A huge part of my passion for yoga is working with athletes and introducing them to the benefits of a regular yoga practice. It was my experience as an athlete that brought me to yoga in the first place. And it was the years of abuse, or misuse of my body as an athlete that kept me coming back to my mat. So when I come across a blog or article about the benefits of yoga for athletes I get excited. It represents one more person who has the same beliefs and passion as I do and is working hard at spreading the Yoga Love!

However, most of the time when I read such blogs I feel like something is missing. They usually focus on the merits of flexibility for athletes and often neglect the other elements of yoga. So I decided to write about it myself. And because there is so much information I want to cover I have decided to write in multiple parts as to not overwhelm you. Even this way I’m sure I won’t cover everything I would like to. But I do hope that I can plant seeds in you that will either lead you to start adding yoga to your training or perhaps you may share this information and influence someone else. Because you are reading this you likely consider yourself an athlete, or maybe you are a coach or trainer or even a parent of a young athlete. Wikipedia defines an athlete as “a person who competes in one or more sports that involve physical strength, speed and/or endurance.” I like to think that even if you don’t engage in direct competition with others but take time to train your body in exercise modalities of strength, speed or endurance you can consider yourself an athlete. Likely you are also curious about yoga and may have even tried it a couple of times. Yoga has become very mainstream in the Western world in the last two decades but is really just starting to take hold in the realm of sports training. There are so many trends that come and go as it relates to training that yoga may seem like just another fad. I can assure you that yoga is not just a fad and that its’ universal principals of health and well being can be beneficial to any athlete whether they be amateur or professional, just starting to be active, in their peak, or into retirement.

The main points I want to cover over several postings include:

• Mobility and strength
• Breath training and awareness
• Mental focus and clarity
• Overall wellness

In all areas of healthy and wellness there is room for debate. I am presenting my opinion and experiences and I encourage you to form your own. No two bodies are exactly alike and it’s best to surround yourself with health care professionals that you trust and who are open to holistic practices. If there are specific topics you would like me to cover or if you have questions about anything I’m presenting please leave me a comment and I will get back to you.

First up….Yoga for Athletes: Improved mobility and strength!……stay tuned.