Yoga has a variety of benefits for anyone who steps onto its mat. Whether you’re a runner, cyclist, or lifter, yoga for athletes can help improve recovery, mobility, focus, and proprioception.
One study of college athletes found that 10 weeks of yoga significantly enhanced flexibility and balance compared to those who did not practice yoga. Research from 2020 He noted the potential benefits of using yoga as part of a soccer program to help reduce certain risks of injury.
From gentle spiritual practices to more physically demanding ones, there are more than a dozen different types of yoga that can all be adapted to suit your needs. This is why yoga for athletes has become mainstream. All of these benefits help on the field or on the track and can also help build flexible, injury-resistant bodies.
Loris D. says: Nimitz, E-RYT 500 and adjunct associate professor in the College of Engineering: “If we train the body for the unexpected, we will be better able to manage the uncontrollable crash, the unexpected rock when we run back to home base.” the College of Health Professions at Pace University, Pleasantville, In New York City.
Want to put together your own yoga routine? Start with these poses.
- Start on all fours, with your knees directly under your hips, and your wrists a few inches in front of your shoulders. Point your fingertips forward and spread your fingers wide.
- As you exhale, flex your toes, squeeze your hands, straighten your arms and legs, and lift your hips toward the ceiling. Keep your hands shoulder-width apart and your feet hip-width apart.
- Rotate your arms outward to avoid rubbing your shoulders. Keep your elbows straight and engage your biceps to prevent them from locking. Look at your toes and keep your ears parallel to your arms.
- Maintain the position for one minute.
- From Downward Facing Dog, inhale your right leg high. Exhale to place your right foot between your hands to do a low lunge.
- Move your right hand to the inside of your right foot. Place the heel of your right foot on the edge of the yoga mat. Keep your right knee aligned above your ankle. Plant your right foot in your mat.
- Keep your shoulders stacked over your wrists or lower to your elbows (keeping your forearms parallel) for a deeper stretch.
- Extend 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. Lower to your back knee for a passive stretch.
- Look down at your mat.
- Hold for a few breaths. Move 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 foot off the ground, bend your knee and push it towards your chest, then move it between your hands.
- Lower your left knee to the mat, and open your toes so that the top of your back foot is on the floor.
- Keeping your front leg bent, lift your chest up and raise your arms to the ceiling.
- Press your hips forward, keeping your front knee pointing straight ahead and in line above your ankle. Square your hips so that your hip bones point forward. Engage your core.
- Raise your arms up, palms facing each other. Keep your shoulders pressed down.
- Stay here for one minute, then switch sides.
- Start in a high plank position: arms straight, shoulders stacked over your wrists, and body straight from head to heels.
- Keeping your torso tight, bend your arms to slowly lower to the floor, keeping your elbows close to your body. (Get down on your knees if necessary.) When you reach the floor, curl 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 close to your sides, slightly bent. Keeping your legs straight, press the tops of your feet into the mat.
- Open your chest and press your shoulder blades into your lower back, away from your ears. Don’t put pressure on your lower back (it should feel long). Engage your legs by keeping them straight and pressed into the floor.
- Hold for at least 5 breaths.
Inhale: cow pose
- Start on all fours, with your knees under your hips and your hands under your shoulders. Keep your back flat, your gaze toward the floor, and your neck long.
- As you inhale, lift your tailbone and chest toward the ceiling while lowering your belly toward the mat.
- Keep your shoulders away from your ears, shoulder blades wide across your back, and your head in line with your torso.
- Exhale into cat pose.
Exhale: cat pose
- Start in cow pose.
- As you exhale, arch your back, flex your tailbone, and bring your chin toward your chest.
- Keep your shoulders and knees in place.
- Inhale into cow pose.
- Repeat this flow for up to 10 breaths, or longer if desired.
- Start by lying on your back on your mat. Bend your legs to place your feet flat on the mat.
- Bring your knees to your chest, then reach the back of your thighs and slowly move your knees apart, while raising the balls of your feet toward the ceiling.
- Extend your arms between your legs, grabbing the pinky toe edges of your feet. Press your feet as if you were standing on the ceiling.
- Pull your knees toward you as you lower your head, shoulders, and backs of your arms toward the mat.
- Hold for up to one minute, then slowly bring your knees together, then lower your feet back to the mat.
- Start on all fours, with your hands shoulder-width apart and your knees hip-width apart.
- Lift your right knee forward and place it on the floor behind your right wrist.
- Move your right ankle toward your left wrist, so that your right leg intersects 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 the right hip).
- From here, you can either remain upright — keeping your hands on the floor in front of you, chest up, and torso engaged — or you can lean forward, slowly passing your hands in front of you and lowering your chest to the highest floor.
- Maintain this position for 5 to 10 breaths, then switch sides and repeat.
- To come out of the pose, tuck your left toes under, press into your hands, and slowly return your right foot to the starting position.