| Did you know that 2 of 3 athletes are going to get | | | | athletes and coaches are using Yoga. Martial artists |
| injured? According to the American Academy of | | | | do yoga. Businessmen, busy moms, kids, seniors - all |
| Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, almost 70% of | | | | do yoga. What began as a Hippies trend is now |
| runners will be injured, including athletes from other | | | | everybody's fitness workout. |
| sports. | | | | But what makes Yoga so beneficial? |
| Well, you may have unfortunately got injured | | | | Yoga has many styles; almost all include the same |
| yourself! During any workout, which is intense | | | | basics. It's actually composed of physical positions |
| enough, our body is exposed to huge forces, just for | | | | that coordinate breathing techniques with |
| example - during running the body of a 130 lb runner | | | | movements, postions and stretches. This form of |
| has to absorb over 600,000 lbs of impact every mile! | | | | workout is the ideal complement to other forms of |
| Take into account that most athletes tend to push | | | | exercise, especially running, cycling strength training, |
| themselves over their current capacities and limits, | | | | and any sports that may create imbalance to the |
| and see how injuries are just a matter of time. | | | | body as the postures systematically work all the |
| Any sport enthusiastic wants to get better. But | | | | major muscle groups, including those you hardly use, |
| getting better means work harder, and work harder | | | | including the back, neck, joints, and shoulders, deep |
| means exposures to injuries. Most common injuries | | | | abdominal, hip and buttocks muscles and even knees, |
| are in the joints and muscles, but some may end up | | | | ankles, feet, wrists and hands. All is made in a slow |
| even with fatal heart attacks. No doubt that our | | | | and safe way, taking into account the body's |
| competitive world has its effect on us. We are too | | | | physiology. By their nature, the Yoga poses and |
| much competitive, and ready to take risks on the | | | | movement affect major and minor muscle groups as |
| way of getting better, in almost any aspect of our | | | | they simultaneously import strength, increase |
| lives. | | | | flexibility and bring nourishment to internal organs. The |
| For many years, athletes and their coaches were | | | | overall effect creates increased range of motion and |
| looking for ways to keep the athlete fit and injury | | | | balance to the body. Any athlete knows how |
| free, and of course - in the best shape. An injury is a | | | | important these benefits are. |
| nightmare for any sport enthusiastic. It can finish a | | | | Whatever sport you choose to practice, yoga can |
| professional athlete's career and for those of us who | | | | enhance and complement your ability. Most sports |
| just enjoy sports, an injury can mean losing the | | | | build muscular strength and stamina, often in specific |
| fitness we worked on for years. In the good | | | | areas of the body while others stay weak and loose. |
| scenario, it takes time to heal from an injury, and | | | | Take for example golf or Tennis. Golfers or Tennis |
| time to get to into shape again. In any case - we all | | | | players may be prone to one-sided or uneven muscle |
| want to stay in shape and avoid injuries & to | | | | development. Yoga poses can strengthen weak |
| get stronger and better as athletes, but how? In the | | | | areas and ease muscular tension. The standing poses |
| past, there were the stretching exercises. We all | | | | improve balance and muscle flexibility. Yoga can help |
| remember it from childhood through college. Still, it | | | | to check any imbalance in muscular fitness and will |
| was not enough. Something was missing... | | | | enable both body & mind to function more |
| In the last decade, a cure was found. A 5000 years | | | | efficiently. If your body is flexible and supple you will |
| old cure that arrived to the western world in the 60's. | | | | be less prone to sports injuries, simply because your |
| Yoga. | | | | joints will be kept lubricated with an increased range |
| At the beginning, Yoga was a Hippies thing. Hippies | | | | on motion. Sports demand mental alertness, focus |
| who were looking for internal growth and meditations | | | | and awareness as well as good balance. Yoga poses |
| brought their knowledge from India. Only in the 90's it | | | | strengthen your muscles, release physical tension and |
| started to become a trend, and today 1 of 4 | | | | improve your concentration and poise. It makes your |
| Americans practice yoga. | | | | limbs balanced, strong and relaxed and your mind |
| In the 90's the trend skipped the athletes and | | | | calm and focused, ready for any challenge. Yoga |
| sportsmen/sportswomen. It was considered to be a | | | | breathing techniques help runners, swimmers and |
| "different" workout not to blend with sports. But as | | | | aerobic sports activists to breathe in a controlled |
| the trend skyrocketed, athletes and especially | | | | relaxed way when exercising and during sport events |
| runners began to add Yoga exercises to their | | | | and competition, better breathing means you can last |
| trainings. The reason was simple; Yoga for runners | | | | longer with high pace and lower pulse, save more |
| gave many benefits, and helped famous runners and | | | | energy, and get better results. |
| athletes to win competitions. It was the only | | | | Yoga for stress relief is another benefit athletes |
| workout that brought nothing but benefits. Soon, | | | | enjoy. Imagine yourself before a big sport event. Are |
| everybody started adding Yoga to their major | | | | you calm & relaxed or stressed out? Are you in |
| workout and today....well, today you have yoga | | | | focus or are you destructed? Yoga also trains your |
| classes in almost any health club or gym and even | | | | mind, not only your body. The affect on your mind |
| kids can learn yoga at school. Olympic runners, | | | | aligns with the affect on the body! |