Yoga represents union. For athletes, unification of the mind and body comes from a healthy
balance of strength and flexibility.Yoga helps correct muscular imbalances and strengthen muscles sometimes overlooked during
typical sports training routines.
While yoga is
not the only tool for improving athletic performance and preventing injury, it is becoming an increasingly popular tool amongst
athletes like Shaquille O’Neil, Kevin Garnett, Venus and Serena Williams, Jenny Thompson and Annika Sorenstam.
These classes focus on elements of athleticism
that benefit significantly from a regular yoga practice including:
1. Physical strength and flexibility: Focused largely on improving spinal health and core stability.
2. Balance and coordination: Targeted yoga poses can help build both these skills
by training the nerves throughout the body to tell the brain where the body is in space and time, allowing the athlete to
react with precision and grace, thus maximizing efficiency and minimizing injuries.
3. Body awareness: Yoga postures
provide a methodical way of training our attention so that movement and areas of the body previously out of touch can become
more accessible. This awareness helps athletes tune in to themselves physically
so that they can make better decisions, thus minimizing unnecessary risks and honoring their bodies during the healing and
recovery cycle following injuries.
4. Mindfulness: Yoga is considered to be a mind body exercise. We learn to control
the breath. The breath anchors the mind. With a clear mind the athlete can concentrate on his game more easily. Mindfulness
and visualization helps athletes find the “zone”.
Class
Length: 75 min
Appropriate
for athletes at reasonable fitness levels
Private: $55
Semi-private: $40
Trio: $30
