Do you think stretching (like yoga) is a form of exercise, or should it involve increasing your heart rate?

There are many different styles of yoga sessions. A more intense yoga session will warm your muscles and causing am increased heart rate. This would be an example of a yoga session that would count as exercise/physical activity. There are other forms of yoga that are more restorative that do not increase the heart rate and would not count as exercise/physical activity from a health perspective. Restorative/stretch-focused yoga sessions are valuable on their own right and should complement a healthy lifestyle. However, they would not replace a heart-health, muscle building activity.

Yes I think yoga is great exercise. Stretching is so unbelievably invigorating! Especially if you are running after kids all day getting the cardio this way, yoga is the perfect addition.

Yoga is a form of exercise. It will increase your heart rate if you are doing a deeper stretch / a more difficult pose that requires you to hold longer / a series of pose in a faster pace like (flow).

Yes but I do believe you should be doing something to elevate the heart rate as well. I like the feeling post workout after a run or cardio the boost of energy or the relaxing sea that follows a good yoga session. Both are important to your well being.

I think that flexibility is as important as strength and cardio vascular fitness.

Definitely exercise – you are improving your physical body! However, the type of exercise that increases heart rate is good for strengthening the cardiovascular system, muscles, and increases calorie burn too.

There are four main types of exercise. Endurance exercise is aerobic. It raises your heart rate. Walking and running our good endurance exercises. Strength training including things like weightlifting makes your muscles strong. Balance exercises are important, too. I like to do tai chi. Yoga is a flexibility exercise. To sum up, the four types of exercises are: endurance, strength, balance And flexibility. You should do them all.

Yes. Yoga is a form of exercise that helps to energize and relax the mind and body. It can be used to help relieve sore muscles or to push the body to improve flexibility and core strength.

Honestly, any time I am purposefully moving with the act of improving my health, that counts as exercise to me. If it gets you up and away from your couch, chair, or bed, it’s helping you to become a more physically fit person.

I think stretching is a fabulous form of exercise. It helps you with performing other exercises. To me, an exercise is something that improves your overall health and stretching is something that greatly benefits one’s health.