Kino MacGregor

A Supported Practice: Finding Balance Between Yoga and Strength Training with Wade Oakley

For many years, the yoga world carried the idea that yoga is all you need. But what happens when your practice alone is not enough to keep the body healthy and supported? Injuries, hypermobility, or the physical demands of teaching can reveal the need for something more.

In a recent episode of the Yoga Inspiration Podcast, we had a conversation with Ashtanga teacher Wade Oakley about what it really means to cultivate a supported practice. Together, we explored the intersection of yoga, strength training, and long term sustainability on the spiritual path.

Wade’s Journey into Ashtanga Yoga

Wade first discovered yoga as a university student when a shoulder injury kept him out of the gym. What began as a free class quickly turned into a lifelong practice that led him to India to study with Sharath Jois in Mysore. Along the way, he balanced academic research with his yoga journey, studying cognitive science and even conducting surveys on contemplative group practice.

Injuries and Rehabilitation

Like many practitioners, Wade faced setbacks. A skiing accident required major knee reconstruction and months of physical therapy. Instead of stepping away from yoga, Wade used these challenges as opportunities to learn. He discovered that mobility and strength work were not distractions from practice but essential tools to keep it sustainable.

Yoga, Strength, and Mobility

During our conversation, Wade shared insights into the difference between flexibility and mobility. Flexibility may allow someone to be placed in a posture, but mobility is the strength and control needed to move in and out of it safely. For hypermobile bodies especially, strength training provides stability that protects the joints and supports longevity in practice.

We also discussed how weight training and mobility work can directly support yoga teachers. Assisting in Mysore style rooms requires push and pull strength that yoga alone does not always provide. By integrating gym training and prehab strategies, teachers can protect themselves from injury and better support their students.

What It Means to Have a Supported Practice

A supported practice is not about perfection. It is not about achieving every advanced posture or never experiencing pain. Instead, it is about creating balance, building stability, resilience, and the capacity to keep showing up on the mat day after day.

Longevity in yoga requires curiosity, openness, and sometimes the willingness to seek support outside the traditional practice. For Wade, and for many of us, that means embracing strength work, physical therapy, or cross training as part of the larger path of yoga.

Practice With Us

September Special: Sign up for my upcoming Omstars October live series Embodied Strength and receive one year of Omstars+ free.

Join Wade on Omstars for his upcoming Ashtanga Prehab Masterclass on October 24.

Together, let us redefine what it means to have a supported practice, strong, resilient, and rooted in yoga.