Many athletes turn their nose up to yoga, believing that it is only for middle-aged women or spandex wearing yogis. But there are many benefits that athletes can receive from practicing yoga including: enhancing recovery, restoring balance and reducing injury, improving biomechanics and energy conservation, improving body awareness, and enhancing breathing function among numerous others. With all of these benefits why not enhance your sport performance and prevent injury by adding yoga to your training plan!
At WST the well-rounded yoga practices includes dynamic flexibility, core stabilization, strengthening and balance work. It is through practices containing these elements that athletes can recover faster from vigorous workouts, open up tight areas that hinder performance, align the spine, and improve mental focus and concentration.
Generally when an athlete stretches pre or post workout they are stretching the muscles in the same direction and plane of motion in which they are exercising. On the other hand yoga works by moving muscles and joints through three planes of motion therefore activating little muscles to support primary muscles. Working muscles through three planes: sagittal, frontal, and transverse allows for well-rounded muscle development.
Additionally attention to breath during yoga can be considered one of the most important benefits to athletes. Developing the ability to stay centered and breathing through difficult poses by concentrating on inhalations and exhalations teaches athletes to focus during challenging workouts or athletic performances. The mind-body connection in yoga is essential to helping an athletes not only relax their tight muscles, but also mental stress.
With all of the benefits that can be provided to athletes who preform yoga, more athletes should add yoga into their exercise routine and live a balanced, less stressful, and stronger athletic life.
If you are looking for a great Athlete’s Yoga practice check out Williams Sport Training Yoga, Thursday mornings at 10:00AM!
Written by: WST Trainer, Lauren Johnson
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