All along it has been known that yoga is great for body-mind connection and well-being, however, by now it is common knowledge that yoga is also great for body-building and flexibility. It is no surprise that now athletes are increasingly turning towards yoga for their overall well-being. Let us now see what poses best suit athletes and meet their needs.
Many Western athletes are now all praise for yoga and it is fast catching up in their popularity. Here is a list of some of the best yoga poses which athletes can pursue without any worry.
Downward Facing Dog
This is a powerhouse of a pose. It helps in strengthening and stretching the entire body. With the calves, the hamstrings and lower-back muscles get stretched and build strength in the arms and shoulders. Athletes generally have tight hamstrings and stiff shoulders, so it will be a while you are comfortable in this pose. Just keep at it and get going everyday regularly as the body will adjust to it. It is a great form of exercise for basketball, football and tennis players, gymnasts and runners.
Cobra Pose
As athletes you have to hunch a bit to run and cycle, so a cobra pose would help you reverse that position your spine stays in. It helps to reset the shoulders and opens up the upper chest, engage the core muscles and strengthen the back. This is a great pose for football, basketball & volleyball players and gymnasts.
Pigeon Pose
It aids in stretching the hip flexors, psoas, glutes and outer hips. With some variations, this pose allows the chest and shoulder to open and the quadriceps to stretch. Even a half pigeon pose is as effective. It is great for basketball and football players and runners.
Boat Pose
It is targeted at the core muscles. The transverse abdominis are included here. It helps to strengthen the hip flexors and upper back. Stability and balance improve as a result of this pose along with the core getting strengthened. It is best suited for gymnasts, cyclists, golfers, rowers, swimmers, kayakers and soccer and volleyball players.
Legs Up the Wall Pose
It is an excellent restorative pose. It will help you replenish the energy level after a whole session of yoga that consists of various poses that might be aggressive or restorative. It will help in promoting circulation and thereby bring a relaxed state of both body and mind. Blood flows back from the legs and brings relief for leg pain and tightness.
Other Practices that Athletes May Find Beneficial
Pranayama or Breathing Exercises
Breathing exercises or pranayama are also very important for athletes as they should have great breathing capabilities to hold for long in any game they play. It improves lung health and cardiovascular & respiratory functions. The body and mind get relaxed, oxygen supply in the body improves, toxins are released and imbalance corrected. The athletes experience better mindfulness. It enhances their stamina and breathing capacity. Core strength increases remarkably.
Meditation
Holding concentration and focus is a very difficult thing for anybody. Even athletes do not get omitted from this list. However, this is very important for them. They need to focus strongly on their game. Thus, meditation is very important for them. They are drawn away from all the distractions of the outer world and focus on what is important for them. They are relatively low on stress.
