Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, leader of a pregame team chant of "Who Let the Dogs Out?," mellows out with the yoga pose called Downward-facing Dog. NBA star Kevin Garnett, a yoga practitioner since 1995, does breathing exercises before every game. PGA golfer David Duval can do a perfect Warrior II stance, as depicted in a photo in John Capouya's "Real Men Do Yoga." Real women also do yoga, including past women's soccer team standout, Brandi Chastain. Athletes in all manner of sports are always seeking an edge, and yoga may be that final brick in the wall of excellence.
History
Yoga as adapted for athletes grew in popularity in the 1970s, spurred by Jean Couch's Iyengar-based approach depicted in "The Runner's Yoga Book," published in 1979 and still in print as of 2011. In 1981, Beryl Bender Birch taught the challenging Ashtanga yoga style to the New York Road Runners' Club, relates Sage Rountree in her 2006 book, "The Athlete's Guide to Yoga." Yoga practitioners grew to include the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles, who have studied under Baron Baptiste, the Power yoga advocate, and Olympian freestyle swimmer Sheila Taomina.
Poses
"Chair pose is good to strengthen the hips and the muscles that support the knee, a critical joint in nearly every sport," Rountree says. "Twists, especially reclining twists that stretch the chest and shoulders, can improve range of motion for athletes who play asymmetrical sports such as golf or baseball." Your yoga practice can start with warm-ups such as Cat-Cow pose, Child's pose and standing or seated lateral stretches. Rountree also recommends balance poses including Mountain pose, Tree and Eagle. Standing poses include Warrior and Triangle, which can be combined with other moves to make a flowing practice. Plank, Boat and Reverse Table poses work the core. In her book, Rountree also describes the value of breathing, meditation and chanting to achieve better focus and calm during practice and competition.
Benefits
Yoga provides another avenue toward flexibility, an increasingly prized part of fitness for athletes, as well as training benefits in strength, balance and mental training. Practicing yoga indeed increases flexibility, stretching tight muscles and encouraging use of your full range of motion, Rountree writes. Yoga helps prevent tight muscles, which are more prone to injury. Poses require the muscles to hold your body weight in place or to flow from pose to pose, such in the Sun Salutations. And the balance poses teach you greater awareness of your body's center of balance, as you stand on one leg, bend over or align yourself upside down.
Time Frame
Approach yoga as part of your overall sport training, ideally starting in the off-season, Rountree writes. Continue your routine during the season but don't try new sophisticated or deep yoga poses just before a big race or game. Power yoga makes special sense in the off-season as it helps build strength. Switch to gentler forms of yoga during your peak racing or competition timeframe. Count vigorous yoga as you would a strength workout and schedule it on a training day with otherwise light activities.
References
- ESPN: Ray Lewis Gets His Downward-Facing Dog On; Adam Watson; July 23, 2010
- "Real Men Do Yoga"; John Capouya; 2003
- Carolina Tar Heels: U.S. Olympic Women's Soccer Team; Sept. 13, 2000
- Sage Rountree; Yoga Teacher and Cycling/Triathlon Coach; Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- "The Athlete's Guide to Yoga"; Sage Rountree; 2008
Member Comments