| More and more athletes are turning to yoga as a | | | | of motion and the slow movements is perfect for |
| supplementary exercise routine to fix the imbalance in | | | | athletes. Many athletes are already using yoga |
| their body and to improve their performance in their | | | | movements as a warm up and warm down routines in |
| chosen field of sport. Whether you are a golfer, | | | | their sport. Athletes in sports field such as tennis and |
| basketball, tennis, or football player, the mind body | | | | golf will notice improvements in their swing as a result |
| connection in yoga is an important element in producing | | | | of this flexibility of the muscles and joints. In any given |
| peak performance. | | | | sport, the addition of yoga as a supplementary routine |
| Although proper breathing technique is the foundation | | | | training has been known to improve the performance |
| of many sports, it is often ignored by many athletes. | | | | of the athletes. |
| Yoga will help fix this lack of breathing skill and develop | | | | Most athletes are involved in some form of weight |
| the correct breathing technique that is very much | | | | training and other resistance training that uses |
| required in any game of sport. The integration of mind | | | | repetitive motions that only develop certain muscle |
| and body through correct breathing patterns helps to | | | | groups, while ignoring others. That creates imbalance in |
| build stamina and endurance in an athlete. Proper | | | | the body. Yoga is able to fix this imbalance and help to |
| breathing techniques also bring more focus and | | | | develop the muscles that have been ignored through |
| attention to the mind and sharpens one's intuition. This | | | | the contraction of these muscles in the various poses. |
| gives the athlete an advantage over his rivals. | | | | Yoga is also a good workout to relieve boredom in |
| The various poses in yoga helps to build a strong | | | | athletes who perform the same types of exercises |
| mid-section and the different types of contractions of | | | | year in year out by adding variety. It is also an |
| these poses and movements act as a form of | | | | important element in recovering the body from hard |
| resistance training to the typical gym-based workouts. | | | | aerobic and strength workouts. The numerous poses |
| But unlike in a gym, you can practice yoga outdoors | | | | in yoga can be done in a low or high intensity workout |
| without having to bring heavy equipment. Imagine doing | | | | according to the athlete's needs. Overall, yoga is not |
| yoga exercises by a windy beach with the sound of | | | | only important in bringing in more strength, balance and |
| waves in the background, on a hill top with a great | | | | flexibility to an athlete, but also brings more alertness, |
| view and fresh air, or in a zen garden. | | | | attention and focus that is so much needed by |
| Frequent yoga practice increases flexibility and range | | | | athletes in their very competitive world. |
