http://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-right-exercise-for-your-type.html
The Right Exercise for Your Type
Adapted from What's Your Dosha, Baby? by Lisa Marie Coffey (Marlowe and Company, 2004).
Many of us have made the resolution to exercise more in the new year. But the kind of exercise you choose to do may not be compatible with your life-energy type, which could outweigh the benefits to your system. And if you choose the activities that are just right for you, you will be in much better balance.
Find out what the ancient Hindu system of Ayurveda can tell you about the kind of physical activity that best suits you. First, take the fun quiz to see what type you are. Then find out which exercise is best for you for your optimum fitness, energy, and health, all right here:
First, take the Dosha Quiz.
Vatas
Vatas tend to get worn out; they have a low reserve of energy. the worst thing they can do is overextend themselves physically. Vatas are fairly flexible, so they love exercise like yoga and Pilates, where they can stretch and warm their muscles. They also like exercises where they can have fun, because they tend to get bored easily; anything new and interesting gets their attention. They love a hot, steamy shower after exercise.
Best exercise for Vata
Low-impact:
Yoga
Walking
Dancing
Pitta
Pittas are fiercely competitive, so sports where they play on a team, or games where they have something at stake, really fuel their fire. Swimming, diving, and other water sports are great for Pittas, because the water is cooling, which is balancing for them. It is refreshing for Pittas to take a nice dip in the pool after their workouts.
Best exercise for Pitta
Competitive or team sports:
Baseball
Tennis
Or cooling sports:
Swimming
Kapha
Kaphas have a lot of stored-up energy, so they can take more strenuous exercise—actually, they need to burn off that energy so that it doesn’t turn to bulk. Running is great, even if it’s on a treadmill at the gym. Weight lifting is also really good for Kaphas. As a reward for their efforts, Kaphas may look forward to a nice warm soak in the tub!
Best exercise for Kapha
Stimulating, regular exercise:
Bodybuilding
Running
More from Annie B. Bond (3187 articles available)
Annie B.
Melissa
Jana
Kelly
Lily
Terri
Heather L.
Lynn
Carl
Betsy
Cait
Avery
The Gallands
Eric
Andrew
Dave
Deepak
9 comments
add your comment »I don't know......but I'll read about it & then I answer!
flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
Okay I am Vata in body but Kapha in mind. So do I do a combinaion of both? I probably just stick with Vata exercises since I do them anyway.
flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
I've always been confused by these. I seem to sit between Pitta and Vata. When I was younger I played baseball and swam. Love the water still but don't like to swim in the gym's pool - yech! I've done yoga for 37 years and have always been flexible and interested in new things ie. Pilates and Power Plate. Also love dancing and now that I'm older I'm walking more. (Didn't have time, still don't sometimes.) I absolutely adore downhill skiing and will do that till I drop even though I live in Africa!! My BP is low so my heart rate doesn't get up easily and my metabolism has slowed and I'm battling to lose weight. So I'm doing step m/c to get metab up to where it goes when I'm skiing. And in the end, what does all that make me? I'm just doing what I think is right for me and what I enjoy, because like a Vata, I get bored if it's not fun.
flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
i don't know
flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
i think this is telling us what is ment to be most suited to us, but i do not agree that people should go by this. Aparantly im mostly a vita, and i definetly do not agree. It says vitas get worn out easily and shouldnt overextend themselves phisicly, when for the last two years i have been going on a 40 minutes run monday to friday, six 40 minute runs on saturday and five on sunday. Then i do 200 sit ups and push ups a day and finally after that i work out with my gym equitment. And im only 14 and im guessing im going to keep extending my excersize. How does that fit into a vita. I feel pathetic and like i havnt gone to my full potential when i dont do that so i force myself to keep going when i also starved myself the whole time, only eating a tiny bit on a friday night and obviously that would need alot of energy to do that, the point is even after all that i felt like i still had so much energy so the person who made this sorry but your wrong.
flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
This was definately confusing to me. According to the quiz I am predominately pitta in body & mind, secondarily kapha in body & secondarily vata in mind. However, according to "Perfect Weight" by Deepak Chopra, I am almost an exact balance of Pitta and Kapha. Yet, the most appealing exercises to me on this page are the ones for the Vata type, with the exception of swimming listed under pitta. Should I go with what "appeals" to me, so that I'm more likely to stick with it? Or should I make myself try something that I don't think I would like, since it's listed under my type?
flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
I found this confusing as I have an overall Vata, and body and mind were different.. hmmm!
flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
All of the exercises look fun, but we have to be consistant, so like a Vata, I will enjoy dancing the Akey Breaky, and walking. When I try Latin dancing I end up in Emergency. That will spoil any evening. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?