1. Tone up, be Strong
Whether you follow a general fitness program or specialize in a particular athletic activity, regular yoga practice can help promote muscle tone and strength in all of the major muscle groups. Yoga poses, called asana in the traditional Sanskrit, stretch muscles in your arms, legs and torso. Holding the stretched position for a few seconds to minutes strengthens and tones the targeted muscles gently without greatly increasing muscle bulk. Standing poses like the Mountain Pose, the Tree Pose and the Triangle Pose tone and strengthen the legs and the core muscles of the abdomen and back. Downward Dog and Full Arm Balance are poses that target the muscles of the arms and back.
2. Flex Your Muscles
Athletes who spend long workout periods focusing on a single activity, such as running, cycling or weight lifting, may develop stiffness in their hips, hamstrings, shoulders or other key muscles. Repetitive movements like swinging a tennis racket or golf clubs can also stress joints. Yoga is a valuable tool for injury prevention in these situations because it develops and maintains flexibility in muscles, ligaments and joints. Forward bends and many of the standing poses flex the hips. Seated poses like the Child's Pose, the Lotus Pose and the Bound Angle Pose flex hips, knees and ankles. The Cow Face Pose and many of the seated twists build flexibility in the shoulders.
3. Win the Mental Game
Yoga tones the mind as well as the body. One of the traditional purposes of yoga practice is to quiet the mind for meditation. This makes yoga an excellent tool for stress management and for conquering performance anxiety. The stretching and breathing techniques of yoga release tension and relax the mind. Inverted poses like the Headstand and the Shoulder Stand reduce the effects of anxiety and depression, while reclining poses like the Reclined Bound Angle Pose, the Corpse Pose or the Legs Up The Wall relax both body and mind.
4. Find Balance
Yoga emphasizes body alignment and balance in all of the poses. These are beneficial to dancers, martial artists and athletes who want to maintain poise and be able to move in a variety of directions quickly and fluidly. Both alignment and balance are also valuable to anyone who wants to feel fit and healthy while preventing injuries that can result from poor posture or body mechanics. While alignment and balance are important in all yoga postures, standing poses and twists are groups of poses in which these features are especially key.
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