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You’re busy. Between long hours at work, family demands, and social obligations, it could be difficult to squeeze a workout in. Which may be why high-intensity interval training (HIIT), has change into the go-to for those looking for a fast— and effective—workout. HIIT incorporates short bursts of high-intensity exercise followed by periods of rest or low activity.

The Advantages of Adding Yoga to Your HIIT Routine

HIIT is designed to “get you moving near max effort in a brief time frame, working your muscles until fatigue,” explains Tyler Millican, a fitness coach at San Diego-based HIIT studio Renegade Fit. To reap its full advantages, Millican advises you to be certain your body is capable of sustain with HIIT’s demands, which requires steadiness and mobility.

That’s what yoga is about: mastering control of your body through different movement patterns, which is why it pairs so greatly with HIIT, says Millican. Experts have found that incorporating yoga into your HIIT workouts can’t only aid you stay limber but in addition boost your athletic performance.

Yoga also can help increase flexibility, improve balance, and reduce the danger of injury, says Ajay Chapa, MD, a board-certified radiologist who focuses on musculoskeletal imaging. “One of the common injuries I see resulting from HIIT workouts is overuse injuries, equivalent to tendonitis and stress fractures,” Chapa says. He recommends incorporating yoga right into a HIIT routine to supply balance and restore the body’s natural range of motion, which might ultimately reduce the danger of a majority of these injuries.

Nicole Turnbow, a health care provider of physical therapy and managing director at Body in Motion, agrees. Actually, Turnbow thinks that adding yoga to your HIIT workout is non-negotiable. “If time allows, try to be incorporating yoga before and after your HIIT workout; consider yoga as a warm up and funky down.”

Plus, yoga has been shown to scale back stress and anxiety, promote mindfulness, and enhance overall well-being. Turnbow recommends yoga after your workout due to useful parasympathetic activation.

Are there any risks to adding yoga to a HIIT regimen? Turnbow says no. “The one risk will not be incorporating enough yoga pre and post workout,” she says.

With a little bit help from our experts, we took their favorite HIIT-complementary yoga poses and shared them on this yoga sequence. When incorporating yoga into your workouts, make sure to move with intention and an awareness of your breath. Remember, practicing yoga before or after your workout is preferred, but when you’ve to decide on, practice these poses after your workout.

A Yoga Sequence for Your HIIT Workout

(Photo: Bhadri Kubendran)

1. Revolved Side Lunge (i.e. “The World’s Best Stretch”)

Did you understand that this beloved stretch is definitely a variation of the yoga pose called Revolved Lunge? This pose targets all the main muscle groups and rotates your torso to unencumber the thoracic spine while stretching your left hip flexors and quadriceps. It might be used as a warm-up exercise before, or as a recovery exercise after, your workout. It’s an amazing tension release on your hips and lower back.

From standing, step your left foot forward and bend your front knee, coming right into a low lunge. If possible, keep your back knee off the bottom and straight. Fold forward and place your right hand on the bottom or a block beneath your shoulder. Reach your left arm upward and rotate your torso toward your left knee. You can even place your right elbow to the surface of your left thigh and press your palms together in front of your heart. Stay here for 3-5 breaths and switch sides.

(Photo: Bhadri Kubendran)

2. Cat-Cow

This stretch is considered one of Turnbow’s favorite ways to warm up your mid-back, especially if it’s an area of tightness. The Cat-Cow stretch involves moving your spine through flexion and extension to stretch and release tension within the erector spinae muscles, which run along your spine, in addition to your deep core muscles, equivalent to the transversus abdominis.

Start in a Tabletop position and alternate between arching your back to lower your belly (Cow Pose) on an inhalation and rounding your spine (Cat Pose) in your exhalation in a rhythmic movement.

(Photo: Bhadri Kubendran)

3. Downward-Facing Dog

This pose stretches your hamstrings, calves, and spine, and can assist improve overall flexibility. By stretching the calves before a HIIT class, you can assist make sure that your muscles are prepared for the physical demands of the exercise and help reduce the danger of injury. Practicing Downward-Facing Dog at the top of a workout can loosen up your hard-working legs and help them recuperate more quickly.

From Tabletop, tuck your toes and lift your hips up and back, straightening your legs and arms to form an inverted “V” shape. Press your hands and feet firmly into the bottom and lengthen through your spine to deepen the stretch. Elongate the perimeters of your torso as much as possible to extend the stretch in your shoulder and hip joints. Stay here for five breaths. Repeat as much as 3 times.

(Photo: Bhadri Kubendran)

4. High Lunge

High Lunge is considered one of Millican’s go-to yoga poses. It helps strengthen your smaller joint-stabilizing muscles which can be normally missed, even in well-programmed HIIT routines. “These muscles stabilize your joints within the optimal position and set the muse when working up intensity in your HIIT,” Millican says.

From Downward-Facing Dog, step your right foot between your hands and align your knee above your ankle. Lift your torso and reach your hands toward the sky as you drop your hips barely. This pose offers a pleasant stretch on your back (left) leg. You might notice your front ankle shifting forwards and backwards to aid you maintain balance, increasing strength and stability in your ankle joint.  Stay here for 3-5 breaths. Lower your hands back to the ground and transition through Downward-Facing Dog to repeat on the opposite side.

(Photo: Bhadri Kubendran)

5. Skandasana (Side Lunge)

Skandasana is considered one of those well-loved but underrated yoga poses. Turnbow recommends adding it to your practice because it improves hip mobility, which is usually restricted in individuals who do plenty of high-impact exercises. Moreover, Skandasana can assist stretch and strengthen the muscles of your inner thigh and hip, which are sometimes underutilized in HIIT workouts. If you’ve especially tight hips, practice a variation of this intense pose.

From a low squat position, center your body weight over your right foot and extend your left leg laterally to your side. You’ll be able to keep your foot flat on the mat or rotate your left knee and foot upward and anchor into your left heel. Place your hands in a prayer position at your heart, or on the bottom for balancing support. Optionally, place blocks under your hands for extra balance support. Stay here for several breaths before repeating on the opposite side.

(Photo: Bhadri Kubendran)

6. Cobra Pose

Millican also recommends Cobra Pose for its deal with posture, breath, and as a solution to overcome fatigue. This pose helps strengthen your spine and open up your chest, shoulders, and abdominal muscles. It also stretches the tops of your feet, ankles and shins.

Start lying in your belly along with your hands next to your chest and your feet hip-distance apart. Press into your hands and begin to straighten your arms, lifting your chest into Cobra Pose. Roll your shoulders back and lift your sternum as you extend the crown of your head toward the sky. Engage your quadriceps and press strongly into the tops of your feet. Stay here for 3 breaths then lower gently. Repeat as much as 5 times.

(Photo: Bhadri Kubendran)

7. Pigeon Pose

Turnbow recommends Pigeon Pose, especially after your workout, to alleviate tension in your hips and lower back, that are common areas of tightness following HIIT workouts.

Start in a plank position, then bend your right knee and move it forward behind your right wrist. Rotate your right knee outward and produce your right ankle toward your left wrist. Extend your left leg straight behind you with the highest of your foot on the bottom. Keep your hips level. Remain upright or lower down onto your forearms and breathe deeply. Stay here for five breaths, then repeat on the opposite side.

(Photo: Bhadri Kubendran)

8. Child’s Pose

“I’m a giant fan of Child’s Pose,” says Chapa. The quieting pose stretches your hips, thighs, and ankles in addition to your spine, shoulders, and neck.

From a kneeling position, bring your big toes together to the touch and widen your knees so far as is comfortable. Lower your hips toward your heels. Rest your arms alongside your body or reach them out so far as is comfortable in front of you. Rest your brow on the bottom or a folded towel and loosen up into the pose, taking slow, deep breaths. Soften your neck, shoulders, and hips and stay here for several breaths, or so long as feels comfortable.