Any people think that yoga is a fixed path: postures, breathing, and meditation, following a set routine.
But those who practice it for a long time almost all end up with a "hybrid practice".
I am one of them - I follow my own pace and add some other movements on top of the basic yoga.
1、Starting Point: Hui Lan Yoga, Establishing Body Order
The first yoga I came into contact with was Hui Lan Yoga. I was attracted by the beautiful scenery of Hylan on the seaside, facing the wind. Then I started practicing it.
It doesn't pursue fancy poses; instead, it emphasizes:
- Stable standing positions
- Safe alignment of joints
- Combination of breathing and movements During that period,
my greatest gain was not flexibility, but my body began to have a sense of "order": Knowing where to exert force and where not to push too hard.
Many beginners were eager to "stretch out", But what Hui Lan Yoga taught me was: Stand firm first, then stretch.
2、Changes occur: lacking strength, the body becomes unbalanced
After reaching a certain stage, I started to practice Pilates. I began to notice that the yoga poses became increasingly smooth, but compared to Pilates, the intensity seemed insufficient.
Would it be better to incorporate the movements of Pilates into the practice? The body needs:
• Stability
• Output of strength
• Relaxation back into control
3、Integrating Pilates: Incorporating "Control" into Yoga
So, I began to incorporate the concepts of Pilates into my yoga practice.
It wasn't a complete replacement, but rather, I incorporated a few of the Pilates movements into my yoga poses.
- Emphasize core control in the plank and boat poses
- Introduce the awareness of spinal segments during the slow transitions
- Slow down the movements, but become more strenuous
The biggest change is: I no longer strive for the "completion" of the poses, but rather control the process itself.
This has given the originally static yoga a sense of density of power.
4、Incorporate strength elements: The squat is an underestimated "yoga movement"
Later, I came to realize more clearly that aging begins with the loss of muscle mass.
Therefore, strengthening muscle exercises can prevent muscle loss.
More importantly, I clearly felt that my leg and upper body strength were relatively weak, so I gradually added basic movements such as squats, push-ups, and plank holds as supplements to my yoga practice.
What seems like an ordinary strength training, such as squats done day after day, has a much greater impact on the long-term physical condition than one might think.
Squatting is not for "building legs", but for:
Awakening the strength of the lower limbs, making the standing poses more stable and less strenuous
Gradually, I discovered that when the lower limbs were strong enough, yoga became much easier.
If you are interested in the relationship between lower limb strength and anti-aging, you can read this article further:
- "The ultimate "king" of anti-aging exercises for middle-aged people: Squats, squat your way to a youthful state”. click here to read .
And regarding core strength, I have also written an article about the practice experience separately:
- "What changes will occur in the body after doing the plank for 2 minutes every day for a month?" click here to read .
These seemingly simple movements are actually the important foundation that supports long-term yoga practice.
5、My practice principle: No longer making a distinction between "yoga or pilates..."
I only keep three criteria:
- Is the movement safe?
- Can it be controlled by me?
- Does it make me more stable after practicing, rather than more exhausted?
If a squat, a plank, or a flowing sequence of movements, can be completed while breathing and ended with awareness, then it is the exercise my body needs.
The most important thing is, integrating strength movements into yoga allows me to practice without having to deliberately allocate time for separate sessions.
It achieves two goals at once and is extremely efficient.
When all the movements are deeply integrated through practice and become part of the body's memory, the entire process becomes incredibly easy.
Even while listening to music or watching a show, you can complete it naturally and smoothly.
6、Some suggestions for those who have been practicing yoga for a long time
If you have also been practicing yoga for some time, you can try asking yourself:
- Is my practice only about "stretching", lacking "support"?
- Is my body more efficient or more vulnerable in daily life?
- Am I willing to adjust my practice for long-term health rather than just for the appearance of good postures in the short term?
- Are you worried that practicing yoga requires finding more time for muscle training?
Therefore, I finally listened to my inner voice:
- I don't want exercise to become a boring burden,
- I don't want to feel guilty for not having time to exercise,
- and I don't want to regret for neglecting strength training.
Then, the best method is to "package and integrate" everything. One set of movements that covers all aspects without any omissions.
The power of habit lies in this -
- because it is simple, it can be sustained,
- because it is sustained, it generates compound effects,
and ultimately makes the long-term health benefits become an inevitable thing.
--------The article was last updated on Jan 1st, 2026.
Life Tips :
No matter how busy the goddess must practice, Especially the shoulder and neck discomfort, it is recommended to practice this action:
