Not a body builder - weight lifting or yoga or pilates?

[cutesimi1]

Yoga leaves me with happy feeling. Weight lifting makes me irritated and annoyed afterward but I do like the strength and tone I gain from lifting weights. What is good long term if I wasn't interested in competing? Would yoga or mat pilates help me maintain the tone and strength?

[DaniGrrl]

Just out of curiosity, why would you come to a BODYBUILDING forum and say weightlifting irritates and annoys you? I'm not trying to be flip or bitchy, but consider who you are asking this question to, and now think about the answer you are going to get.

With that said....

Whether you want to compete or not, you are underweight and should be bulking = lifting heavy weights and eating at a surplus so you gain weight in the form of lean mass, and, yes, there will be fat gains, too, but you're underweight and a little fat won't hurt you.

By all means, you can keep doing yoga and pilates if you love them but they should be incorporated into your lifting routine somehow. And I suppose the last thing is that it all depends on the look you want. Yogis have a certain kind of look and if that's what you want, there's nothing wrong with that, but being toned is about having some muscle and your body fat low enough to see it. With no muscle, you end up just looking skinny, and at your stats, I have to think you look pretty skinny - I know because I was there myself a little over a year ago.

[megdaig]

Agreed Dani...

I was going to say...not all people who lift weights are bodybuilders.

Even if you don't want any muscle at all and prefer the skinny fat look of a yogi, weightlifting is good for your bones and maintaining bone density as we age so you should incorporate some form of weight bearing activities into your daily life.

[NatK]

I'm a Pilates instructor, I practice Pilates and lift weights; Pilates will definitely help you lengthen and strengthen your muscles, especially strengthening your core - that said, I think you should consider lifting and practice Pilates as I have seen the benefits that both offer. My lifting has improved so much because Pilates has taught me to be body aware.

[cutesimi1]

I didn't mean to offend anyone. I enjoy the after effects of lifting - the tone and strength. But somehow doing it leaves me very irritated. I see many people feel better after lifting. I on the other hand feel like biting someone's head off. Now that I'm enlightened about eating healthy and working out, I am trying to find out what workouts will suit me in the long run.

[mrshester]

I didn't mean to offend anyone. I enjoy the after effects of lifting - the tone and strength. But somehow doing it leaves me very irritated. I see many people feel better after lifting. I on the other hand feel like biting someone's head off. Now that I'm enlightened about eating healthy and working out, I am trying to find out what workouts will suit me in the long run.

FWIW, I do my cardio after lifting...I don't feel irritated by the lifting, but the cardio def. helps me clear out the mind

[Kricket09]

why not do both? i quite often time my workout so that i can pop into a hot yoga class afterwards. Finish about 45 min. of heavy lifting, grab a snack or shake and some water and head into yoga. That way i leave the gym feeling really relaxed and accomplished. helps with DOMS too!