| I instructed a yoga class for a high school football | | | | from swinging that golf club the same way all the time. |
| team last week. A bunch of the teens didn't want | | | | Yoga can help with lower back strengthening. |
| anything to do with yoga. I guess they thought it would | | | | Repetitive motion of swinging the same way all day |
| have no benefit to them and I think they felt | | | | puts your body out of balance. Balancing poses help to |
| embarrassed to be out on the field in plain view | | | | correct that imbalance, as do the standing poses. Side |
| practicing yoga. | | | | stretching and twisting (both ways) also helps with the |
| The guys that stayed had an open mind to a point, but | | | | imbalance while keeping your torso flexible enough to |
| mainly had the idea that this was an easy workout | | | | follow through with your swing. |
| and they were humoring the captain by taking part. | | | | Do you play baseball or softball? Those explosive runs |
| We started with some sun salutations. It was a | | | | can be hard on your body. Again, swinging the bat in |
| steamy hot day with the sun blaring, but from what I | | | | the same direction and throwing with the same arm |
| could see during the warm-up these guys weren't very | | | | over and over. Are you the catcher? You need some |
| flexible. I wanted to warm up their muscles so we | | | | core strength to squat down and up so many times. |
| could get into some stretching. We worked on | | | | You think about the leg strength but if you don't have |
| standing poses and upper body strengthening, | | | | core strength you are not taking care of your lower |
| balancing and then some core work. Then we went | | | | back. |
| into some deep muscle stretching and finished with | | | | Tennis? Side to side, explosive reaction; one shoulder |
| relaxation ~ lying on the field and watching the white | | | | gets more repetition. Volleyball? Jumping; explosive |
| puffy clouds float by. | | | | running short distances. |
| Being sport specific, these guys need it all. It is just the | | | | Are you a runner or a biker? Your continually work the |
| beginning of their season and I am sure they will be | | | | front side of your body but the back side is left out. |
| working hard. My goal was to give them an exercise | | | | Usually runners are tight in the hamstrings and |
| practice that would help them recover from their | | | | sometimes in the calves. You need to stretch those |
| workouts, gain some flexibility and strengthen their | | | | body parts out to bring some balance back into your |
| core to help avoid injuries. | | | | body. |
| The complaints began.... This isn't easy....wait, which | | | | The flexibility and the core strength that yoga provides |
| foot? .... I can't reach my toes....and then the realization | | | | can help with all of these sports. Many people are tight |
| started....look, I can reach my toes now.... Is this right? | | | | in the shoulders - especially athletes. More flexibility |
| As we worked through the practice they paid closer | | | | means more safe range of motion. With any sport and |
| attention and complained less. At the end of relaxation | | | | for any person yoga promotes muscle recovery. We |
| I told them we could practice again if they liked it and I | | | | always feel better after we stretch out those sore |
| heard... let's do this every Friday.... let's do it before | | | | muscles. |
| every game. | | | | Are you open to trying something that will enhance |
| The point here, I guess, is that they gave Yoga a | | | | your sport? Take a yoga class. Have an open mind |
| chance and it helped them. They realized it wasn't a | | | | and tune in to your body to see if you gained any |
| girlie thing that they should be embarrassed by. I know, | | | | benefit, during the practice and after. Many |
| they are teenagers. So as adults what benefit will | | | | professional athletes practice yoga - maybe you |
| yoga have for you? | | | | should too... |
| Do you golf? Then you are probably out of balance | | | | |