Yoga and Athletics

 

Yoga and Athletics

                        “Yoga and athletics are a marriage made for health and success.”

 These days, it is rare to find a professional athletic team that hasn’t incorporated yoga into their routine. The Seaside Seahawks are arguably the most well-known team to have voiced their practice of yoga and meditation. In fact, the 2014 Super Bowl had everyone speaking about the team’s commitment to yoga. Russell Wilson, the Seattle Seahawk’s quarterback, credits yoga and meditation with helping him stay relaxed on the field. The list of professional athletes that practice yoga reads like a Who’s- Who of the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS, not to mention tennis, swimming, golf, etc. Bryce Harper, a Washington Nationals baseball player, has given hot yoga credit for giving him a record-breaking season in 2015. If you get to Nationals Park early enough to watch the warm-ups, you will see Mr. Harper in crescent lunge and various other twists and stretches.

 

How does yoga help athletes achieve greater levels of performance?

 According to Dr. Errol, A. Yolanda’s of Broward Health (FL), a lot of athletes focus on strength and weightlifting but rarely concentrate on the stabilizing muscles of the abdominals, pelvis, and gluts. Brendon Ayanbadejo, formerly of the Baltimore Ravens, states that yoga increases flexibility strengthens the entire body, stabilizes the core, and releases toxins. It is great for recovery from injury or a big game.

Yoga is also responsible for prolonging an athlete's physical health after their career ends. Many athletes suffer from debilitating injuries that cause great pain in their retirement years. Keith Mitchell, a former all-pro linebacker with the NFL, suffered a career-ending spinal contusion in a football play. He credits yoga and meditation with his rehabilitation. Once told he would never have complete mobility again, he now has complete functionality. He says he is now grateful for the injury because it allows him to share his passion for yoga as a yoga instructor.

 

Yoga and meditation are key performance-enhancing agents for the mind in addition to keeping an athlete's body healthy. The breathwork that is taught in a yoga class is something that can teach an athlete to quiet the mind-chatter of doubt, fear, or distraction. There are many elements that train the yogi to focus and be present: being led by an instructor, using the breath to lead the movement, heat (if it is a hot practice), and eye gaze to name a few. All of these ingredients are key to training the athlete’s concentration; however, breath most easily translates to all athletic activities. In a yoga practice, the practitioner learns to use the breath to find ease in a pose. Ease does not mean easy; it just means you choose to drop stress. When a practitioner is in a challenging pose, the way to quiet thoughts of anxiousness is to focus on the inhale and then focus on the exhale. It sounds so simple, but it takes practice to control thoughts and to stay in the immediate moment. Honestly, we can only ever be “here” in the present moment. However, we spend our time thinking of the past and worrying about the future. For an athlete, the present moment needs to be the focus. Finding “the zone” is the key to building the confidence necessary to let go of anxiety and stress. The mental state of an athlete determines performance, an athlete needs to be both physically and mentally healthy and trained. Strength of mind can be the difference between winning and losing. High School and collegiate athletes are also turning to yoga to enhance their performance.