Now there is very clearer evidence of yoga’s big benefits on athletes. Coaches and athletes may now need to consider yoga as a strong tool to optimise performance. Regular yoga practice will increase flexibility and balance.
Many great results come from stretching consistently. Yoga stretching improves and maintains range of different motions. Athletes will feel reduced stiffness in their joints, but also a reduced soreness. With better flexibility athletes will reduces the risk of injuries, improves mobility, and performance.
Many yoga poses will changed the athletes balance. Several studies that looked at the effect of yoga on balance in healthy people found evidence of improvements. Which means, that when you put athletes on a balance focused yoga program then they will improve their athletic abilities. This balance and greater flexibility also makes athletes jump higher and have better agility. This is because that the achilles tendon will get stronger and more flexible. This tendon is crucial for athletic performance.
Yoga may help relieve pain, especially in the low-back. Athletes from several sports has complained about low back pain. Having good flexibility will lower the risk of injuries.
Mindfulness and Meditation in Yoga
Yoga is not only a work-out, it also has some deep roots into mindfulness. When practicing yoga athletes will go through breathing practice. These breathing yoga exercises will make athletes achieve higher work rates with reduced oxygen consumption and without increase in blood lactate levels.
High lactate levels within the blood can harm your cells. Lactic acid is a by-product of the process cells use to produce energy for muscles without enough oxygen in the body.
Research indicates that practicing yoga leads to improvements in physical and psychological aspects of stress. Athletes go through mental hard ups & downs. Mindfulness would help with a greater clarity on what’s is happening in our minds, which would help the athlete in recovering after a defeat better.
Becoming an elite athletes you need to have a strong mindset. Yoga’s positive aspects of mental health found evidence of benefits, such as better resilience or general mental well-being.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7927562/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26865768/
https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/providers/digest/yoga-for-health-science