
Yoga has a variety of benefits for those who step onto their mats. Whether you’re a runner, cyclist or lifter, yoga for athletes can help improve recovery, mobility, focus and proprioception.
A study Among college athletes, it was found that 10 weeks of yoga significantly increased flexibility and balance compared to those who did not do yoga. Research from 2020 points to the potential benefits of using yoga as part of a football program to help reduce the specific risk of injury.
From gentle, spiritual practices to more physically demanding ones, there are more than a dozen different types of yoga that can be adapted to your needs. This is why yoga for athletes has gone mainstream. All of these benefits help on the field or track and can also help build resilient, injury-proof bodies.
“If we train the body to be unpredictable, we’ll be better able to handle the uncontrollable crash, the unexpected rock when we’re running for home base,” says Loris D. Nemetz, E-RYT 500 and an associate professor College of Health Professions at Pace University, Pleasantville, in New York City.
Want to put together your own yoga routine? Start with this pose.
- Start on all fours, with your knees directly under your hips and wrists a few inches in front of your shoulders. Point your fingertips and spread your fingers wide.
- On an exhale, tuck your toes, press 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 shrugging your shoulders. Keep your elbows straight, and engage your biceps to lock out. Look back at your toes and keep your ears in line with your arms.
- Hold the pose for one minute.
- From downward facing dog, inhale as your right leg rises. Exhale as you tuck your right leg into your hands for a low lunge.
- Move your right hand inside your right leg. Your right foot is heeled over the edge of your yoga mat. Keep your right knee aligned over your ankle. Plant your right foot on your mat.
- Stack your shoulders over your wrists or drop to your elbows for a deep stretch (keep your arms parallel).
- Keep your back leg long and straight. Squeeze your glutes to keep your hips square. Push the back of your knee toward the ceiling to engage your leg muscles. Drop your back knees down for a passive stretch.
- Look at your mat.
- Hold for a few breaths. Go through downward facing dog and repeat on the other side.
- Start in downward facing dog with your hands shoulder-width apart and your feet a few inches apart.
- Lift your right leg off the floor, bend your knee and drive it toward your chest, then do it between your hands.
- Lower your left knee onto the mat and spread your toes out so that the top of your back foot is on the floor.
- Keeping your front leg bent, lift your chest up and extend your arms to the ceiling.
- Press your hips forward and keep your front knee straight forward and in line over your ankle. Square your hips so that both hip bones point forward. Engage your core.
- Raise your arms and place your palms facing each other. Keep your shoulders down.
- Stay here for a minute, then switch directions.
- Start in a high plank position: arms straight, shoulders stacked over your wrists, body straight from head to heels.
- Keeping your core tight, bend your arms to slowly lower to the floor, keeping your elbows close to your body. (Drop to your knees if necessary.) When you reach the floor, spread your toes so that the tops of your feet are on the mat.
- With your hands on the mat under your shoulders, press into your palms and lift your chest off the floor using your arms and back muscles. Keep your elbows at your sides, with a slight bend. Keep your legs straight and press the tops of your feet into the mat.
- Open your chest and press your shoulder blades down your back away from your ears. Don’t scrunch your lower back (it should be long). Keep your legs straight and pressed into the floor.
- Hold for at least 5 breaths.
Breathing: Cow Pose
- Start on all fours with your knees under your hips and your hands under your shoulders. Keep your back flat, your gaze towards the floor and your neck tall.
- As you inhale, lift your tailbone and chest toward the ceiling while lowering your stomach toward the mat.
- Keep your shoulders away from your ears, widen your shoulder blades across your back, and keep your head in line with your torso.
- Exhale in cat pose.
Exhale: Cat pose
- Begin in cow pose.
- As you exhale, round your back, tuck your tailbone, and curl your chin toward your chest.
- Keep your shoulders and knees in place.
- Breathe in cow pose.
- Repeat this flow for up to 10 breaths, or longer if desired.
- Begin by lying on your back on your mat. Bend your legs to keep your feet flat on the mat.
- Hug your knees to your chest, reach the backs of your thighs and slowly separate your knees, as you lift the soles of your feet toward the ceiling.
- Reach your arms between your legs and grab the pinky-toe ends of your feet. Press your feet as if you are standing on the ceiling.
- Pull your knees toward you as you lower your head, shoulders, and back of your arms toward the mat.
- Hold for one minute, then slowly bring your knees back together and lower your feet to the mat.
- Start on all fours with your hands shoulder-width apart and knees hip-width apart.
- Bring your right knee forward, placing the back of your right wrist on the floor.
- Slide your right ankle toward your left wrist, so that your right shin crosses your 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 level, distributing your weight evenly between them (avoid sinking into your right hip).
- From here, you can either stay straight – with your hands on the floor in front of you, keeping your chest up and your core engaged – or you can fold forward, slowly walking your arms out in front of you and keeping your chest down. can the floor
- Hold the pose for 5 to 10 breaths, then switch sides and repeat.
- To come out of the pose, tuck your left toes down, press into your hands, and slowly bring your right leg back to the starting position.