Does Yoga Count as Exercise?
Yoga didn’t originate as an exercise program, but some styles have been adapted into workouts focused on the physical parts of the practice, says Edward Laskowski, MD, a physical and rehabilitation specialist and the former codirector of Mayo Clinic Sports in Rochester, Minnesota. “People have different goals coming into yoga. Some may do yoga for the contemplative or meditative part of it, and some people might want more of the exercise and activity part.”

Anything that elevates our heart rate for a consistent period of time is beneficial to overall fitness, he says. “The heart is a muscle, and when you challenge it by elevating your heart rate, you make it stronger,” says Dr. Laskowski.

Yoga probably isn’t in the same category of aerobic exercise as running or biking, says Laskowski. But the amount of aerobic benefit a person could get from yoga depends a lot on the style and pace of the type of yoga you’re doing, he says.

Yoga can also help build strength, Laskowski says. Certain positions and poses where a person must hold up part of their body weight will challenge a muscle and make it stronger, he says.

It’s a good way to get your resistance training in, because yoga builds functional strength (meaning you get stronger by using multiple joint and muscle groups together, rather than strengthening a specific muscle in isolation, as you might do in weight lifting). “That’s good, because that’s what we do in our daily life,” he says.

Health Benefits of Yoga
“The benefits of yoga are different for different people,” Laskowski says. “Overall, it has components that can help with flexibility, strength, balance, and stability.”

Research has shown it can also help with specific measures of health, like eating habits, weight loss and weight loss maintenance, and cardiovascular health.[7]

A review looking at one year of recent research found that people who practiced yoga saw improvements across several measures of health, including anxiety, stress, body composition, blood pressure, inflammation, and metabolic markers in people with type 2 diabetes.[8]
A meta-analysis found that yoga interventions helped middle-aged people with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher to lower their blood pressure. The benefits were greater when the yoga intervention included breathing techniques and meditation.[9]
Another study found that yoga motivated nearly two-thirds of people to exercise more, and 40 percent of people to eat healthier.[10]
There is also evidence that yoga may help people with certain health conditions and chronic diseases manage pain and other symptoms, as well as with overall quality of life.[11]
Just note that there are some safety recommendations before you start, from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH).[12]
The NCCIH emphasizes that although yoga is generally considered safe when performed properly under quality guidance, there can be a risk of injuries, such as sprains, strains, and joint injuries. Also, older adults may need to be cautious with certain types of yoga practices. For example, they should avoid headstands and intense classes. And in general, women who are pregnant and people with chronic health conditions (like cardiovascular disease, hypertension, balance issues, glaucoma, and joint and spine injuries) should talk to their doctor before starting and get personalized guidance from a yoga instructor to reduce the risk of harm.

Pregnant Women, People With Heart Conditions, and Some Others Should Check With Their Doctor Before Doing Hot Yoga
In general, hot yoga is safe as long as the person doing it is in good health, says Laskowski. If a person has certain preexisting chronic health conditions, previous heat injury, certain heart conditions, easily gets dehydrated, or is pregnant, it may not be safe to do hot yoga, he says.

“It’s always a good idea to check with your doctor if you’re going to try an activity that could stress your body,” says Laskowski.

Can Yoga Help Relieve Eczema or Atopic Dermatitis Symptoms?
Yoga lowers stress and inflammation, which could help manage eczema and other skin conditions.[13]
Types of Yoga
There are about 20 major types of yoga, and certain kinds can appeal to certain individuals, says Laskowski. That’s because people often have different goals and reasons for wanting to do yoga, he says.

Depending on where you live and the size of the yoga community, you may find several types of yoga offered at studios near you. Here are a few of them.

Vinyasa Yoga
Vinyasa yoga is one of the most popular kinds of yoga in the United States, says Jen Fleming, a yoga teacher and manager at YogaWorks in Atlanta, who is certified by Yoga Alliance. Although vinyasa can be a set sequence of poses that never changes, as in ashtanga vinyasa, flow vinyasa classes will be different every time, she says.

Different styles of vinyasa yoga also include power yoga, Baptiste yoga, Jivamukti, and prana flow. These kinds of classes are among the most athletic and physically challenging, says Fleming.

It can be difficult to keep up with the pace of a vinyasa class if you don’t have yoga experience, adds Shala Worsley, a yoga instructor at Asheville Yoga Center in Asheville, North Carolina, who is certified by Yoga Alliance. “If you want to try vinyasa yoga and you don’t have much experience, try to find a studio that offers a beginner or a slow flow class,” says Worsley.

Hot Yoga
Hot yoga is yoga practiced in a hotter-than-normal room, and the style of yoga performed can vary from studio to studio, says Samantha Scupp, the founder and a teacher at Heatwise, a New York City–based hot yoga studio, who is certified by Yoga Alliance.

Here are a few things to know before you try it.

How Hot Is a Hot Yoga Class?
In hot yoga, the room is heated to temperatures that can range from the high 80s to 105 degrees F, on average.[14]
The temperature can fluctuates depending on the studio (check the class description or call the individual studio to find out details), and the methods of heating can be different as well, says Scupp.

Along with conventional heating, some studios use a humidifier to make the room feel warmer. Some studios, like Heatwise, use infrared heat that comes from electric heat panels that are placed on the ceiling or around the room, which can feel more natural than forced-air heat, she says. The size of the room, the weather outside, and how packed the class is can all be factors in how hot the room gets, Scupp says.

Not All Hot Yoga Classes Are the Same
Yoga done in a hot environment is called “hot yoga.” Hot yoga became popular in the 1970s with a specific style called Bikram yoga, and heat is now used to enhance a variety of yoga styles.

Vinyasa yoga or flow-type yoga practiced in a heated studio can also be called hot yoga. It would be a good idea to have some yoga experience before you step into a hot yoga class, says Scupp. Depending on the studio, there may be a beginner level course offered.

Hatha Yoga 
Hatha yoga (pronounced HAH-ta, not -tha) encompasses several types of yoga, including ashtanga, vinyasa, and power yoga. Hatha classes tend to be slower-paced than vinyasa classes, and may not necessarily flow from pose to pose, says Fleming. Poses are typically held for several breaths before another pose begins. What is consistent across different types of hatha yoga is that the physical poses and postures are meant to be linked to your breathing patterns.

Ashtanga Yoga 
Ashtanga yoga is a physically demanding type of yoga that moves quickly from pose to pose. Unlike flow or vinyasa yoga, there are set sequences that are meant to be performed in a specific order. Ashtanga yoga can be practiced in a teacher-led class or in a Mysore format. Mysore is self-guided with an instructor present but not leading the class. In a Mysore format, students are expected to know the sequence and timing of the poses from memory, Fleming explains.

Kundalini Yoga 
Kundalini yoga combines postures, breathing, meditation, and the chanting of mantras.[15] Traditionally, kundalini yoga is meant to “awaken” the different energies inside each of us and heighten consciousness.[16]
Yin Yoga 
Yin yoga is a style in which there’s no flowing from pose to pose. You stay mostly seated on the floor or lying on your back or belly, Fleming says.

It’s more passive and focuses on stretching. And the poses are held longer than in other types of yoga, says Fleming. “This kind of stretching can be good for the joints in a different way than active stretching,” says Fleming. 

Yoga Nidra 
Yoga nidra is more of a meditation than a pose-filled yoga class.[17] Students lie on their backs (a blanket or bolster can be used to add comfort) as the teacher guides them through focusing on and relaxing different parts of the body. People who practice yoga nidra are encouraged to “let go” and surrender to total relaxation and peace. It can be as relaxing and restorative as actual sleep, says Fleming.