Athlete looking to start yoga

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

I am a high school student. I wrestle year round along with weight lifting and running almost every day.

Lately I’v noticed that I am extremely tight. I have never been flexible, but since I have started weight lifting with more intensity I can’t even touch my toes anymore.

For the last 3 days I have been doing this yoga tape that my mom has. And I really like it. But it focuses a lot on the mental parts of yoga, meditation and stuff.

I’m trying to reap the physical benefits of yoga and so I don’t think that I am using the best tape to maximize those benefits. More then half of the video is about meditating, the actual stretching and position part is very short. I have read how much yoga can help your balance, flexibility, and stability among other things and am mostly interested in that.

Can someone sudjest a DVD or something that would help me with more of the physical aspects of yoga?

#2

Hi, I think it is very wise of you to complement your weight lifting and running with yoga. I would strongly suggest that you try to find some yoga studios close to you and start going there … even if it is your aim to have an at-home practice later on. A teacher will be able to assess how you do the poses and give you helpful guidance on how to learn them. Many poses look deceptively easy when you just look at them and it is sometimes easy to imitate a pose fairly well but not have the right alignment or the right muscles engaged. A teacher will be able to see you from all angles and see exactly what you need to work on to understand the pose better.
I also think it is good advice as a beginner to visit some different yoga studios that teach in different traditions. That way you will find what seems to suit you best right now and by listening to different teachers you get more insights into the poses.
Then when you have found a practice that suits you I am sure that teacher can recommend a DVD that teaches in a similar style to be used at home.
Best of luck !

#3

gaate, i think you will enjoy Byron Baptist book about Power Yoga , it is very little meditaion and lot of poses and good end very detailed explanation of poses, as well as very good pictures, you also might find his videos. Im not a big fan of power yoga and Mr Baptist but i think his book is a good book especially for those who interested in athletic part of yoga

#4

Yoga for Athletes by Kimberly Fowler! 50 minutes of yoga actually geared towards the athlete (or non athlete too) for the physical aspects of yoga. Or No Om Zone Yoga by Kimberly Fowler if you want lighter shorter 15 minute segments geared towards different body parts. The title says it all.

Tara Stiles also is geared more towards the physical of yoga.

#5

So we should clarify. It sounds like your Mother has provided a YOGA video and you are interested in an asana video.

It is fine to choose a practice of asana (poses or postures). But that choosing should be mindful and that requires an understanding of how asana fits in the bigger picture. It is a micro-screwdriver in a very large tool box. As such it has importance, it has effect, it can open a laptop or repair spectacles. But it is not the correct tool to fix a '69 Dodge Charger.

Bear in mind Young Jedi that the system has far, far, far greater effect than its parts.

This having been said, one who is beginning does not start with fine tuning. Instead the beginner starts with that thing that we, as human beings, most easily associate with, the body <pound chest here>.

You can certainly learn some physical asana and you can do that from so many places it will make your head spin. But I have learned that the superior athletes are the ones who work to bring their body together with their mind, together with their spirit. This of course requires applied philosophy, proper meditation, nutrition/lifestyle, breath control, and posture.

Find a good teacher who can offer you more than a sliver. Hike the entire forest!

#6

Hi Gaate, It made me sign up here at yogaforums upon reading your query. We had the same problem 2 years ago but with the help of Dr. A Tennis1Fit 4 Week Plan it sharpen my skills, speed, power and confidence in tennis and in my college life. And Yoga is included in this one month long plan. You may read her article why Yoga Matters for Athletes. Hope it helps!

e1fit.com/articles/yoga-matters/