Yoga and weight training are both important for overall fitness development. Yoga helps improve balance and flexibility while weight lifting helps build strength and promotes hypertrophy.1 Woodyard C. Exploring the therapeutic effects of yoga and its ability to increase quality of life. Int J Yoga. 2011;4(2):49-54. doi:10.4103/0973-6131.85485, 2How can strength training build healthier bodies as we age? – National Institute of Aging?, 3Westcott WL. Resistance training is medicine: effects of strength training on health. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2012 Jul-Aug;11(4):209-16. doi: 10.1249/JSR.0b013e31825dabb8. PMID: 22777332. By combining both, you can develop a more functional and athletic body.
In this article, I’ll show how to create a workout plan that combines Yoga and weight training.
I’ll share two programs. One involves performing Yoga and weight training on the same day, and the other is based on the alternate-day method (one day weight training, the next day Yoga).
Depending on when and how much you train, you can pick one of the programs and start training.
Strength Training and Yoga on The Same Day
This program involves performing Yoga in the morning and weight lifting in the evening.
Each day, you’ll do a little workout, typically 20 minutes of Yoga and 45 minutes of weight.
This split is simple and suitable for desk job people as they can work on their body more frequently.
Monday
| Morning | Evening |
|---|---|
| Cat-Cow (5-sec each x 4) | Incline Bench Press (3 x 12) |
| Downward Dog (15-sec) | Overhead Press (3 x 12) |
| Knee Hug (15-sec/side) | Machine Fly (3 x 15) |
| Pigeon Pose (15-sec/side) | Lateral Raises (3 x 12) |
| Runner’s Lunge (15-sec/side) | Triceps Pushdown (3 x 15) |
| Perform 3-4 rounds. | Follow a standard rep-set method. |
Tuesday
| Morning | Evening |
|---|---|
| Child’s Pose (15-sec) | Pull-ups (3 x 12) |
| Side lunge (10-sec/side) | Bent-over Row (3 x 12) |
| Pyramid Pose (10-sec/side) | Seated Cable Row (3 x 20) |
| Dolphin Pose (10-second) | Single-arm High Cable Row (3 x 20) |
| Sphinx pose (10-second) | Barbell Biceps Curls (3 x 20) |
| Perform 3-4 rounds. | Follow a standard rep-set method. |
Wednesday
| Morning | Evening |
|---|---|
| Cobra Pose (15-sec/side) | Kettlebell Swings (3 x 12) |
| World’s Greatest Stretch (15-sec/side) | Back Squats (3 x 12) |
| Knee to Chest Stretch (10-sec/side) | Leg Extensions (3 x 20) |
| Seated Bend Forward (15-second) | Leg Curls (3 x 20) |
| Glute Bridge Pose (15-second) | Cable Crunches (3 x 20) |
| Perform 3-4 rounds. | Follow a standard rep-set method. |
Thursday
| Morning | Evening |
|---|---|
| Cat-Cow (5-sec each x 4) | Hammer Strength Press (3 x 12) |
| Downward Dog (15-sec) | Bent-over Cable Fly (3 x 12) |
| Knee Hug (15-sec/side) | DB Push Press (3 x 20) |
| Pigeon Pose (15-sec/side) | Upright Row (3 x 20) |
| Runner’s Lunge (15-sec/side) | Triceps OH Extensions (3 x 20) |
| Perform 3-4 rounds. | Follow a standard rep-set method. |
Friday
| Morning | Evening |
|---|---|
| Child’s Pose (15-sec) | Chin-ups (3 x 12) |
| Side lunge (10-sec/side) | Lat Pulldown (3 x 12) |
| Pyramid Pose (10-sec/side) | 1-arm DB Row (3 x 10/side) |
| Dolphin Pose (10-second) | Cable Facepull (3 x 15) |
| Sphinx pose (10-second) | Cable Wood Chop (3 x 10/side) |
| Perform 3-4 rounds. | Follow a standard rep-set method. |
Saturday
| Morning | Evening |
|---|---|
| Cobra Pose (15-sec/side) | DB Romanian Deadlift (3 x 10) |
| World’s Greatest Stretch (15-sec/side) | Leg Press (3 x 12-15) |
| Knee to Chest Stretch (10-sec/side) | Bulgarian Split Squat (3 x 8/side) |
| Seated Bend Forward (15-second) | Hip Thrust (3 x 10) |
| Glute Bridge Pose (15-second) | Cable Crunches (3 x 20) |
| Perform 3-4 rounds. | Follow a standard rep-set method. |
Alternating Day Yoga and Weight Training Split
This involves lifting weights one day and doing Yoga on another, such as strength training on Monday and Yoga on Tuesday.
I recommend this to morning people who exercise before starting their work.
But, if you lift weight in the evening, that’s okay. You can train at any time of the day and get the same benefits as long as you stay consistent.
Strength Training
I’ve shared three different splits for strength training – full-body, upper-lower, and combined body part split.
Each involves training three times weekly, for example, on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. All three of them are effective. You can follow whichever suits you the most.
Full Body Workout
Day 1
| Exercises | Sets x Reps | Target Muscle |
|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell Squats | 4 x 20 | Quads |
| Overhead Press | 3 x 12 | Shoulders |
| Front Lat Pulldown | 3 x 12 | Back |
| Incline Bench Press | 3 x 12 | Chest |
| Leg Curls | 3 x 20 | Hamstrings |
| Cable Crunches | 3 x 20 | Abdominals |
Day 3
| Exercises | Sets x Reps | Target Muscle |
|---|---|---|
| Reverse Lunges | 3 x 10/leg | Legs |
| Bent-over Row | 3 x 12 | Back |
| Cable Crossover | 3 x 12 | Chest |
| Lateral Raises | 3 x 12/side | Shoulder |
| Standing Calf Raises | 3 x 20 | Calves |
| 6A Chin-ups | 3 x 10 | Biceps |
| 6B Bench Dips | 3 x 20 | Triceps |
Superset chin-ups and bench dips.
Day 5
| Exercises | Sets x Reps | Target Muscle |
|---|---|---|
| Leg Press | 3 x 20 | Legs |
| Single-arm DB Row | 3 x 12/side | Back |
| Bar Dips | 3 x 10-15 | Chest |
| Reverse Pec Deck Fly | 3 x 12/side | Shoulder |
| Hip Thrust | 3 x 12 | Glutes |
| 6A Concentration Curls | 3 x 10 | Biceps |
| 6B High to Low Cable Chop | 3 x 10/side | Obliques |
Superset concentration curls and cable oblique chop.
Upper Lower Split
Day 1 – Upper Body
| Exercise | Sets x Reps | Target Muscles |
|---|---|---|
| Incline Bench press | 3 x 12 | Chest |
| Machine/Cable Chest Fly | 3 x 15 | Chest |
| Lateral Raises | 3 x 15 | Shoulders |
| Rope Pushdown | 3 x 20 | Triceps |
| Barbell Curls | 3 x 20 | Biceps |
| Cable Crunches | 3 x 20 | Abdominals |
Day 3 – Lower Body
| Exercise | Sets x Reps | Target Muscles |
|---|---|---|
| Front Squat | 3 x 20 | Quads |
| Leg Press | 3 x 20 | Quads |
| Front Lunges | 3 x 10/side | Quads & Glute |
| Leg Curls | 3 x 20 | Hamstrings |
| Calf Raises | 3 x 20 | Calves |
| Cable Pull Through | 3 x 12 | Glute & Ham |
Day 5 – Upper Body
| Exercise | Sets x Reps | Target Muscles |
|---|---|---|
| Overhead Press | 3 x 12-15 | Shoulder |
| Front Lat Pulldown | 3 x 12-15 | Back |
| Seated Cable Rowing | 3 x 12-15 | Back |
| Reverse Pec Fly | 3 x 12-15 | Shoulder |
| Bar Dips | 3 x 10-15 | Chest & Tris |
| Hammer Curls | 3 x 12-15 | Biceps |
Combined Body Part Split
Day 1 – Chest, Triceps, and Calves
Day 3 – Back, Biceps, and Hamstrings
| Workout | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Lat Pulldown | 4 | 12, 10, 10, 8 |
| Bent-over Barbell Row | 3 | 12, 10, 8 |
| Seated Cable Rowing | 3 | 12, 10, 8 |
| Barbell Biceps Curl | 3 | 12, 10, 10 |
| Concentration Curl | 3 | 12, 10, 10 |
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 10, 8, 6 |
Day 5 – Quads, Shoulder, and Glutes
| Exercises | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Back Squat | 3 | 15-20 |
| Machine Leg Press | 3 | 15-20 |
| Leg Extensions | 3 | 15-20 |
| Overhead Press | 3 | 12-15 |
| Lateral Raises | 3 | 12-15 |
| Reverse Fly | 3 | 12-15 |
| Hip Thrust | 3 | 10-15 |
Yoga Workout
Perform this Yoga workout day after the strength training.
Day 1
Number of rounds: Beginner – 2, Intermediate – 3, and Advanced – 4.
| Exercise | Hold Time |
|---|---|
| Child’s Pose | 15-second |
| Downward-Facing Dog | 15-second |
| Cobra Pose | 15-second |
| Seated Heart-Opener | 15-second |
| World’s Greatest Stretch | 15-sec/side |
| Knee to Chest Stretch | 10-sec/side |
| Seated Bend Forward | 15-second |
| Locust Pose | 10-second |
| Glute Bridge Pose | 15-second |
Day 3
Number of rounds: Beginner – 2, Intermediate – 3, and Advanced – 4.
| Exercise | Hold Time |
|---|---|
| Upward Facing Dog | 5-sec each x 5 |
| Camel Pose | 10-second |
| Chair Pose | 10-second |
| Warrior Pose II | 15-sec/side |
| Side Plank | 15-sec/side |
| Crescent Lunge | 15-sec/side |
| Triangle Pose | 15-sec/side |
| Standing Bird Dog | 10-sec/side |
| Extended Plank | 30-45 seconds |
Day 5
Number of rounds: Beginner – 2, Intermediate – 3, and Advanced – 4.
| Exercise | Hold Time |
|---|---|
| Sphinx Pose | 10-second |
| Cat-Cow | 5-sec each x 5 |
| Standing Forward Bend | 10-second |
| Side lunge | 15-sec/side |
| Knee Hug | 10-second |
| Pigeon Pose | 15-sec/side |
| Pyramid Pose | 15-sec/side |
| Runner’s Lunge | 15-sec/side |
| Dolphin Pose | 10-second |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can you do both weight training and Yoga?
Yes, you can do yoga and weight training in alternate sessions on the same or different day.
If you want to perform both in the same session, you can do so by doing yoga after strength training.
Yoga’s focus on stretching and breathing can help recover your muscles faster after intense weight training sessions.
What’s the best time to do Yoga & Strength Training?
If you perform yoga and weight training on the same day, do yoga in the morning and weight training in the late afternoon or evening.
But if you are like me who train in the morning six days a week, you can alternate strength and yoga training. For example, weight training on Mon, Wed, and Fri and yoga on Tue, Thu, and Sat.
Will Yoga interfere with my muscle gains from weight training?
No, as long as you manage to keep lifting weight and eat the required macros. Yoga doesn’t break down muscle like excessive cardio might. Pair your training with a high protein diet, you’re good.
Can combining weight and Yoga help with injuries?
Yes, they can reduce injury risk. Weight training strengthens muscles and joints, while Yoga improves alignment and flexibility, addressing imbalances that often lead to strains or sprains.
I train 4x weekly. How do I follow this program?
It doesn’t matter whether you train 3, 4, 5, or 6 days a week. Just start from day 1, take a day off if you want to, then begin from where you’ve left. You don’t have to complete it in a week but I want you to stay consistent if you want results.
Download The Yoga & Weight Training Plan PDF
References
- 1Woodyard C. Exploring the therapeutic effects of yoga and its ability to increase quality of life. Int J Yoga. 2011;4(2):49-54. doi:10.4103/0973-6131.85485
- 2How can strength training build healthier bodies as we age? – National Institute of Aging?
- 3Westcott WL. Resistance training is medicine: effects of strength training on health. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2012 Jul-Aug;11(4):209-16. doi: 10.1249/JSR.0b013e31825dabb8. PMID: 22777332.
