DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOGASANAS AND PHYSICAL EXERCISE

There are certain difference between Yogasanas and physical exercise, which are discussed below.

Nature

1. Aim to achieve sense well – being      Aim to receive awards        

                                                          and trophies

2. Static in nature                                 Dynamic in nature

3. Movements are slow, steady and        Involve very fast

smooth                                                movements            

4. Oppose violent muscle movements    Emphasizes violent

                                                          movements of the muscles                       

5. Essentially individualistic                   Involve group practice

6 Space requirement is very less           Large playfield is required

7 Requirement of equipments aye          Depend more and more on

extremely limited                                  modern equipments          

8. Cultivate spiritual advancement          Spirituality is not

                                                           encouraged much

9. Yamas and Niyamas aims at               Such attitudinal training is

attitudinal changes                                 not insisted    

10. Meditation and concentration are       Concentration alone is very

Very important                                      important   

11. Asana are preparatory for higher      Physical exercise may be

yogic practices like meditation                preparatory for sports

                                                            competition

12. Psycho-physiological in nature           Emphasise muscular

                                                            training and psychological

                                                            factors receive attention

                                                            at later stage

13. Parasympathetic nervous                  Sympathetic nervous

system is stimulated                               system is stimulated

14. Energy expenditure is minimum         Consume lot of energy

15. Do not cause fatigue and injury          Leads to fatigue and injury

16. Less spirit of competition                    More spirit of competition

17. Possible to practice throughout           At old age, possible to

life without limitations                              practice with limitations

                                                             only

18. Yoga research is in infancy stage        Research is fairly

                                                             advanced

Locomotors System

                 Yogasanas                             Physical Exercise

1. Pounding action is not used in yoga      Pounding action used

2. More emphasise is given for the           Emphasise the

 improvement of vital organs                   improvement of both vital

rather Then muscular elastic                    organs and muscular   

                                                             developments

3. Keep muscles elastic                           Leads to stiff muscles

4. Muscles fatigue is reduced through       Violent movements exceed

Proper breathing and                              the muscle and circulation

relaxation                                               limits, causing fatigue

5. Joints and ligaments remain soft           Joints and ligaments

and supple                                              become stiff                    

6. Range of movements is greater            Range of movements is

in yoga                                                   moderately increased

7. Contribute to the flexibility and             Emphasis much for the

strength of the spine                                strength than flexibility of

                                                             the spine

8. Bone remain sturdy in old age              Bone become stronger and

due to                                                    stronger the calculated,

                                                             aligned load in asana

9. There is no wear and tear even with      Wear and tear is common 

chronic usage

10. Adaptive changes like hypertrophy,     Adaptive changes like

excess glycogen storage rise                   hypertrophy, excess

in muscles enzymes etc do                      glycogen storage, rise in

not occur in yoga                                    muscles enzymes etc

                                                             occur

11. Release more tension in the body       Release comparatively less

and mind                                                tension in the body and

                                                             mind

12. Bring feeling of freshness                   Leads to bodily discomfort

Nervous System

               Yogasanas                               Physical Exercise  

1.      Non-stressful optimum method      Stress is possible      

of exercise                                                     

2.      There is reduction of                     Reduction of sympathetic

      sympathetic tone and                    tone not occur 

      Over drive                                                            

3. the consistency of the              Nervous are stimulated

nerves is soft and                   more

Supple, preserving healthy

electrical  Transmission

4. Achieves voluntary                            Achieve involuntary control

control of the autonomous

System        

   5.   Yoga refreshes                           Physical exercise exhaust

Circulation

                Yogasanas                           Physical Exercise

Blood circulation is without strain      Blood circulation is with

                                                     strain.       

The velocity of blood can be            The velocity of blood can be

changed voluntarily.                        changed voluntarily to a certain

                                                     extent

 Arteries and veins remain               Arteries & veins become hard

 soft & elastic

There is no adaptive change             Adaptive changes take place in

 in blood vessels                              blood vessels