I wrote a post for the Kripalu blog outlining my approach to yoga for athletes. It’s summed up in the title: it’s not athletic yoga! Instead, it’s yoga to complement what we do in training.
To put it succinctly, yoga for athletes is not necessarily athletic yoga. It certainly can be: At various points in the training cycle, yoga is a wonderful way to build strength and even provide some cardiovascular benefit. But most athletes are getting their workouts in their workouts. Adding a strenuous yoga practice to an already-tired body is a recipe for overstressing the athlete. Athletes, teachers, and coaches must be clear on the intention for including yoga as a part of training, so that it complements the other work an athlete is doing instead of undermining it.
This is the guiding principle behind my teachers’ intensive on working with athletes. I next teach it at Kripalu in January, in conjunction with a weekend for athletes and everyone. (Read about it here. Join for both and you get a discount!) I also offer it in North Carolina in July, and online anytime at sageyogateachertraining.com. I hope to see you in one of these!