Yoga for athletes stretches and relaxes the joints. You are required to hold each Yoga asana or stance for a few counts improving balance. The gentle, calm action of Yoga stances helps build flexibility and breaks routine. There are dozens of Yoga stances that bend, stretch, and twist your limbs to aid flexibility.
• Core strength
Without strength and endurance, any athletic activity is bound to come to a short stop. As intensive workouts take their toll, athletes should also consider Yoga to build core strength. Advanced Yoga poses sculpt and tone your body. They also build stamina to go the distance. Athletes will tell you that it is the last mile or last stretch that demands the most out of them physically. Yoga stances build lung capacity and muscle endurance.
• Relaxation
The Shavasana or Corpse Pose is deceptive in its simplicity. The goal of this Yoga stance is to help you relax physically and mentally. The point is to stay awake but think about nothing. For an athlete, the stance allows him/her to take a breather after intensive training and assimilate spent energy.
Another Yoga stance that all athletes must add to their repertoire is Viparita Karani or Legs up the Wall Pose. It is a classic restorative posture. The upside down stance releases any tension in the legs and stimulates the adrenal glands and kidneys and circulation to the lungs.
• Focus
Many athletes who practice Yoga often underestimate the power of Pranayam or breathing techniques in helping them focus on their goals. Meditation combined with the right breathing exercises teaches athletes relaxed alertness.
If you are an athlete looking for Yoga to complement your fitness routine, research on the kind of Yoga best suited for your sporting needs. Find a qualified Yoga instructor who can build a session to suit you or modify the stances to achieve better effect for your sport. Go slow in the beginning. Don’t compete with others. Unlike other sports, the philosophy of Yoga is to understand one’s body and mind. Ask questions and inform your instructor if a stance feels difficult or uncomfortable.
Modern day athletics demands an ageless body that is stress free and injury free and ready to fire away at its optimal best. Yoga for athletes can help athletes achieve that physical and mental control.