International Lifestyle Magazine Issue 53 | Page 56
Yoga can complement any sporting
activity and can benefit all athletes
in a variety of ways. All athletes
build up tension in the specific
muscles that their sport relies
upon the most. By integrating yoga
into a training program athletes
can release this tension through
the stretch that the asana(pose)
provides. The risk of injury is
reduced by the strengthening
of muscles that are held during
asana and athletes can improve
lung capacity through breath
awareness techniques, thereby
improving sport performance.
Other benefits include improved
posture, through opening the chest
in back bends and strengthening
the core muscles; increased focus
by learning to concentrate the
mind in asana and meditation,
facilitating the ability to compete
‘in the zone’.
Specific poses can aid particular
sports because of the specific
areas that are constantly being
worked: for runners, hip openers
are ideal for releasing the tension
that is stored there through any
of the lunging poses, the warrior
poses and pigeon; to stretch tight
hamstrings and calves, seated or
standing forward bends actively
flex the muscles along the backs
of the legs; balances, such as
tree pose and crescent lunge,
strengthen feet and ankles, helping
to prevent against injury; plank and
other core strengthening asana,
such as Navasana (boat), promote
good posture, which enhances
performance; inversions where
the legs are raised facilitate the
follow of deoxygenated blood back
to the heart, which can then pump
an increased amount of blood
around the body and provide a
well earned rest for feet and legs.
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