Yoga and Pilates for Athletes

Yoga is a way of life but you don’t have to choose between yoga and other activities. You really can have it all. Most people who practice yoga are also involved in other activities and forms of exercise. I realized that my yoga and my pilates practice helped me a become a better runner and swimmer for example. Many professional athletes from soccer players (the German “Mannschaft” has yoga lessons for example) to cyclists, golfers and surfers do yoga. A regular yoga practice does not only increase strength, flexibility, will power and focus but helps counter balance the movement pattern of your favorite sport.

Here are some examples how yoga can help your athletic (professional or not) lifestyle:

1. Injury Prevention

If your body is out of balance it is prone to injury. Many sports favour movements which are either repetitive ( running, cycling, skiing…) or not balanced (tennis…). 

You are always using the same muscle groups and stiffening up. So if you try to move differently it can set you up for injury. A regular yoga practice keeps your muscles pliable and your body balanced. Both Yoga and Pilates will help you gain flexibility and work on deeper muscles to help the big muscle groups.

2. Performance 

Yoga and Pilates both can be helpful to improve your sports performance. The poses can help increase the strength of certain body parts so that they can perform at their peak. 

3. Body awareness

I like working with athletes because they already have a very high body awareness but working with other parts of your body and new movements will increase you awareness and help your athletic performance

3. Mental Strength

Yoga, Meditation and Breath Work can help you improve focus? You can become mentally stronger and achieve higher performances. The little difference which makes you win might just be this little change in your mind.

4. Mental and Spiritual Recovery

Competing at a high level can be not only physically but mentally draining. Yoga and Meditation help you not only to increase focus but also with stress management. 

5. Holistic Training Methods

Most athletic training routines focus on strength, power and endurance. Adding Yoga, Pilates, Meditation and Breath work to your training will most certainly improve your performance. 

What are you waiting for? 

Contact me and let’s start to improve your athletic performance and gain a new view on fitness.