Yoga vs. Stretching-Strengthening: Physical Fitness in Sedentary Young Adults

Comparative Effects of Yoga Versus Stretching-Strengthening Exercises on Physical Fitness in Sedentary Young Adults

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if yoga or stretching-strengthening exercises are more effective in sedentary young adults who are currently healthy but at risk due to inactivity. The main questions it aims to answer are:

Which exercise type leads to better improvements in physical fitness, mental well-being, and sleep quality based on a person's starting profile?

How do initial levels of balance and muscle strength affect how well a person responds to these exercises?

Researchers will compare a yoga group to a stretching-strengthening exercise group to see if one approach is more effective than the other for specific types of individuals.

Participants will:

Be evaluated for their starting physical fitness (balance and strength) and psychological health.

Perform either yoga or stretching-strengthening exercises regularly during the study period.

Complete surveys about their mood, stress levels, and sleep quality.

Be re-tested at the end of the program to measure changes and improvements.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Exercise; Sedentary Lifestlye
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: yoga group; Other: stretching-strengthening group

Detailed Description

Sedentary lifestyle has become increasingly prevalent among young adults, leading to decreased physical fitness levels and negatively affecting psychological well-being. Although exercise-based interventions are widely recognized as effective strategies to mitigate these risks, there is limited comparative evidence regarding the differential effects of distinct exercise paradigms in healthy sedentary young individuals.

Yoga, as a mind-body intervention, integrates physical postures, breathing techniques, and mindfulness practices, and has been shown to improve flexibility, balance, muscular endurance, and psychological outcomes such as stress and well-being. On the other hand, traditional exercise programs focusing on stretching and strengthening target musculoskeletal functions more directly and are known to enhance muscle strength, endurance, and functional performance. However, studies directly comparing these two approaches under equivalent conditions (i.e., duration, frequency, and intensity) in a young, healthy sedentary population are scarce.

The primary aim of this randomized controlled trial is to compare the effects of a structured yoga program and a combined stretching and strengthening exercise program on physical fitness and psychological well-being in sedentary young adults. Additionally, the study aims to investigate how baseline physical and psychosocial profiles influence individual responses to these exercise interventions.

The study is designed as a two-arm, parallel-group randomized controlled trial. A total of 50 healthy sedentary individuals aged 18-30 years will be recruited and randomly assigned to either the yoga group or the stretching-strengthening exercise group. Both interventions will be conducted over a 6-week period, with sessions held twice per week, each lasting approximately 50 minutes.

The yoga intervention will consist of three main components: (1) breathing awareness and preparation, including pranayama and low-intensity mobility exercises; (2) a structured sequence of yoga postures (asanas) involving standing poses, balance poses, forward bends, backbends, and core stabilization exercises; and (3) a relaxation and mindfulness phase, including Savasana. The program will follow a progressive structure, gradually increasing intensity and complexity over the 6-week period.

The stretching-strengthening program will include core stabilization exercises, upper and lower extremity strengthening, and flexibility exercises. Exercises will target major muscle groups using body weight, resistance bands, and free weights, with progressive increases in repetitions, sets, and resistance. Each session will conclude with static and dynamic stretching exercises.

Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline and after the 6-week intervention period. Physical fitness parameters will include muscle strength (hand-held dynamometry), muscular endurance (sit-up test and plank duration), flexibility (sit-and-reach test), and dynamic balance (Y-Balance Test). Psychological outcomes will include psychological well-being and sleep quality, assessed using validated questionnaires. Additionally, participants' expectations regarding the intervention and their adherence and satisfaction levels will be evaluated.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 50
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Sezen Karaborklu Argut Assistant Professor, PhD; Phone Number: +90 212 866 37 00; Email: s.karaborkluargut@iuc.edu.tr

Study Locations

• Turkey (Türkiye)
  • Büyükçekmece
    • Istanbul, Büyükçekmece, Turkey (Türkiye), 34500
      • Istanbul University- Cerrahpaşa

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Being between 18 and 30 years of age,
• Having a body mass index (BMI) of less than 30 kg/m²,
• Being healthy (having no known systemic, neurological, psychological, or orthopedic diseases),
• Not having participated in regular exercise within the last six months,
• Having a sedentary lifestyle according to the World Health Organization (WHO) definition (not performing at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week),
• Agreeing not to participate regularly in any other physical activity or exercise program for the duration of the study,
• Voluntarily participating in the study and agreeing to sign the written and verbal informed consent form in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Individuals with a history of injury, surgery, or pain complaints affecting the musculoskeletal system within the last six months,
• Individuals with neurological, cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine, psychiatric, or metabolic diseases,
• Individuals who participate in any regular sporting activity,
• Female participants who are pregnant or have a suspected pregnancy,
• Individuals who state that they will not be able to participate regularly in the exercise program or will not be able to complete the study,
• Individuals who do not provide written and verbal informed consent to participate in the study.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Yoga group; 6-week structured yoga program (50 min, 2 days/week).	Other: yoga group; The yoga group will participate in a structured beginner-level yoga program consisting of two 50-minute sessions per week for six weeks. All sessions will be conducted under the supervision of the researchers. Each session will comprise three primary phases: Preparation and Breath Awareness: 5 minutes Asana Flow: 40 minutes Deep Relaxation and Mindfulness: 5 minutes Throughout the intervention, the exercise intensity and difficulty level will be increased progressively.
Experimental: Stretching -Strengthening Group; 6-week core and extremity exercise program (50 min, 2 days/week)	Other: stretching-strengthening group; The stretching-strengthening group will participate in a structured exercise program consisting of two 50-minute sessions per week for six weeks. The exercises will be performed under the supervision of the researchers. The program will comprise core stabilization, upper and lower extremity strengthening, and stretching phases. Throughout the intervention, the exercise intensity and difficulty level will be increased progressively; progression to the next level will occur when a participant can exceed the target number of repetitions without compromising proper form.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Muscle Strength	Measured by Hand-Held Dynamometer (HHD) for deltoid, biceps, triceps, quadriceps, hamstring, and gluteal muscles. Highest value of 3 trials (kg/N)	Baseline
Core Endurance by Plank Test duration	Measured by Plank Test duration (seconds) following ACSM protocols.	Baseline
Core Endurance by Sit-up Test	Measured by Sit-up Test (repetitions in 1 minute) following ACSM protocols.	Baseline
Flexibility	Measured by the Sit and Reach test to evaluate hamstring and lower back flexibility (in centimeters).	Baseline
Balance	Measured by Y-Balance Test composite score (%) in anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral directions.	Baseline
Muscle Strength	Measured by Hand-Held Dynamometer (HHD) for deltoid, biceps, triceps, quadriceps, hamstring, and gluteal muscles. Highest value of 3 trials (kg/N)	At the end of 6 weeks.
Core Endurance by Plank Test duration	Measured by Plank Test duration (seconds) following ACSM protocols.	At the end of 6 weeks.
Core Endurance by Sit-up Test	Measured by Sit-up Test (repetitions in 1 minute) following ACSM protocols.	At the end of 6 weeks.
Flexibility	Measured by the Sit and Reach test to evaluate hamstring and lower back flexibility (in centimeters).	At the end of 6 weeks.
Balance	Measured by Y-Balance Test composite score (%) in anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral directions.	At the end of 6 weeks.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Psychological Well-being Score	Assessed using the Psychological Well-being Scale (validated in Turkish by Akın, 2008). This is a multi-dimensional self-report scale that evaluates life satisfaction, self-acceptance, purpose in life, and personal growth. The total score is calculated based on the sum of the sub-dimension scores.	Baseline
Sleep Quality	Sleep quality will be evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), a self-report scale used to assess the sleep quality of individuals over the past month. Global scores range from 0 to 21, where higher scores indicate poorer sleep quality. A total score of 5 or higher is considered indicative of poor sleep quality.	Baseline
Psychological Well-being Score	Assessed using the Psychological Well-being Scale (validated in Turkish by Akın, 2008). This is a multi-dimensional self-report scale that evaluates life satisfaction, self-acceptance, purpose in life, and personal growth. The total score is calculated based on the sum of the sub-dimension scores.	At the end of the 6-week intervention.
Sleep Quality	Sleep quality will be evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), a self-report scale used to assess the sleep quality of individuals over the past month. Global scores range from 0 to 21, where higher scores indicate poorer sleep quality. A total score of 5 or higher is considered indicative of poor sleep quality.	At the end of the 6-weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa

Publications and helpful links

Helpful Links

• there is contemporary evidence that high-intensity resistance exercises reduce levels of stress, anxiety, and depression.
• Stretching exercises have been reported to increase the range of motion (ROM) and may reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries when performed regularly.
• yoga may be as effective as or better than exercise at improving a variety of health-related outcome measures.
• yoga practices reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, improve sleep patterns, and enhance overall well-being and quality of life.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): June 22, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): March 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): March 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 20, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 29, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): July 2, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 2, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 29, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: healthy lifestyle; physical exercise; physical inactivity
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavior; Motor Activity; Sedentary Behavior
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2025/705

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No