Find out if you can do just yoga instead of strength training and when you need both. Yoga is also a form of physical movement, as it improves flexibility, mobility and adaptability. Since it involves manoeuvring the body into different positions and holding poses, many people wonder whether it can replace a regular workout or whether the gym still has its own place.ALSO READ: Pilates vs yoga vs strength training: Know the differences and find out what your body actually needsKnow when yoga can help and when it can't. (Picture credit: Adobe Stock)To understand whether yoga can become a mainstream fitness routine and replace a regular workout, HT Lifestyle spoke to Kushal Pal Singh, fitness and performance expert at Anytime Fitness India. He pointed out that it actually depends entirely on your fitness goals.When is yoga enough for you?Depending on your fitness goals, yoga can work well as a standalone fitness routine. Here are some of the goals the performance expert mentioned:Improve flexibility, mobility, and postureBuild functional and core strengthEnhance balance and body awarenessReduce stress and improve recoverySupport long-term joint and mental health6. Offer moderate cardiovascular benefits alongside strength and endurance (dynamic styles like Power Yoga, Vinyasa, and Ashtanga)When yoga can't replace your workout?While yoga has several benefits, Kushal warned that it also has its own set of limitations, especially if your goals are performance-oriented.Here are some goals he shared, which, if you have in your fitness journey, then only doing yoga won't help:Build significant muscle massIncrease strength and powerImprove athletic performanceMaximise cardiovascular endurance and athletic performanceAchieve body recomposition through progressive overloadIf you identify with the above-mentioned goals, then Kushal insisted that structured strength training and cardio remain essential.Is there common ground that combines both?Kushal, however, settled the debate of yoga vs gym by clarifying that they can actually work well together.“Yoga improves mobility, flexibility, recovery, and movement quality, while strength training develops muscle, bone health, metabolism, and overall physical performance,” he said.Why should you do both yoga and strength training?Body appears more toned with regular strength training. (Picture credit: Freepik)Highlighting one of the most common misconceptions around fitness, Kushal noted that yoga and strength training should not be pitted against each other. He said, "India shares that one of our biggest misconceptions is treating yoga and strength training as competing disciplines. They are not. Each serves a distinct purpose, and together they create a balanced, sustainable fitness routine. Rather than asking whether yoga can replace your workout, ask whether your routine is helping you become stronger, healthier, and more resilient.”What should a balanced weekly routine look like?As per the expert, here's what the balanced weekly routine looks like:2–4 days of strength training2–3 days of yogaRegular walking or cardio for heart healthIn the end, Kushal concluded by reiterating that Yoga is a powerful pillar of fitness, but it isn't a one-size-fits-all replacement for exercise. For general wellness, it may be enough. However, for building strength, improving endurance, and achieving peak performance, combining yoga with structured workouts delivers the best long-term results.Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.Adrija Dey’s proclivity for observation fuels her storytelling instinct. As a lifestyle journalist, she crafts compelling, relatable narratives across diverse touchpoints of the human experience, including wellness, mental health, relationships, interior design, home decor, food, travel, and fashion that gently nudge readers toward living a little better. For her, stories exist in flesh and bones, carried by human vessels and shaped through everyday endeavours. It is the small stories we live and share that make us human. After all, humans and their lores are the most natural and raw repositories of stories, and uncovering them, for her, is akin to peeling an orange under a winter afternoon sun. Always up for a chat, she believes the best stories come from unfiltered yapping, where "too much information" is kind of the point. A graduate of Indraprastha College for Women, University of Delhi, and an alumna of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi, Adrija spends her idle hours cocooned with herbal tea and a gripping thriller, scribbling inner monologues she loosely calls poetic pieces, often with her succulents in attendance. On lazier days, she can be found binge-watching, for the nth time, one from her comfort-show holy trinity: The Office (US), Brooklyn Nine-Nine, or Modern Family. Dancing by herself to her peppy playlists, however, is an everyday ritual she swears by religiously.Read MoreYogaHealthCatch every big hit, every wicket with Crick-it, a one stop destination for Live Scores, Match Stats, Quizzes, Polls & much more. Explore now!.Catch your daily dose of Fashion, Taylor Swift, Health, Festivals, Travel, Relationship, Recipe and all the other Latest Lifestyle News on Hindustan Times Website and APPs.See Less