Yoga has many benefits for people who step into the mat. Whether you’re a runner, cyclist, or lifter, athlete yoga can help you improve your recovery, mobility, focus and proprioception.
One study of university athletes found that 10 weeks of yoga significantly improved flexibility and balance compared to those who did not do yoga. Research from 2020 pointed out the potential benefits of using yoga as part of a soccer program to help reduce the specific risk of injury.
From gentle and mental habits to more physically demanding practices, there are dozens of different types of yoga that can be adapted to suit your needs. This is why athlete yoga has become the norm. All of these benefits can help you on the field or on the track, and can also help you build a resilient injury prevention body.
“Training your body for the unexpected allows you to manage uncontrolled accidents that are unexpected rocks while running towards your home base,” says Lauris D. Nemetz, an auxiliary associate professor at Pace University’s College of Health in Pleasantville, New York City.
Want to put together your own yoga routine? Start with these poses.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckms4o3qy1c
- Place your knees directly down your hips and your shoulders with your wrist a few inches forward, starting with on-fours. Point your fingers forward and spread them out.
- Exhale, push your toes in, push your hands, straighten your arms and legs, and lift your hips towards the ceiling. Keep your hands shoulder-width apart and your feet hip-width apart.
- Rotate your arms outward to avoid crumpling your shoulders. Keep your elbows straight and stack your biceps to avoid locking out. Turn your toes and arrange your ears on your arms.
- Hold the pose for 1 minute.
- Inhale your right leg high from the dog facing downwards. As you exhale, your right foot takes a lot of effort and charges low.
- Shift your right hand to the inside of the right hand. Put your heels on your toes all the way to the edge of the yoga mat on your right foot. Align your right knee above your ankles. Plant your right foot on the mat.
- Stack your shoulders above your wrist or drop down to your elbows (keep your forearms parallel).
- Make the back long and straight. Squeeze your hips and squar your hips. Push the back of your knees towards the ceiling to guide your leg muscles. Drop down to the knees on the back for passive stretching.
- Stay gaze towards the mat.
- Take some breaths. Pass the downward facing dog and repeat on the other side.
- With your hands shoulder-width apart, feet a few inches apart, starting with the dog facing downwards.
- Lift your right foot off the floor, bend your knees and drive towards your chest, and step on the hassle.
- Lower your left knee on the mat, untie your toes, and make sure the upper back is on the floor.
- Leave your front legs bent, lift your chest and raise your arms to the ceiling.
- Push your hips forward, advance your front knees correctly, and line them up above your ankles. Square your hips so that both hip bones are facing forward. It will get your core involved.
- They reach their arms and head their palms towards each other. Push down on your shoulders.
- Stay here for a minute, then switch sides.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjhor7iuzku
- Start at the high board position: Stack your arms straight, shoulders on top of your wrist, and stack your body straight from your head to your heels.
- Keep your core tight, bend your arms and slowly lower them down to the floor to keep your elbows close to your body. (Drop to your knees if necessary.) Once you’re on the floor, grab your toes so that the top of your feet is on the mat.
- Place your hands on the mat under your shoulders, push them into your palms, and use your arms and back muscles to lift them up from the chest from the floor. A slight bend keeps your elbows close to the sides. Keep your feet straight and push the top of your feet into the mat.
- Open your chest and push your back down your shoulder blades from your ears. Don’t break your hips (you should feel like it’s been extended). Keep your feet straight and press against the floor to wrap your feet around.
- Hold at least 5 breaths.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fa4zms5m7xa
Inhalation: Cow Pose
- Place your knees under your hips and your hands under your shoulders and start with on fours and. Flat your back, look towards the floor and lengthen your neck.
- When inhaling, lift your tailbone and chest towards the ceiling while dropping your belly towards the mat.
- Keep your shoulders away from your ears, spread your shoulder blades over your back, and keep your head along your torso.
- Exhale into the cat’s pose.
Exhale: Cat Pose
- Start with the cow pose.
- Exhale, lie on your back, pushing your tailbone in, curling your chin towards your chest.
- Keep your shoulders and knees in place.
- You’ll be sucked into the cow’s pose.
- Repeat this flow up to 10 times or long as needed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e0jwl8yyde
- First, lie on the mat. Bend your legs and place your feet flat on the mat.
- He holds his knees to his chest, reaches behind his thighs, lifts the soles of his feet towards the ceiling, and slowly hands him over.
- Extend your arms between your legs and grab the edge of the pinky’s toe on your feet. Push it into your feet as if you were standing on the ceiling.
- You lower the back of your head, shoulders and arms towards the mat and pull your knees.
- Stay for up to 1 minute, then slowly put your knees back and feet back onto the mat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpz3scemdsi
- Start with your hands shoulders and knees apart, and then on all fours.
- Place your right knee in front and on the floor behind your right wrist.
- Slide your right ankle towards your left wrist and the right shin crosses the mat at a comfortable angle.
- Extend your left leg straight and slowly lower your hips to the floor. Keep the top of your left foot flat on the floor.
- Distribute your weight evenly to maintain your lower back level (avoiding sinking to your right hip).
- From here, you stay upright and place your hands on the floor in front of you, raise your chest, your core engages or folds forward, slowly walk your hands forward and lower your chest to the floor.
- Hold the pose with 5-10 breaths and switch sides and repeat.
- To come out of the pose, push your left toe down, then push your hand, and slowly return your right foot to the starting position.
