The science of yoga has a holistic viewpoint of exercise. There are many differences between Yoga and Gym exercise.
Yoga doesn’t have violent movement of muscles as it causes fatigue, muscle stiffness and may be injury too. Fatigue is counteracted through proper breathing and relaxation, whereas Gym involves violent movements of the muscles which produces large quantities of lactic acid in the muscle fibres causing fatigue and tiredness.
In the Gyms you work out each part of the body separately whereas in Yoga you work out the whole body and do it at once. Holding your own body weight in yoga makes your arms strong, many yoga postures involves working your core. Yoga also works in your cardiovascular muscles raising your heart beat , activating your joints and lengthen your muscles. All this happens along with progressively improving your flexibility. Your body is different each day. Yoga allows you to modify your practice every single day according to your body’s needs and the way you feel on that day. You can either have a challenging work to strengthen you core out with inversions and arm balances or opt for a therapeutic relaxed session with restorative poses. Whereas in Gym, you can be restricted to a certain pattern everyday.
On a slightly different note, yoga doesn’t come with the mindset of competition. Not with others and also not with you. It’s all about you in a way that you really listen to your body and align your movements according to your needs and move progressively. While there is enough and more competition in the outside world, yoga gives you the time and space to come to reconnect with yourself from a space of compassion and self love.
The best advantage is that you can do Yoga anywhere. At home, workplace. You can create your own space wherever you are for yourself, a space to connect with your body and mind, a space to breathe, relax and simply let go.