I have spoken before about how yoga improves performance of marathon runners and other similar endurance sports. However, it isn’t only marathon runners that benefit from the practice of yoga. Yoga is known to improve one’s performance at practically any sport because of the way in improves flexibility and strength and also because of the way it improves mindfulness and concentration.
Why so many athletes include yoga in their training
Many personal trainers and sports coaches tend to include some amount of yoga in their training regimen. One important benefit of yoga is increased body awareness and a better posture; which athletes benefit from. Yoga poses also act as effective stretching exercises. In addition, yoga helps in the toning of muscles, improves body balance and enhances flexibility. A more flexible body and enhanced range of motion is always desirable for any athlete. Since yoga also incorporates correct breathing techniques, this can result in improved oxygenation of the body and in turn improved athletic performance. Many trainers and athletes also include meditation into their training routines, since it can act as an effective relaxation technique to help lower the stress of participating in competitive sport.
Training for a particular sport may concentrate on specific body parts; as a result core strength may be neglected. One of the most important reasons that many athletes also include yoga in their training regime is that it increases core strength. Further, yoga helps to reduce chances of injury by gently improving joint mobility. Since yoga is effective for collagen fiber and soft tissue rehabilitation, is can also be a useful tool for speeding up the process of healing in the event of injury. The mindfulness that yoga teaches an athlete is also very valuable; particularly for elite sports persons looking to increase self-discipline, focus and mental toughness to take their performance to the next level.
How sportspersons and athletes incorporate yoga in training
American football clubs, cricket teams, rugby players and golfers have now incorporated some form of yoga into their training, as a complement to other forms of exercise. The yoga aasans are meant to help stretch the muscles and ligaments and also to target specific muscle groups in a systematic way, gently and without impact. The conscious deep breathing is thought to steady the mind, help in stress reduction and also help in oxygen uptake. One of the benefits that many athletes note as a result of yoga practice is the enhanced focus and the improved ability to ‘stay in the zone’ during competitions and tough games.
One study examined the impact of a ten-week yoga course for college athletes to see whether it improved and optimized performance. Aspects such as balance, flexibility, shoulder flexibility, stork stand, joint angles, sit-reach and so on were examined. When the group that did yoga was compared with the group that did not do yoga, it was found that the yoga group experienced improved flexibility, joint angles and more. The results led to the conclusion that yoga can in fact enhance sporting ability; that it can have ‘uniquely positive and varied impact on athletic performance’.