This morning I start teaching a new yoga class at work – Yoga for Athletes!
I love sharing the benefits of yoga with fellow runner and other athletes, so I’m really looking forward to teaching this class.
In the meantime I thought I’d share with you a post I wrote for our blog at work introducing the class – enjoy!
Most athletes know and understand the benefits of cross training, but have you ever considered incorporating yoga as part of your cross training?
Yoga not only has physical benefits like flexibility, balance, coordination and strength, but also offers the mental benefits of breath awareness and concentration – all things athletes can benefit from!
Many athletes don’t take the time to slow down and really focus on listening to and taking care of their bodies, which can lead to overuse and injury – spending time on your yoga mat can help avoid that!
While you don’t need to be flexible to do yoga (a common misconception!), you can definitely expect some stretching in a yoga class. Tight muscles are more prone to injury, so taking the time to loosen up tight spots can help increase range of motion and avoid painful injuries in the future.
Yoga also focuses on mindfulness and linking breath with movement, both of which can be taken off the yoga mat to benefit you in your everyday living and your sport. And if you’re looking for a great way to relax and recovery after an intense training session, a restorative yoga class can help you physically and mentally recover quicker.
I could go on and on about the benefits of yoga for athletes, but the best way for you to understand is to experience them yourself!
Starting this week you can join me on the mat for Yoga for Athletes on Thursday’s at 7am – hope to see you there!
Namaste
Danielle
**Disclaimer: This blog post originally appeared on the Mashpee Fitness blog.**
Live, Run, Grow 
Love this! Yoga has become a huge part of my physical and mental health maintenance since my stress fracture over a year ago now. I look forward to going, and can definitely tell when I haven’t practiced in a few days; yoga keeps my body happy, and has helped me mentally deal with some big life changes over the past year. Hope your first class went well this morning!
I definitely think people underestimate the mental benefits of yoga, it is such a stress reliever for me!
I’ve made an effort to keep yoga in my routine now. Before I’d do yoga on occasion but then I’d go months between classes. Now I have DVDs and I have a set day during the week.
Good for you! Do you have any good DVD’s you’d recommend? I really don’t have any.
Awesome! I’ve been trying to find a Yoga for Runners or Yoga for Athletes class near me, but so far no luck.
Yeah, they are few and far between, but to be honest, there’s usually not much of a difference between a yoga for runners/ athletes and a regular class, you’d still get all the great benefits in a regular class!
I would totally have gone to this class! …except you no longer live near me 😦
You are going to have to come when you come to the Cape to visit! : )
love it! this is something I have been focusing on over the last week-getting back into a managable stretching, rolling, yoga routine so that I wont be tight when I run. I would love to go to this class
I really need to get better at foam rolling regularly! I’d actually love to incorporate it into the yoga for athletes class, but we’d have to get more foam rollers!
I always love your yoga posts. I’m struggling with a tender soaz (sp?) muscle and I’m learning that yoga helps me feel SO much better. My goal is to start doing yoga twice a week to help keep me loose and limber, particularly when I start training for MCM.
Yeah, whenever I have a race coming up I try to make sure I’m stretching and foam rolling regularly!
Have you done this stretch, it’s a good psoas one: http://www.yogajournal.com/intermediate-section/kathryn-budig-challenge-pose-tipsy-frog/