Athletes around the world are constantly focused on improving their performance and being the best at what they do. Hours in the gym in addition to hours practicing their respective sport can certainly help boost performance, but more and more coaches and athletes are realizing that if they want more power, more muscle and more focus, they should turn to yoga.
Mind to Body yoga studio in Mississauga welcomes athletes of any caliber and can provide some great insight into which classes can help enhance athletic performance. The benefits that athletes can achieve from regularly practicing yoga are:
1. Increased Strength: Because of the frequency and repetitiveness that athletes complete the same motion (throwing a ball, shooting a puck, peddling a bike), they often end up with some muscles that are over worked and others that are underworked. Eventually, those overworked tired muscles try and rely on the less used muscles to help out and this often results in injury.
Yoga poses offer a great variety of muscles used and improve overall core strength and lean muscle mass. Practicing yoga balances out those repetitive motions and allows an athletes body to reach a higher level of overall fitness.
2. Greater Flexibility: Playing a lot of sports or a sport at a competitive level is hard on the body. Did you know that after years of playing hockey, ankle flexibility is most often drastically reduced? Working on an athlete’s flexibility through yoga will give them a greater range of motion and the greater ability to strengthen all muscle groups and avoid injury.
3. Better Mental Health: In addition to fitness and nutrition, sleep is the third pillar of health that leads to optimal performance. People who practice yoga report falling asleep easier and having a better night’s rest overall. Savasana, the meditative part of a yoga class that happens at the end, also allows athletes to quiet their minds and focus on upcoming training or competition.
4. Balance and Control: Through consistent yoga practice, coordination and balance will improve. Better balance and coordination means enhanced control over body movements and can really help refine an athlete’s technique and form.
Whether it’s meditation, hot yoga or power yoga that you want to try to up your athletic performance, Mind to Body in Mississauga offers what you need. Our yoga and pilates schedule can be found on our website in addition to our wellness services and upcoming workshops. It’s no secret that people who practice yoga are happier and tend to be more successful, so why not make yoga work for you?