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Between training, cross-training, strength-training, and racing, who has time for yoga? We hear you but, here’s the thing: If you’re really serious about staying on top of your game, you can’t afford not to incorporate yoga into your routine. Why? In training, yoga relieves muscle tension, which speeds recovery after a hard workout, says Nicholas DiNubile, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine and author of Framework: Your 7 Step Program for Healthy Muscles, Bones, and Joints.  “Yoga is key for preventing injuries,” says Kimberly Fowler, founder of YAS Fitness Centers in California and creator of Yoga For Athletes.“I’ve had athletes, like U.S. Olympic hopefuls swimmers Amanda Beard and Keri Hehn and top U.K. hurdler Tasha Danvers, all of whom have amazing training and a team of coaches, trainers and therapists, come up to me and say  ‘Wow! This is the first season I didn’t get injured,’” she notes.

By loosening up tight muscles, yoga also helps improve total body mobility and flexibility, giving you greater range of motion, which can improve performance. And, it helps even out muscle imbalances that often occur in athletes, especially those who compete in “one-sided’’ sports, such as tennis or golf.  The breathing techniques help get more oxygen to your muscles. Lastly, it will create a better sense of body awareness and control, which also elevates performance.
For maximum benefits, Fowler recommends two one-hour sessions a week. Try incorporating it into your strength and flexibility days, or start by simply adding a series of 5 or 6 basic moves like a gentle Spinal Twist (Seated Half Twist), Standing Forward Bend, Cobbler’s pose, Seated Tree and Reclining Pigeon after every workout. If you can’t find a sports-specific yoga class in your area, look for a beginner level Power Yoga class, she suggests.

We asked Fowler to share her ultimate yoga moves for strengthening and protecting your major muscle groups, head to toe. No matter your sport, include these poses into your program and make it through the seasons injury-free. If you’re already injured or feel like you’ve got trouble spots, try only the “Soothing Poses,” and be sure to talk to your doctor before beginning any new exercise program. You can print this sequence out and run it by your doc.

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