7 Keys to Support Strength Training with Yoga Therapy
Build Stability, Improve Alignment, and Train Smarter with Breath, Recovery, and Mindful Movement
Insights on the Mat
Strength, Stability & the Wisdom of Slowing Down
As yoga teachers, we are constantly guiding others into a deeper connection between their body and mind, creating space not just to move, but to feel. And as students, we’re invited to explore a different kind of strength—one that isn’t based on reps or results, but on a willingness to listen, adapt, and grow.
Approaching strength training through the lens of yoga isn’t about swapping a dumbbell for a block. It’s about shifting perspective. Rather than chasing short-term gains, we begin to understand the body as a lifelong companion. We cultivate a practice that is both strong and sustainable. We stop asking, “How much can I lift?” and begin asking, “How well am I moving through life?”
Below are 7 foundational keys that I teach in my 8-week program to support weight training through yoga therapy. Whether you're a yoga teacher looking to expand your toolkit or a student opening your heart to strength work, these principles offer a thoughtful and science-informed path.
The 7 Keys to Supporting Strength Training with Yoga Therapy
1. Wake Up the Feet: Your Foundation for Strength
Roll the soles of your feet with a tennis ball to activate your body’s internal GPS. Strong, alert feet create a stable foundation and begin a chain reaction of alignment, balance, and muscle engagement.
2. Begin with a Forward Fold + Neutral Spine Awareness
Before building strength, reset the nervous system. After foot rolling, move into a gentle forward bend—like a supine full-body undulation—to release tension and awaken spinal awareness. Then, identify your neutral spine, your launch point for safe and stable movement.
3. Use the Big Movers First
Activate your glutes, thighs, and upper back before diving into reps. These muscles are your power team—supporting joints, posture, and long-term mobility. Train them with focus, not force.
4. Strengthen the Small Stabilizers of the Spine
True strength includes the muscles you can’t see. These deep stabilizers—like multifidus, rotatores, and quadratus lumborum—protect the spine and fine-tune movement. They’re subtle, but essential.
5. Breathe Like It Matters (Because It Does)
Breath is strength’s quiet partner. Use your exhale to stabilize your core during exertion. Use slow, rhythmic breathing to build mental focus and regulate your nervous system. Your breath is both your brace and your recovery.
6. Redefine Restoration: Recovery Is the Work
Rest doesn’t mean collapsing in front of a screen. Intentional restoration—like legs up the wall, gentle breathwork, or yoga nidra—replenishes the nervous system and supports muscle repair. Recovery isn’t a break from training—it is training.
7. Slow Down: Time Under Tension Builds Smarter Strength
Moving slowly builds more than muscle—it builds awareness. When you extend the length of time a muscle is under tension, you recruit more fibers, improve control, and reduce injury risk. Go slow to grow strong.
My closing insights: Always a Student
As a teacher, I’ve learned that my most valuable lessons come not from books or certificates, but from my own mat. When I move as a student with curiosity, humility, and presence, I gain the insight I need to teach with clarity and compassion.
So, whether you're teaching others or showing up for yourself, let this be your reminder: true strength isn’t just about what you can lift—it’s about how well you listen, how fully you breathe, and how intentionally you recover.
