial artists that specialize in kicking techniques are continually stretching muscles during the day, every day. Not enough time is spent relaxing tense muscle's in Karate but plenty of time is spent in making them more tense and tight. TKD stretching is a major part of there conditioning. TKD 1 Hr's worth should be spent before class getting warmed up and light stretching. Stretching at intervals during class with a partner and at the end of class more stretching for the cool down. Karate practioners actually need more time to get warmed up and stretched because of the amount of dynamic tension they practice with techniques. Japanese are great ones for bathing in a tub. Not for washing purposes but for relaxing tense muscles; they don't need Yoga but just a simple hot bath!

[sensei8]

Doctor 'A' says that yoga is good for you!!

Doctor 'B' says that yoga is bad for you!!

So much for a decisive medical opinion!!