HEALTH FROM THE MOUNTAIN TO THE MAT:
Yoga For Outdoor Athletes By Molly Newman hen you hear the word “yoga,” your first thought may be of a roomful of blissed-out, chanting devotees. But as a growing number of serious athletes are discovering, this ancient practice can help strengthen muscles and build skills valuable for success in any sport. Whether you’re a climber, a cyclist, a runner or a skier, these tips will get you ready to grab your mat and discover yoga’s benefits for yourself.
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WHY TRY YOGA? Though yoga may initially appear gentle and slow-paced to those accustomed to high-impact exercise, it offers a challenging full-body workout. These are just a few of the ways yoga can help you step up your game:
♦ Build core strength. Strong back and abdominal muscles provide a powerful foundation for any sport—and strengthening these hardto-work areas can also help prevent injury. ♦ Find a balance. Whether you’re cranking up a hill or speeding down a slope, maintaining balance while in motion is a critical skill. Yoga’s focus on alignment and body awareness translates to greater stability wherever you are. ♦ Get flexible. Many sports injuries are the result of tight tendons and inflexible joints. Regular yoga practice can transform even the stiffest body into a smoothly functioning, flexible machine. ♦ Go for the long haul. Yoga students of every age find that their practice gives them greater endurance and functional fitness. “I’ve found that my students feel that they’re getting younger and younger,” says Dana Baptiste, owner of Centered City Yoga in Salt Lake City. “For athletes, this means that they are able to maintain a high level of performance in their sport of choice for many more years. Yoga can mean the difference between a five-year career and a fifteen-year career as a serious athlete.” GETTING STARTED These days, it seems as if yoga studios are popping up on every busy street corner. How can you tell if a given school or teacher is right for you?
♦ Look for certification. Since there’s no universal standard for yoga teacher training, you should be aware that your teacher could be “a personal trainer with a weekend certification,” says Jennifer Ellen Mueller, owner/director of Flow Yoga SLC in Salt Lake City. She recommends seeking out teachers certified by the Yoga Alliance: “It’s the gold standard.” ♦ Ask about background. Many yoga teachers are committed athletes as well. “Look for someone with similar athletic experience,” Baptiste suggests. “Instructors with a sports background tend to have a more mainstream, less spiritual approach, which many athletes feel more comfortable with.” Can’t find a teacher who shares your passion for sport? Look for one who is certified as a massage therapist. Massage training includes intensive study of human anatomy and biomechanics—great preparation for working with athletes who use and abuse their bodies intensively. ♦ Experiment with classes. Try a few different types of classes to find one that fits your needs. You may benefit from a challenging “power yoga” session designed to build strength and endurance, or you may find that a gentler “restorative” class helps you recover after a grueling ride or race. ♦ Plan a program. To see real results from your yoga practice, plan on committing to two or three one-hour sessions per week. “Once most athletes have incorporated yoga into their schedule, they feel so good that they generally find even more time for their practice,” Mueller says. LONG-TERM BENEFITS For many athletes, the greatest benefit of yoga is its focus on integration of body and mind. “I’ve worked with many climbers who have said that learning how to breathe has helped them get over their fear,” says Baptiste. “Yoga teaches us to overcome our mental boundaries in all areas of life.” Mueller agrees. “Yoga’s benefits extend far beyond that extra second shaved from a time trial, a greater range of motion in a golf swing or a quicker recovery from an injury. It reaches deeply into our abilities to expand as humans.”
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