Yoga Turns Athletes into Champions

Yoga helps triathlete Zachy Christodoulou to not only recover faster from a competition but also prepare her for the next one.

Sport demands of its athletes to extend the limits of their bodies. To cross the finish line even a split second before an opponent, to score the winning goal with only minutes left on the clock and to change direction in an explosive effort to cover an entire court requires boundaries to be surpassed and left in the dust. As athletes, we use our mental strength to push our physical limits, regardless of the blood, sweat and tears that hours of training constitutes. We sacrifice nights out for morning practice, we choose the healthy meal over indulging and we devote our few breaks from our other responsibilities to more hours with our teams. Our lives don’t just revolve around our sport – our sport becomes our lives. 

For athletes, bodies and minds are the best tools. Our bodies do what our minds tell them with every ounce of strength they can summon. They get us across the finish line, score the winning goal and cover the court because we train them and energize them. Sport requires grit of the mind and resilience of the body – pure determination. What we often fail to consider, though, is just how taxing sport can be. We give ourselves the fuel we need in preparation for competition, taking care of our bodies and getting them ready to serve us. After the final whistle, we owe them even more. Yet, it’s rare that we take the time to rest, restore and replenish.   

Yoga for athletes offers just that and more. In one hour, it affords us the opportunity to relax our minds by controlling our breath and nourish our bodies through a different type of movement. Whether a rest day activity or a practice day supplement, yoga can become an extremely valuable asset to our training. Any athlete who has incorporated yoga into their routine will agree with the numerous scientific studies that have found an increase in mental clarity, decrease in injury and optimization in performance associated with a regular yoga practice. 

In addition to the rejuvenation that yoga offers, it can also be a great source of power. Attachment of movement to breath allows us to build control within our bodies; fluid movements allow us to engage small muscle groups that are often neglected; long holds allow us to build stability and strength. Athletes are wired to treat their bodies right – and more and more trainers and coaches now agree that yoga should be a component of such wellness. With an increased focus on mental clarity in combination with the undeniable physical benefits of the practice, integrating yoga into your training will transform your relationship with your sport and your body for increased longevity and performance as an athlete.