Functional Yoga for Athletes: Cross-Train like a Pro series pt. 2

EDDIE GEORGE, FORMERLY OF THE DALLAS COWBOYS, IN CRESCENT LUNGE (ANJENAYASANA)

In the mid 90's when I started doing yoga as a high school student, it was REALLY weird. I mean, being the only guy out of a few hundred students to do yoga really challenged me physically, mentally and spiritually. However, thanks to my Aunt Tracy, I was far ahead of the Yoga for Athletes movement in the US that exploded a few years ago.

Since the early 2000's, MANY athletes from the high school level all the way up to the professionals have been incorporating yoga into their training and conditioning programs. Many strength coaches, sports coaches and athletic directors have finally "bought into" the many benefits that yoga can have on their athletes and some have even required it! (I love that, by the way).

REAL MEN DO YOGA was a book that I referred to constantly when starting yoga at the high school level. I referenced guys like Shannon Sharpe in the NFL, Barry Zito in the MLB, as well as entire teams like the Philadelphia Eagles and Chicago Bulls who practiced yoga. This somehow made it acceptable.

I can remember the season that we started yoga, our incidence of injuries like pulled groins and hamstring strains decreased dramatically. The guys were more limber and able to stay relatively injury free. It was pretty amazing and we have kept it going ever since.

HOW YOGA CAN BENEFIT ATHLETES

Well, the most obvious benefit is the stretching aspect that the practice can bring to someone. Depending on the type of yoga (Iyengar, Ashtanga, Power, Vinyasa, etc), they will get more or less strengthening, aerobic conditioning, as well as a faster or slower pace. Some folks love the slower and more detailed work an Iyengar class brings while others prefer the athletic and faster pace of a Power or Ashtanga class. I think its up to the person to really see what 'fits' them and go with it. It's easy for people to go to a few classes with one instructor and say "Yoga really isn't for me." That's like saying "Food isn't for me." There are so many ways to approach yoga that become even more diversified by the number of teachers. The possibilities are endless.

Another reason, is that it really starts honing your overall athletic abilities. In a post I wrote on Applied Functional Athletic Development,  I referenced KINESTHETIC AWARENESS or the ability to sense where and what your body was doing in space. This awareness MUST be taken into the yoga practice and when it does, the athlete learns a little more about their body. They appreciate how a bend here or a twist there activates and stretches the soft tissues in the body. This sense can be taken deeper and deeper so that the athlete becomes very familiar with how their body moves. This directly translates to athletic performance so when they need their body to do something big or subtle (such a changing their pitching in baseball a minute amount), they will already have developed the control and sense to do it. PRETTY COOL --- YOGA MAKES FOR BETTER ATHLETES!!!

WHAT TO FOCUS ON...
With all that being said, I think there are areas that athletes need to focus on. I can safely say I've taught hundreds and hundreds of classes over the last 10 years and I've come to see a few trends. For athletes, THE HIPS and the surrounding neuromuscular complex is where I tend to start.

I find the hips are the tightest/strongest/weakest/most dysfunctional area of the body because of our lifestyles. For example, at the high school level, our students sit in classes for 6+ hours per day for years and years and then come out for athletics after academics, lunch and sometimes chapel. They do their 15 minute warm-up and they are off for 2.5 hour practices. Needless to say, imbalances will arise pretty quickly.

Can the foot/ankle complex be locked down because of sitting, bad shoes/cleats, past injuries, etc? SURE!

Can the thoracic spine lack the proper Type I and Type II motion from training and condition that focused solely in the Sagital plane and ignored proper motion in the Frontal and Transverse Planes? SURE!

I have seen when a thoughtful assessment has lead to the discovery of these dysfunctions and really freed the athlete from any neuromsuclar pain and discomfort and then allowed them to move well. I acknowledge all of that, BUT I still start at the hips because they are the power source of the body.

HOW TO START YOGA FOR ATHLETES
Generally, the first physical movement pattern I teach is the Sun Salutation (or Surya Namaskar in Sanskrit). Now, every teacher will teach them a little differently but for the most part, it's the same.

Because of my biomechanics background, I absolutely INSIST on good form as bad form can also injure someone. No one wants to herniate a disk in their spines and especially not from something that is touted as a restorative/preventative aspect of their athletic development.

Below is a video showing the Sun Salutation "A" and Sun Salutation "A" with a Crescent Lunge, like in the above picture with Eddie George  Please make sure that you properly warmed up to do this. Never just jump into any movement especially one that takes you through to (or close to) your end range of motion. This Sun Salutation can be done every. It will take about 10 minutes but you will refreshed and energized afterwards.

If you have any questions regarding the movements, I'd love answer them as well as any questions you may have.

Thanks,

Will