Fitness tip

Bored With the Gym? Try Tai Chi or Yoga
Yoga, tai chi, and Pilates can complement more traditional workouts and help you get and stay fit. They're also fun to do.

By Jan Sheehan
Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH

If you’re trying to get into top-notch shape, don’t discount the benefits of alternatives to your standard gym routines, such as yoga, tai chi, and Pilates. “There’s a trend toward blending alternative exercise routines with more traditional forms of exercises,” says Pete McCall, MS, an exercise physiologist with the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and a personal trainer. Exercise disciplines like yoga and tai chi promote flexibility and balance, two important fitness components that men often overlook.

Alternative Exercises: Yoga

Think yoga is too mellow or New Age-y for real men? Think again. “Men have a lot to gain from yoga,” says McCall. Besides improving flexibility, yoga has been shown to boost strength and improve overall fitness.

In one ACE-sponsored study, people who participated in Hatha yoga (a beginner-friendly form of yoga) performed six more push-ups and 14 more curl-ups than non-yoga exercisers after eight weeks of practicing yoga for 55 minutes three times a week.

Yoga can also boost stamina. “Yoga teaches deep, controlled breathing, which helps distribute oxygen throughout the body and increase energy,” says McCall. Yoga can even help with power workouts like weightlifting that require flexibility for maximum benefits. Most beginning yoga classes teach basic yoga moves, and you can also learn them from personal trainers,. McCall recommends incorporating yoga into the cool-down portion of your workout to stretch and relax your muscles.

Alternative Exercises: Tai Chi

This ancient Chinese form of exercise is considered one of the martial arts, but tai chi takes a more peaceful and softer approach to exercise than karate

“Tai chi isn’t a martial art in the traditional sense where you’re learning a fighting method,” says McCall. “Instead, you’re learning about movement and control, which leads to better flexibility and balance.”

Because tai chi is low-impact, risk of injury is low, while health benefits are high. One Johns Hopkins University study found that practicing tai chi lowered blood pressure as much as brisk walking and low-impact aerobics.

Most martial arts centers and health clubs offer tai chi classes. Tai chi can be done without working up a sweat, so once you learn the proper form and movements, you can do it after you get up in the morning or before you go to bed at night, says McCall.

Alternative Exercises: Pilates

In addition to improving flexibility, Pilates is one of the best ways to build core strength.

“Increasingly, trainers for professional football players are incorporating Pilates into traditional exercise programs,” notes McCall. Pilates can be performed on a machine that uses exercise resistance to build strength or on a mat with your body’s core substituting for the resistance machine to develop strength and flexibility.

The best way to learn Pilates is to sign up for a class at your health club or local YMCA. Personal trainers also teach Pilates in small groups or one-on-one sessions, says McCall. After you get some experience under your belt, you can do Pilates routines any time and any place. (There are even home models available if you prefer the machine to the mat.)

Alternative exercises aren't necessarily a substitute for traditional strength training and cardiovascular workouts. Instead, you can add them to the beginning or end of your workout, or take a class every week. “Just 10 minutes of yoga, tai chi, or Pilates performed regularly can significantly improve your flexibility and balance,” says McCall. Little spurts of these alternative exercises could translate to big benefits and a more well-rounded fitness program.