Differences Between Yogic
Exercises and Physical Culture
Yogic Exercise VS Physical Culture


Today, yoga is influencing all sorts of
mainstream sports and exercise:
Professional basket ball and soccer, dance,
aerobics, and running.
Let’s look at the principles that have made it
an increasingly popular and influential
technique changing the way we look at our
bodies, minds and ways of exercising.
Yogic Exercise VS Physical Culture

The fundamental
difference is that yoga
exercises oppose
violent movement, as
this causes fatigue,
muscle stiffness and
injury.

Emphasises violent
movements of the
muscles. This
produces large
quantities of lactic acid
in the muscle fibres,
causing fatigue.
Yogic Exercise VS Physical Culture

Regards physical body
as an instrument for the
journey to perfection.

Designed to develop
muscles for a stylish
body.
Yogic Exercise VS Physical Culture

Designed to develop
mental facilities and
concentration.

Can overlook the
nurturing of the mind
and increase
adrenaline.
Yogic Exercise VS Physical Culture

Muscular development
does not necessarily
mean a healthy body.
Health is the state of
body when all organs
function perfectly under
the intelligent control of
the mind.

A strong body is
necessary to undergo
abuse. If the mind is
not in control, this short
term health gives
license to indulge in an
unhealthy, life-style.
(abuse of steroids, etc.)
Yogic Exercise VS Physical Culture

The stretching of
muscles forces blood
through the valves of
the veins; inverted
postures use gravity to
force the blood back to
the heart. All this
strengthens and
stretches the heart and
increases the volume of
blood circulated.

Relies solely on aerobic
exercise to increase
heart pumping and
thereby circulation.
This produces
tremendous strain on
the heart.
Yogic Exercise VS Physical Culture

Muscle fatigue is
counteracted through
proper breathing and
relaxation.

Violent movements
exceed the muscle and
circulation limits,
causing fatigue.
Yogic Exercise VS Physical Culture

Relaxation is done
systematically to pay off
oxygen debt resulting
form build up of lactic
acid in the system.

When attention is not
paid to warming and
stretching and cooling
and relaxing muscles,
violent movement can
damage muscles,
causing long term
stiffness. Though
injuries may pass when
young, they often return
when older.
Yogic Exercise VS Physical Culture

While yoga is considered a healthy practice
for all, it is not the only path. These are just
points of why yoga is considered to be a
healthy practice and sometimes, an
alternative to ‘normal’ or ‘traditional’ forms of
exercising.