Holistic Self-Care: Exercise for your Dosha

For me, starting Bright Body was an extension of my shift toward more natural living and taking better care of myself. I had shifted my eating habits to include mostly organic ingredients, minimal processed sugars, and more fresh fruits and vegetables, but I became even more focused on how I was living when I took my yoga teacher trainings and decided to leave a stifling and stagnant corporate culture. For me, healthy living wasn’t just about “clean eating” or natural products, but it was also about cutting out toxic people, environments, and ideas can have a profound and insidious effect on our health. Now that I’ve pruned out most of the bullshit, I’ve been on a mission to build and maintain healthier habits for ALL levels of my health and wellbeing.

Exercise is one of those things that we focus on for healthy living, and for good reason. In addition to all of the physical benefits of a strong and flexible body, regular exercise has shown to be a significant protective factor against cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s Disease in old age. Before my late teens, I was not a regular exerciser. I hated gym class because sports weren’t my thing and I was the scrawny kid who always got picked last. In the second half of college, my only form of exercise was yoga. When I first started practicing, I became addicted to sweaty and challenging vinyasa practices. But I quickly learned that this just isn’t sustainable, reasonable, or healthy, especially for a naturally Type A person like me. In graduate school I started practicing a mix of vinyasa, classic hatha, and restoratives. Now, I’ve added other modalities like body weight exercises, walking, and weight lifting to my routine.

Since completing my Ayurvedic Lifestyle Counselor certification last year, I realized that my shift in exercise preferences has, subconsciously, been in alignment with my dosha (I’m Vata-Pitta, if you’re curious). And I feel more grounded and well-rounded because of it. In the US, we get so attached to the idea of sweating as much as possible (don’t even get me started on hot yoga or bikram). We think that the sweatier we are and the sorer we are the next day, the better the workout. But realistically, that is not healthy or sustainable, both practically and Ayurvedically. 

For today’s blog I want to focus on how to exercise in accordance with your dosha. When you have some time to reflect and give these recommendations a shot, you’ll realize that it’s actually quite intuitive.

First and foremost, if you don’t already know your dosha, check out Banyan Botanical’s online quiz here. There’s no substitute for having your dosha evaluated by an Ayurvedic practitioner but this will definitely get you started!

Have more questions? Need some more guidance?
LEARN ABOUT OUR PERSONAL AYURVEDA CONSULTS HERE

In order to help you make sense of these results, I want to briefly go over each of the gunas (or qualities) that correspond to each dosha. Here’s a handy dandy table: 

In Ayurveda, your primary dosha is the one that most easily goes out of balance, and it is also the easiest to balance. Your secondary dosha is less likely to go out of balance, and more challenging to get in balance (and the same follows for your tertiary, or least dominant, dosha).

The main guiding principle for all things Ayurveda is that like increases like, and opposites balance. That means, if you are a Vata person and you eat a lot of light, dry, raw foods, you are increasing your Vata dosha. Conversely, if you eat heavier, oiled, and warm foods, you are helping to balance your Vata dosha. This principle applies to ALL life experiences, not just food. That means that you can use the like increases like and opposites balance principle with respect to your workout and/or yoga routines. Let’s get into it.

.....

Exercise Tips to Reduce Vata Dosha (appropriate for those with a Vata imbalance AND those who are healthy and exercising in fall/early winter)

Exercising in accordance with this guidance will help relieve muscle stiffness, anxiety, and tension common with vata imbalance. It will also help rid the body of excess gas and remove energetic blocks in the body.

Recommended exercise modalities include: weight lifting, slow-moving yoga, tai chi, long walks, hikes in nature, mild biking, dance, skating, mild rowing

Contraindicated exercise modalities include: running, jogging, and any extended cardio, fast-moving vinyasa yoga, HIIT

• Work with forms of exercises that emphasize: slow, steady, and heavy
• Work to a mild “glow” but avoid dripping sweat. Excessive sweating can be depleting to ojas, the ultimate energy reserve of body and mind. Ojas is related to things like immunity and energy. If Vata types exercise to the point of sweet-smelling and silky-feeling sweat, you’ve gone too far.
• Exercise slowly and deliberately with a calm and focused mind. Don’t overexert and burn out – slow and steady is your motto.
• While exercising, try to exhale through the nose only to avoid overtaxing the heart and nervous system.
• Take full & complete inhales – imagine you could breathe in from your pelvic floor.
• Get rest after your exercise – take a savasana or legs-up-the-wall even if you weren’t practicing yoga.
• For yoga, consider the following beneficial elements for Vata:
  • Choose slow, steady sequences over fast-paced classes. Moderately long holds are ideal. Work from more flowing poses to static, stable poses which are best for hyperactive Vata. One-breath-one-movement vinyasa classes can be very agitating for Vata.
  • Since Vata’s “home” resides in the pelvis and legs, poses that focus on these areas help to ground and calm Vata. Also, the area of the spine corresponding to Vata dosha is the lumbar region – stabilizing and opening through the lower back is very beneficial for Vata.
  • Closed twists (e.g. Ardha Matseyandrasana, Parivrtta Trikonasana) help build heat and move prana.
  • Forward folds with the belly on one or both legs (e.g. Uttanasana, Paschimottanasana, Parsvottanasana) help build heat and draw energy inward and downward for grounding.
  • Standing poses for grounding. Consider not reaching the arms out or up to draw energy in and down. Alternatively, keep the hands at the waist or even interlaced behind you.
  • Hands and feet or hands and knees poses for grounding (e.g. Table Top, Adho Mukha Svanasana, Prasarita Padottanasana A). The more contact with the ground, the better for Vata dosha.
  • Backbends on the belly like Salabhasana and Low Bhujangasana. These are considered warming in the Ayurvedic tradition, which is good for Vata dosha.
  • When it comes to inversions, Vata tend to be overexcited and overdo it. The best inversions for Vata Dosha are Sirsasana (headstand), Salamba Sarvangasana (shoulderstand), and legs-up-the-wall. Other inversions like Pincha Mayurasana (forearm stand) and Urdhva Mukha Vrksasana (handstand) should be practiced slowly and mindfully.
  • Avoid “hanging out” in joints – Vata types tend to be hyperflexible and need to focus much more on strength and stability mobility.

Have more questions? Need some more guidance?
LEARN ABOUT OUR PERSONAL AYURVEDA CONSULTS HERE

 .....

Exercise Tips to Reduce Pitta Dosha(appropriate for those with a Pitta imbalance AND those who are healthy and exercising in summer)

Exercising in accordance with these guidelines will help relieve tension, intensity, heat, and irritability common with pitta imbalance. It will also help you shed excess fire (e.g. stress, acidity) in the body.

Recommended exercise modalities include: swimming, water sports, moderate biking, yoga, tai chi, long walks on the beach, hikes in nature, winter sports

Contraindicated exercise modalities include: hot yoga of any kind, overly competitive exercise, any kind of exercise to the point of “burn out”, any outdoor exercise in the heat

• Work with forms of exercise that emphasize slow, calming, and even cooling Even when you break a sweat, consider cooling off afterward by taking a dip in a pool or rinse off with cool water first.
• Work to a mild “glow” but avoid dripping sweat. Excess sweating means excess heat, which Pitta already has plenty of!
• Find a workout that feels fun and relaxed and avoid super intense and/or competitive activities which will aggravate pitta. Be mindful of your perfectionist nature and instead cultivate receptivity and effortlessness.
• While exercising, try breathing through the nose only.
• Give yourself adequate cool down time after your workout.
• Hydration is key for Pitta types, especially during and after exercise.
• For yoga, consider the following beneficial elements for Pitta:
  • Choose calming, steady vinyasa Slow, dynamic flows are good for Pitta. Moving in and out of poses helps meet Pitta’s drive to “do” and “move” without exhausting and building excess heat.
  • Since Pitta’s “home” resides in the belly, poses that help to open up through the core of the body are beneficial for Pitta. It’s important not to stoke too much fire in the belly with Pitta since they likely already have tikshna agni (sharp digestion). Also, the area of the spine corresponding to Pitta is the thoracic region – opening up through the middle back can help relieve irritability and other Pitta excesses.
  • Open twistshelp move prana without building excess heat (e.g. Parsvakonasana)
  • Forward foldswith legs wide help with grounding without overheating (e.g. Prasarita Padottanasana, wide legged Uttanasana). Forward folds with the belly reaching toward one or both legs can be made more cooling but not going as deep. For example, fold only halfway in Paschimottanasana.
  • Backbends where the belly is not on the floor like Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (bridge pose), Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (upward facing dog), and Natarajasana (dancer’s pose) are energizing without being overly heating. Backbends on the belly are grounding for when Pitta is overly competitive.
  • Sidebendsallow Pitta types to release excess heat while still moving prana.
  • When it comes to inversions, Pitta tend to be overly competitive and push too hard. The best inversions for Pitta Dosha are Sirsasana (headstand), and Salamba Sarvangasana (shoulderstand). Other inversions like Pincha Mayurasana (forearm stand) and Urdhva Mukha Vrksasana (handstand) should be practiced slowly, mindfully, and with a calm and fixed gaze.
  • Pitta types are typically strong and can focus on flexibilitymore than strength.

Have more questions? Need some more guidance?
LEARN ABOUT OUR PERSONAL AYURVEDA CONSULTS HERE

 .....

Exercise Tips for Kapha Dosha(appropriate for those with a Kapha imbalance AND those who are healthy and exercising during late winter/spring)

Exercising in accordance with these guidelines will help relieve congestion and stagnation common with Kapha imbalance, especially with regard to excess mucus in the chest and stomach. Kapha-balancing exercises will also work to combat depression and lethargy.

Recommended exercise modalities include: aerobic and endurance exercise like jogging, running, biking, and jumping rope

Contraindicated exercise modalities include: anything too slow-moving or static

• Work with forms of exercise that are quicker, energizing, and (mildly) heating.
• Kapha types can work up the biggest sweat of all three doshas. But again, avoid exercising to the point where your sweat is sweet-smelling and silky-feeling.
• Find a workout that feels moving and dynamic. Constant motion during exercise is a good thing for the usually chill and lethargic Kapha types.
• Focus on building routines that help you build up your willpower. Kaphas can struggle with keeping up the internal motivation to exercise like they should.
• While exercising, try breathing through the nose only.
• Give yourself rest after your workout, but don’t overdo it. Remember, Kapha types tend to be sluggish and sedentary.
• For yoga, consider the following poses beneficial for Kapha:
  • Choose a more rapid and moving style, like Vinyasa or Power Yoga. Longer holds and more dynamic movement can be used to stimulate the circulation of blood and lymph while also increasing heat and intensity.
  • Since Kapha’s “home” resides in the heart and lungs, poses that open through the chest and neck are both energizing and cleansing for Kaphas. The area of the spine corresponding to Kapha is the cervical spine, so stretching through the neck and upper shoulders is essential to balancing Kapha.
  • Balancing poses are great for developing alertness and agility (e.g. Virabhadrasana III, Natarajasana, Garudasana) for Kaphas that can be sluggish and cloudy by nature.
  • Open and closed twistsare excellent for improving mobility and flexibility. Closed twists will be more heating than open twists.
  • Backbends of all types are great to energize typically lethargic Kapha dosha. Kaphas may benefit from longer held deep backbends like Ustrasana (camel pose) and Urdhva Dhanurasana (upward facing bow pose).
  • Sidebendsare great to help Kaphas open up through the intercostal muscles of the ribcage, improving breath capacity and helping elimination of excess phlegm common with Kaphas.
  • Core work can help build heat and specifically stoke the sluggish digestive fire (manda agni) typical of Kaphas.
  • Kapha types are typically strong, and should focus on flexibility and agility.

Have more questions? Need some more guidance?
LEARN ABOUT OUR PERSONAL AYURVEDA CONSULTS HERE

Until next time,

Gabi Day