Before or after, which is better?

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

I have been doing a short yoga routine in the morning to get me energized, nothing really strenuous, probably the most strenuous things in it is Warrior 1 and Cobra pose. And it is only about 20 to 30 minutes long.

Well I decided I had a little extra time so I decided to do some Abs work as well; Crunches, full sit-ups, leg raises, boat pose and plank.

I did this before the yoga routine and I have done this after and I have felt pretty good both ways, not the same, but pretty good.

I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions as to where this should be put, before or after.

#2

I don’t know if one is better than the other but I do yoga with videos and with the ones I have at least if there is any ab focussed work (be it through yoga poses or regular crunch style etc) it is always done later in the video, usually towards the end even.

#3

Abdominal work, if you’re following the traditional sequencing, is right around the middle of the practice - after standing poses, before back bends (back bends feel lovely after abdominal work). But who says we need to always be traditional? Sometimes I’ll do core work right in the beginning so I feel connected to core during standing poses, etc. Rarely will I do core work at the end of my practice because I find them to be pretty stimulating. We want to give the body time to wind down for the final relaxation.

#4

I agree, abdominal work is best done between the middle and the end of the class.

#5

I believe that your Yoga practice which mostly includes asanas belongs to any of Yoga traditoins … hatha…asthangas, etc. But the other exercises you want to do belongs to the form of exercises …weight training, aerobics, pilates, etc and; the exercises seems to be targated at toning up and strenghthening the specific muscle or group of muscles, not aimed at other puposes of exercises. Hence, it is recommended to do those exercises at the last. In some cases, such a muscles may needed to restretched with an asana or simple exercise, if the person is experincing soreness, stiffness and other form strains even after 7 days of regular or semiregular practice.