DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PHYSICAL EXERCISES AND YOGA POSTURES

There are fundamental differences between physical exercises and Yogic postures (Yogasana) in many respects.
1.    Physical exercises are fast and repetitive movements, leading to increased muscle tension, and pose a higher risk of injury whereas Yogasana is slow, smooth movements without jerks that observe maintenance phase, reduce muscle tension, and have a low risk of injuring muscles and ligaments.

2.    During physical exercise, the breath and metabolism speed up, oxygen consumption rises, the body gets hot whereas in Yogasana, respiration and metabolic rates slow down, and the consumption of oxygen and body temperature drops.
3.    Physical exercise stimulates the sympathetic nervous system whereas Yogasana stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system.
4.    Physical exercise is catabolic and is capable of breaking down energy whereas a Yoga posture is anabolic that is, conserves energy and tends to arrest catabolism.  
5.    Physical exercises act mainly on superficial skeletal muscles whereas Yogasana has a greater effect on the trunk, glands, and internal organs; it alters electrochemical activity in the nervous system.
6.    In physical exercise, rapid movement of the muscles causes a tremendous strain on the heart whereas, in Yogasana, all movements are slowly accompanied by proper breathing and relaxation, therefore not affecting and pressuring the heart much.
7.    Through physical exercises heavy muscle masses are built mainly for appearance but after a particular age, these overdeveloped muscles act mainly as parasites as they become loose and give an ugly shape to the body. Whereas, Yogasana opposes violent muscle movement and concentrates on a deep stretching movement by which muscles are given a gentle, controlled stretch, without any strain resulting in a flexible, strong, and well-toned muscle.
8.    On completion of physical exercises, one feels tired, exhausted, and needs rest because a lot of lactic acids accumulate in the muscles which is another workload on the body for elimination. Whereas on completion of a Yogasana session, one feels relaxed, calm, energetic, fresh, light with a stable and balanced mind because, in Yogasana, accumulation of lactic acid in the joints never arises.
9.    In physical exercise, awareness is external because the focus is on reaching the finishing line. Whereas in Yogasana, inner awareness is automatically developed because the focus is on breath and the infinite.

 Overall Yogasana is not physical exercise; it is complementary to physical exercise.