How Giving Up Strength Training Made Me Even Stronger
For the past two years, my mornings have focused on strength.
First, it was calisthenics, a more focused bodyweight practice than yoga asana could give me.
I worked through progressions, perfected my form, and got stronger than ever. But I was also constantly sore and tired.
I didn’t realize it yet, but this pointed to a bigger problem.
So I shifted to kettlebells.
A simple routine of heavy swings and Turkish get-ups. And for a while, it felt great.
Then something started to change.
I wasn’t recovering as well. My sleep got lighter. Instead of feeling energized, I felt wired.
And when I sat down for meditation, my nervous system was running on overdrive. I wasn’t able to drop in.
At first, I tried to push through, waiting for my body to adapt. But that moment never really came.
Because the problem wasn’t adaptation. It was a lack of deeper balance.
Strength Wasn’t the Problem. Imbalance Was.
Since I teach yoga full-time, I already get plenty of movement.
My days are filled with asana. So I leaned on strength training as my counterbalance.
But I had missed the big picture.
My strength training was pushing me too far into Yang energy. Because of this imbalance, I wasn’t able to recover or find my natural equilibrium.
And it wasn’t just the training that was depleting me.
I had also been creating constantly.
Between teaching, writing, and building my business, I was in constant output mode.
This, too, was Yang energy. Driven, focused, expansive.
My entire lifestyle tilted toward Yang, and my body needed the opposite.
Yin and Yang: The Art of Listening
In Taoist philosophy, Yin and Yang aren’t just abstract ideas. They describe how energy moves through everything—your body, your mind, your practice.
Yang is active. It fuels strength, movement, creativity, and expansion.
Yin is receptive. It fosters softness, stillness, restoration, and integration.
And here’s the thing. Most people are stuck in constant Yang mode without realizing it.
If your life is full of stress, intensity, and deadlines, throwing yourself into high-output workouts might not be the right answer.
If you feel sluggish, scattered, or unmotivated, deep restoration alone might not be enough.
The key isn’t doing more or less. It’s doing what’s needed.
And most people aren’t listening.
My Body Needed a Different Kind of Practice
So I made a change.
Instead of reaching for a kettlebell, I returned to my Qigong practice for my morning movement.
It’s not yoga or weights, but it’s still a powerful way to start my day. It allows me to work with subtle energy in a way that feels natural. I can move my whole body without wearing myself out, and it seamlessly integrates the principles of Yin and Yang.
I felt the difference within days.
I was less wired, more steady. My nervous system began to rebalance, and everything started to feel right again.
This doesn’t mean I’ve quit strength training forever. Strength training is awesome. And necessary.
But balance sometimes means accepting seasonality.
There’s a time for building and a time for restoration. Right now, my body needs the latter.
And that’s the deeper lesson. Balance isn’t just about strength or rest.
It’s about finding the right mix of effort and restoration, output and renewal.
So if you’re feeling out of sorts, take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Where in your life have you leaned too far into Yin or Yang?
Trust your intuition. The right answer is already there.
Stay balanced,
Rob
PS: If you’ve been feeling off, it’s time to pay attention to the balance of Yin and Yang in your life.
That’s why I created The Embodied Mindfulness Method.
It’s a free course designed to help you understand these forces and design a practice that actually supports you. You’ll build steadiness, clarity, and strength, without burnout.
And if you want something fully customized, I have space for two private students right now.
We’ll build a practice that actually fits your body, your life, and your energy.
If that sounds like something you need, reach out here, and we’ll set up a meeting.
