July 23, 2025, 9:03 am | Read time: 6 minutes
Favorite sport “Yoga”? Since yoga alone doesn’t always make you fitter, FITBOOK author and yoga instructor Nina shares her favorite hacks for effective training here.
Recently, I met my neighbor. I had just returned from a walk with my dogs and, honestly, was wearing my jogging clothes only because I was too lazy to put on something proper. “Did you come from yoga?” she asked me. I said no. “Because you look so sporty,” she said and told me that she used to do yoga regularly. Today, she feels unfit, has gained weight, and has long lost her old routine. Frankly, I find it unlikely that my neighbor gained weight solely due to her lack of a yoga routine. After all, yoga, as most people practice it—one gentle hour a week in the studio—is not a particularly strong training stimulus. And that’s okay. Yoga is originally not a sport but a holistic philosophy, where movement is just one of several components. Still, yoga can be used strategically to become fitter—if you know how.
Follow the FITBOOK channel on WhatsApp now!
1. Yoga can (and should) be challenging—push your limits!
I often see it in my classes: participants who “cheat” their way through the asanas. In Virabhadrasana II (Warrior 2), the front knee is barely bent, in Utkatasana (Chair), many stand almost upright, and in Chaturanga Dandasana (Plank), they more or less “drop” to the floor rather than lowering their body in a controlled manner.
Yet yoga is all about mindfulness. This includes mindfulness towards the body. For me, mindfulness means consciously entering the pose, feeling where the body reaches its limits, enduring, and executing the asanas precisely, even when it burns. Growth also occurs on the yoga mat at the edge of the comfort zone—not just physically, but mentally as well.
2. Short and regular is better than long and infrequent
I used to believe that only a 90-minute class was “real yoga.” Today, I know: Ten minutes daily are often more valuable than one long session per week. When I flow through sun salutations in ten brisk minutes in the morning, I burn (at 5 feet 10 inches tall) about 50 calories. That’s as much as in half an hour of slow-paced Hatha yoga.
So: It’s better to practice briefly and intensely every day than to plan so much time once a week that you end up not finding the time at all. Integrating yoga firmly into daily life brings continuity and is less “intimidating” than a one-time major event.
3. Combine yoga with equipment
Want strength training but not interested in the gym? In that case, yoga can be supplemented with light dumbbells or resistance bands. It might look like this:
- Virabhadrasana I (Warrior 1) with dumbbells: Power for legs and shoulders
- Virabhadrasana II with a resistance band between the hands: Stabilization for the back and arms, better posture of the asana
- Utkatasana (Chair) with dumbbell lifts: Effective leg and glute training. Also very effective: alternately lifting the legs off the ground and placing the knee of the lifted leg into the back of the standing leg’s knee. This combination not only brings variety but also more muscle stimulus, body tension, and functional strength.
4. Be kind to yourself!
One of my favorite principles from yoga is Ahimsa—non-violence. It means not only treating other living beings with respect but also being kind to yourself, whether in training, work, or eating.
Learning a challenging pose can be a form of self-efficacy if we learn to treat ourselves non-violently and improve in the process. It’s different if physical limits are not accepted and one works into pain without respect for one’s own body. That should definitely be avoided.
5. Yoga is not just for the body
I love yoga, but I want to be honest: For visible muscle definition, fat loss, and endurance, I also need other training stimuli. I combine yoga with running, interval training, or simply walks with my dogs. What yoga does bring is body awareness. It enhances flexibility and mental clarity about how the body feels and what it needs today. Since I started doing yoga, I injure myself less and listen to my body better.
Learn the challenging “dancer” yoga pose step by step
Effective Yoga Exercises for a Toned Bottom
6. Breathe yourself strong
Many people underestimate breathing exercises, which are also an integral part of yoga. I start each of my yoga classes with Kapalabhati (breath of fire) or Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing). These exercises calm the mind and prepare the body for exertion.
Conscious breathing during the asanas completely changes your workout. The breath is like a tool that helps you endure longer and feel deeper into your body, especially during poses like Setu Bandhasana (Bridge) or Virabhadrasana II (Warrior 2).
7. Make yoga a personal ritual
One of my favorite yoga principles is Ahimsa—non-violence. It means not only treating other living beings with respect but also being kind to yourself, whether in training, work, or eating.
Learning a challenging pose can be a form of self-efficacy if we learn to treat ourselves with kindness and improve in the process. It’s different when physical limits are not accepted, and one works into pain without respect for one’s own body. That should definitely be avoided.
5. Yoga is not just for the body
I love yoga, but I want to be honest: For visible muscle definition, fat loss, and endurance, I also need other training stimuli, such as interval training or simply walking with my dogs. Yoga enhances body awareness, flexibility, and mental clarity about how the body feels and what it needs today. Since I started doing yoga, I injure myself less and listen better to my body.
Learn the challenging “dancer” yoga pose step by step
Effective Yoga Exercises for a Toned Bottom
6. Breathe yourself strong
Many people underestimate breathing exercises, which are also an integral part of yoga. I start each of my yoga classes with Kapalabhati (breath of fire) or Kapalabhati (alternate nostril breathing). These exercises calm the mind and prepare the body for exertion.
Conscious breathing during the asanas completely changes your workout. The breath is like a tool that helps you endure longer and feel deeper into your body, especially during poses like Setu Bandhasana (Bridge) or Virabhadrasana II (Warrior 2).
7. Make yoga a personal ritual
One of my favorite principles from yoga is Ahimsa—non-violence. It means not only being respectful to other living beings but also being kind to yourself, whether during training, at work, or while eating.
Learning a challenging pose can be a form of self-efficacy if we learn to treat ourselves non-violently and improve in the process. However, it’s different when physical limits are not accepted, and one tries to push through pain without respecting oneself. That should definitely be avoided.