Yoga has a variety of benefits for everyone who steps on its mat. Whether you’re a runner, cyclist or strength athlete, yoga for athletes can help you improve recreation, mobilityFocus and Proprioception.
A study of college athletes found that 10 weeks of yoga significantly increased flexibility and balance compared to those who did not do yoga. Research from 2020 noted the potential benefits of using yoga as part of a football program to reduce certain injury risks.
Out of gentle, spiritual practices to more physically demandingthere are over a dozen different ones Types of yoga All of this can be adapted to your needs. This is why yoga has become mainstream for athletes. All of these benefits help on the field or track and can also help build a resilient, injury-proof body.
“When we train the body for the unexpected, we are better able to handle the uncontrolled accident, the unexpected rock on the way to home base,” says Laurice D. Nemetz, E-RYT 500 and associate professor in Die College of Health Professions at Pace University, Pleasantville, in New York City.
Want to create your own yoga routine? Start with these poses.
- Start on all fours, with your knees directly under your hips and your wrists a few inches in front of your shoulders. Point your fingertips forward and spread your fingers wide.
- As you exhale, curl your toes, press them into your hands, straighten your arms and legs, and lift your hips toward the ceiling. Keep your hands shoulder-width apart and feet hip-width apart.
- Rotate your arms outward to avoid hunching your shoulders. Keep your elbows straight and tighten your biceps so they don’t lock. Look back at your toes and keep your ears in line with your arms.
- Hold the pose for a minute.
- From downward dog, inhale with your right leg raised. Exhale and place your right foot between your hands to do a deep lunge.
- Move your right hand to the inside of your right foot. Place your right foot with the tip of your toe on the edge of your yoga mat. Keep your right knee aligned over your ankle. Place your right foot in your mat.
- Keep your shoulders over your wrists or lower them to your elbows for a deeper stretch (keep your forearms parallel).
- Extend your back leg long and straight. Tighten your glutes to keep your hips square. Push the back of your knee toward the ceiling to engage your leg muscles. Drop to your back knee for a passive stretch.
- Look down at your mat.
- Hold for a few breaths. Move through downward dog and repeat on the other side.
- Start in downward dog with your hands shoulder-width apart and your feet a few inches apart.
- Lift your right foot off the floor, bend your knee and move it toward your chest. Then place it between your hands.
- Lower your left knee to the mat and uncurl your toes so the top of your back foot is on the floor.
- Keeping your front leg bent, lift your chest and raise your arms toward the ceiling.
- Push your hips forward and keep your front knee straight forward and in line over your ankle. Align your hips so that both hip bones are facing forward. Engage your core.
- Stretch your arms up and face your palms towards each other. Keep your shoulders pressed.
- Stay here for a minute and then switch sides.
- Start in a high plank position: arms straight, shoulders over your wrists, body straight from head to heels.
- Keeping your core tight, bend your arms to slowly lower yourself to the floor. Keep your elbows close to your body. (Get on your knees if necessary.) When you reach the floor, uncurl your toes so the tops of your feet are on the mat.
- Place your hands on the mat under your shoulders, press them into your palms, and use your arm and back muscles to lift your chest off the floor. Keep your elbows close to your sides and bend them slightly. Keep your legs straight and press the tips of your feet into the mat.
- Open your chest and press your shoulder blades down away from your ears. Do not crunch your lower back (it should feel extended). Tense your legs by keeping them straight and pressing them into the ground.
- Hold the position for at least 5 breaths.
Inhale: Cow Pose
- Start on all fours, with your knees under your hips and your hands under your shoulders. Keep your back flat, your gaze directed toward the floor, and your neck long.
- As you inhale, lift your tailbone and chest toward the ceiling as you lower your stomach toward the mat.
- Keep your shoulders away from your ears, shoulder blades spread across your back, and your head in line with your torso.
- Exhale into cat pose.
Exhale: Cat Pose
- Start with cow husbandry.
- As you exhale, round your back, tuck your tailbone, and pull your chin toward your chest.
- Keep your shoulders and knees in place.
- Breathe into Cow Pose.
- Repeat this process for up to 10 breaths, or longer if necessary.
- First, lie on your back on the mat. Bend your legs to place your feet flat on the mat.
- Pull your knees toward your chest, grab the backs of your thighs, and slowly move your knees apart as you lift the soles of your feet toward the ceiling.
- Reach your arms between your legs and grab the little toe edges of your feet. Press into your feet as if you were standing on the ceiling.
- Draw your knees toward you as you lower your head, shoulders, and the backs of your arms toward the mat.
- Stay for up to a minute, then slowly bring your knees back together and lower your feet back to the mat.
- Start on all fours, hands shoulder-width apart and knees hip-width apart.
- Bring your right knee forward and place it on the floor behind your right wrist.
- Slide your right ankle toward your left wrist so your right shin crosses the mat at a comfortable angle.
- Extend your left leg straight back and slowly lower your hips to the floor. Keep the top of your left foot flat on the floor.
- Keep your hips square and distribute your weight evenly across them (avoid sinking into your right hip).
- From here, you can either stay upright—keeping your hands on the floor in front of you, lifting your chest and tightening your core—or you can lean forward, slowly extending your hands in front of you and lowering your chest to the floor.
- Hold the pose for 5 to 10 breaths, then switch sides and repeat.
- To come out of the pose, pull your left toes down, press them into your hands, and slowly bring your right foot back to the starting position.
