Let's face it. The activity of yoga has a stigma. No matter how much I preach to clients the huge benefits of practicing yoga, it still gets easily blown off. When time is short, stretching is rushed through out of duty or passed over altogether. Some athletes perform yoga here...and there...getting around to it a few times a month.
This technique only makes one sore and frustrated. Others don't give yoga a chance, brushing it off as a fluffy activity. All that talk about rhythmic breathing, focusing on the inner self, meditation...who has time for it? What good is it for me, really?
Wake up, my multi-sport friends! It's time to slap the yoga mat down and work on your flexibility and strength. Your tight body will thank you for it!
I am 100 percent guilty of practicing non yoga. Whether it's laziness or lack of time, it's the first thing I drop off my training regimen. And I always suffer....as muscles and joints get wound tight and aches began to shout. Following a long run, hips get cranky.
I come off a bike ride with stiff legs. After a weight lifting session, muscles don't recover as they should. (No, I am not 20 any more!) It's a negative cycle that requires consistency to break. That consistency requires performing yoga at least twice a week, only 30 to 60 minutes each session.
What's two hours (tops) out of 168?! Just a small percentage of your time, which will reward you greatly.
What Is Yoga?
So what exactly is yoga? Both yoga and pilates methods emphasize the uniform development of all muscle groups while promoting flexibility, circulation and skeletal alignment.
When initial movement and strength stems from the core, six basic principles are met: stabilization, control, flow, concentration, breath and full range of movement. By core focus is on the abdominal, followed by the back and upper leg musculature.
Yoga is a process of stretching and strengthening in a precise rhythm. This form of training enhances all other activities. When teamed with strength training and cardio, a balanced program is achieved. For athletes, it has numerous benefits and is critical for injury prevention.
Getting Started
OK, now that I (hopefully) talked you into stepping up your yoga routine, where do you start? There are numerous tapes and DVDs available to purchase and use at home. Accessories such as mats, blocks, rolls are also easily attainable at sports shops and almost any major shopping center.
The introductory programs are a good start, later going into more dynamic sports style yoga. The other option is attending classes. This requires more time and a club or class membership. But a good instructor makes it well worth the effort.
Another route is through personal training, which can be done at a club or in your own home. You provide a mat and the instructor comes to you. As a personal trainer, I include a 20, 30 or 50 minute yoga workout in all my programs.
Whether my client is looking to build muscle, endurance, speed or just get back into shape...yoga is in the equation. That component improves circulation while increasing the body's freedom, authority and strength.
So, if you still think yoga is for wimps, think again! My oldest brother is an electrical lineman, all muscle, all man. He does yoga routinely, knowing it provides him increased flexibility and power for his physically demanding career.
ulbfit@aol.com
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