How Yoga Benefits Athletes

In recent years, yoga has become much more popular amongst training athletes of every sport, but why? Yoga offers many benefits that have been seen to directly correlate with sports performance, and many professional athletes have started using this to their advantage!  When someone thinks of yoga, they may think of stretching, relaxing, and clearing one’s mind. Although yoga can be used to help people relax and loosen up their bodies, yoga for training athletes takes that a step further.  At Warren Academy, we offer a variety of sports performance programs focusing on improving the overall functional strength, speed and athleticism of our athletes. We have coaches who have played and coached at professional and collegiate levels, and know what it takes to become better! In this blog, we discuss the benefits of yoga for athletes!  Strengthens core One of the most beneficial aspects of athletes doing yoga is that yoga requires a person to focus on using their core. By consistently practicing yoga, an athlete will notice an increase in core strength. Not only does it make athletes engage their core, but also other muscle groups that normal exercise may not specifically target!  This is one of the main reasons why many athletes, especially professional athletes, perform yoga exercises. Yoga is a great way to maintain strength without putting significant stress on certain body parts and joints. Check out these nine yoga poses that focus on improving strength! Improves balance Another thing that yoga helps athletes improve is their balance, which is a key component in sports performance. Every athlete needs good balance, no matter what sport or position they play. Balance also helps in preventing injuries, which is crucial for all athletes, young and old, as well as improving techniques and body movements! Increases flexibility Similar to improving balance, yoga also helps athletes focus in on and improve their flexibility, mobility, and range of motion. There are some yoga poses that are used more so to build strength, and others to improve flexibility. But combining the two together makes an athlete engage their core muscles while also stretching their muscles, which relieves muscle tension and improves flexibility. Flexibility, mobility and range of motion is needed in almost every sport.  Trains the mind Lastly, yoga helps athletes not only train their bodies, but their minds also. Yoga can make you more aware of your body and what it is capable of. Yoga also takes much concentration, which is needed in every sport! By performing yoga, athletes are able to train their minds and become more aware of their bodies, what their bodies are capable of, and learn what it feels like to push their limits.  Yoga offers many benefits to athletes of every sport, and is a great addition to any training program. If you’re a training athlete who wants to improve your overall sports performance, consider trying out yoga workouts! At Warren Academy, our goal is to help every athlete reach their full athletic potential. If you are interested in any of our programs or would like to learn more about what we do, please visit our website!