Who is the strongest?

And is yoga really making you strong?

Me competing in the Swedish Bodybuilding Championships.

The picture above shows me some 20+ years ago. I look quite strong; however, my strength was very artificial, meaning it was almost entirely focused on my "outer layer." My spine was very weak, I had pretty low mind-body integration, and my nervous system, endocrine system, and parts of my body had strong energetic blocks that made me weak when it came to combining many muscle groups into one harmonious whole. What the training did for me, which I realized at an early age, was that it made me calm and free from anxiety and emotional tension. So fitness training and being with the lovely horses, dogs, and cats were my therapy during my teenage and young adult life.

My dear horse, Max, was a beloved and close friend for 25 years, from the day he was born to the day he passed. Horses and other animals offer the kind of non-judgmental beingness that helps us humans heal.

I do not want to criticize gym training or any fitness training; I'm trying to make a point that there are different types of strength and share what I have learned in regard to it in the last 25 years or so.

Lifting yourself off the ground requires the interplay of your whole body (all layers), mind, and breath.

My grandfather, Kalle, on my mother's side, told me when I was a 10-year-old or something kid, when I asked him: "Morfar, how strong are you supposed to be?" He replied - very cleverly and with lots of insight from his own experience: "You should be so strong that you can lift yourself off the ground!"

I have come back to what he said many times, and for me, his/Kalle's reply very much captures the inner strength you develop through a type of training that goes deeper and integrates more layers of your being. In yoga, for example, each body part from your feet and up (or hands and up if you are upside down) needs to both assist in the deep grounding and the lifting up of the energy needed to get yourself off the ground.

Mindfulness of your in and out breath in every asana (position) and through every transition, is at the core of vinyasa yoga. It creates a very strong connection to your inner self. The breath functions as your inner eye, and through this connection, you can reach altered states of consciousness, which is yet another topic for another blog post.

Today, after having practiced yoga daily for 15+ years (I literally replaced gym training with yoga from one day to the next), I feel I'm starting to become strong and energetic in a balanced way. And it's a great feeling. Yoga has definitely changed me and the course of my life for the better. It's a fascinating journey on many levels, not always easy; it can be quite painful both physically and even more so mentally and emotionally. There are lots of layers, past experiences, and painful emotions that we need to let go of if we want to progress. Yoga can be defined in many ways: such as "skill in action" or "the unity of your deepest self with the universal Self" or as "a way to still your mind's chatter and come to a place of unity and stillness."

Yoga often starts as a mere physical journey. It's a very effective "fitness training," but soon you realize that yoga works on all levels of your being, and that the fitness part is more like a very pleasant "side effect." Yoga has the potential to transform the way you view yourself, other people, and all living beings, how you perceive nature, and how you interact with life in general.

Soon, a 62-year-old. I feel much better in my body today than in my thirties! My daily practice is about sustaining high health and developing myself on every level, getting rid of blockages, and enhancing my prana/life force.

The Strength You Develop Through Gym Training vs. Yoga/Pranayama

What kind of strength gym training/resistance, and weight training builds

• Muscular strength — higher ability to generate force

• Muscle growth — increased muscle size

• Explosive power — through heavy lifts or plyometrics (rapid muscle stretch and contraction)

• Bone density increase — bones become stronger and thicker

• Fast-twitch muscle fibers build — ability to perform quick, powerful movements

  
  

  

  True flexibility requires strength and strength requires flexibility. We are all on a spectrum between these two sides of the same coin. And to progress we need to work both sides.

How this training affects your body and mind

• Muscles grow larger and stronger

• Nervous system becomes better at recruiting muscle fibers

• Core stability improves

• Metabolism increases

• You gain the ability to lift, push, and pull heavier things

• You feel better since the training helps produce serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins

What kind of strength yoga and pranayama develop in you

• Stability strength — holding postures, controlling small muscles

• Isometric strength — strength without movement

• Flexibility-based strength — flexibility always requires strength and vice versa

• Endurance strength — long holds, slow transitions

• Mind–muscle coordination — deep awareness of how the body moves from the inside

Pranayama adds

• Increased lung capacity

• Stronger diaphragm

• Better oxygen efficiency

• Enhanced stress resilience

• Improved heart-rate variability (a measure of nervous system strength)

Key differences between Gym training and Yoga/Pranayama

Gym strength = external resistance. You push against an external weight.

Yoga strength = internal resistance. You push against your own body, breath, and control.

Gym training and yoga activate different muscle fibers, neural systems, and energy systems.

Coming to complete ease and stillness requires lots of mental resilience and strength.

To summarize:

A yogi holding a steady, deep posture with full breath control is strong. A lifter pushing a heavy barbell is also strong. They are expressing different kinds of strength.

So it's up to you what you want to achieve; combining the two might be the way for you.

Welcome to contact me to book a yoga session with tea afterwards. I always adjust the practice and tea to the season and to your preferences, of course!

You can book me for a yoga workshop with a tea session afterwards. My main teacher now (since covid) is Ty Landrum, Black Lotus Yoga. I've had the big fortune to practice with many skilled and talented teachers over the years. I also have a few Diplomas in yoga, which you can view on my LinkedIn profile. Hoping to hear from you soon!