Is Yoga your only form of exercise? Wondering why only Yoga is not enough Fear you will lose flexibility from strength training? Jenni & Travis break down strength training, through the context of Yoga, and provide insight into why movement variety is important. As they explain their respective drivers to their passion in promoting strength training through the Yoga practice, they explain the different types of Yoga and explain how certain Yoga practices dominate as an endurance-based movement. They unveil the Yogi advantage to already having the range of motion to build true strength and the ease in coaching Yogis as they have analogous movement patterns to strength-based exercises and base-level understanding through movement. As a result of their passion, they speak into how their guide promotes confidence as it maps and integrates yoga poses with strength training. Finally, they let us in on how to balance your yoga practice with strength training in terms of time and frequency. As lovers of Yoga themselves, they empathize with the reluctance Yogis feel with fewer practices, but recognize the profound effects strength training has on flexibility, susceptibility to injury, and performance in the Yoga practice itself.  Move more optimally, through your favorite Yoga practice, more safely, and with strength with Jenni and Travis!

Free Week of the Jen Health Membership:

Looking for a movement community that gives you the plan specific to your body? Need accountability and a plan that is specific to your restrictions?! Come grab a free week of our Jen Health Membership! You'll have access to 12 plans that were all currated by Doc Jen, Dr of Physical Therapy. We make sure you get set up with the plan that will be best for your goals and the rest is laid out for you to follow! Come check it out today! You can even get a discount on your first month using code OPTIMAL at checkout!

Strength for Yogis Guide:

We also mention a $20 discount for Jenni and Travis’s Strength for Yogis Guide throughout the episode. To learn how you can balance out your yoga practice with yoga-inspired strength training and strength training fundamentals, use code ‘OPTIMAL20’ at checkout! 

What You Will Learn In This Interview with Jenni Rawling & Travis Pollen:

2:40 – What drives Jenni & Travis.

7:12 – Types of Yoga.

12:58 – Yoga, injury, Endurance.

17:36 – Taking strength training progressions to your mat.

22:21 – Myths around Strength vs Flexibility.

26:43 – Ease in coaching strength for Yogis.

28:00 – Mapping Yoga poses with Strength Exercises.

32:48  – How to balance strength training with Yoga.

37:50  – What to do if the weight room or time is a barrier.

41:12  – Learn more with Jenni & Travis.

About Jenni & Travis:

Jenni Rawlings has completed a wealth of training and learning in the fields of yoga, anatomy, and movement science. She writes regularly for Yoga International and for her own body geek-focused yoga website, where she also offers science-based yoga classes and continuing education courses for yogis.

Travis Pollen is an author, personal trainer, and Ph.D. in Health & Rehabilitation Sciences. His research focuses on core stability, movement screening, training load, and injury risk appraisal. He also holds a master’s degree in Biomechanics and Movement Science along with an American record in Paralympic swimming.

Items mentioned in this episode include:

Strength For Yoga Guide: https://www.strengthforyoga.com/

Jenni Rawling’s Website: https://jennirawlings.com/

Travis Pollen’s Website: https://travispollen.com/

To learn more about Jenni & Travis and view full show notes, please visit the full website here: https://jen.health/podcast/109

Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Optimal Body Podcast. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute to subscribe and leave a quick rating and review of the show!