Yoga poses for soccer players

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

I’m an avid soccer player and have tight hamstrings. I’m curious what poses you guys recommend I do regularly to counteract the effects of soccer?

Thanks.

#2

Jason : I play soccer regularly and a do yoga at least 3-4 times a week. With that credential established here is some advice :slight_smile:

What is important for a soccer player is a strong/flexible lower body(ankles, knees, calves/thigh muscles) and a strong upper body to take elbow blows and what not.

  1. Strength training for both upper/lower body and core
  2. Yoga for flexibility and to increase stamina/lung capacity.

For item 1. please get help from a body-building expert.
For item 2 also you need to consult an expert but here is something you can start.

Get this book

Read the sections for anti-nuematic exercises(for ankles, knees, hips)
and standing poses(helps lower body and also increases oxygenation).

Select a few you think you can do easily and try to do regularly.

Classical yoga poses(intermediate) will help tremendously and it is not everybody’s cup of tea.

Let me know if you need any more info.

#3

Great information. I thank you.

#4

Hi Jason.

You can actually go onto our ‘Yoga Poses’ page and search poses according to the body part or muscle being stretched. Here’s the page:

http://www.doyogawithme.com/yoga_poses

In my opinion, it is most crucial for soccer players to stretch their calves, hamstrings and hip flexors (since they are the ‘power’ muscles when running).

Here are the stretches I would recommend:

http://www.doyogawithme.com/content/calf-stretch-standing

http://www.doyogawithme.com/content/reclining-hand-toe-sequence

http://www.doyogawithme.com/content/lunge-psoas-stretch

http://www.doyogawithme.com/content/quadricep-stretch-against-wall

We also have some online classes you may want to try, if you have the time. We have 3 Yoga for Runners Classes with Fiji McAlpine, A Yoga for the IT band class, as well as classes that focus on the legs and lower back.

Everything is free… you don’t even have to sign up.

Let me know if that helps!

Take care,

David

#5

Hi Jason,

My view is slightly different so I’ll add it in to the mix for you to vet.
Bear in mind that part of the aforementioned view mandates that athletes/players should first be assessed by a qualified teacher so that the effects of their participation can be determined before a course of action is mapped.

Generally speaking, soccer players tend to develop asymmetry in the legs. It is not always the case as the non-dominant foot/leg is utilized. However the quadriceps in the dominant leg are often over developed as they are more taxed primarily on longer distance kicks.

I teach a hip series that involves six of the eight movements of the hip complex, done while in the 7th, and avoiding the 8th. Two parts of that series David has included in his third link. Wow, that was a lot of numbers

There is some recent science which indicates that heading the ball may not be in the best interest of brain health especially for adolescents. So if this is part of your game, which it likely is, then to truly counteract the sport you would need to be eating foods that promote brain health and adding that which would assist in traction of the cervical spine (neck). But this part is a much more involved discussion for another time and place.

But you’ve asked about poses to counteract soccer’s effect and that is what I’ll answer. In no particular order (since you’ve not asked that):

Adho Mukha Svanasana
Vanarasana
Baddha Konasana
Dandasana
Purvottanasana
Supta Padangusthasana
Parivrtta Supta Padangusthasana
Parsva Supta Padangusthasana
Duryodhanasana
Supta Pada Janustilasana
Eka Pada Supta Virasana
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
Bhujangasana
Dhanurasana
Ustrasana
The Foot & Ankle series

This list assumes the athlete (you) is being properly instructed by a qualified teacher.

Gordon

#6

Well said, Gordon. I enjoy how thorough you are and how much care you take in your responses.

That is such a comprehensive list of asanas that covers the major tight areas for most running athletes. It would be a great class to include all of the asanas you listed in a gentle hatha flow class. Most athletes would gain so much essential range of motion in the joints that are so often causing problems during a career or later on in life.

I’m not familiar with the following poses, though. Can you describe these to me?

Supta Pada Janustilasana
Duryodhanasana

Thank you,

David

#7

[QUOTE=InnerAthlete;81956]Hi Jason,

My view is slightly different so I’ll add it in to the mix for you to vet.
Bear in mind that part of the aforementioned view mandates that athletes/players should first be assessed by a qualified teacher so that the effects of their participation can be determined before a course of action is mapped.

– removed to make quote short --[/QUOTE]
WHOA! What a post! Thank you so much! I have a lot of research to do on most of those poses but I’m excited. You are great!

#8

[QUOTE=Jason Ball;81882]I’m an avid soccer player and have tight hamstrings. I’m curious what poses you guys recommend I do regularly to counteract the effects of soccer?

Thanks.[/QUOTE]

i would say any standing poses will be good for strength and flexibility. soccer is a very traumatic sport especially for knees and ankles…so any standing yoga pose will save your ankles and knees…other posts have already elaborated well on stretching:)

#9

@David

The first is a supine pose (obviously) which you might know better as “fire log pose” or agnistambhasana. In short (and from teacher to teacher) the shins are stacked and lie perpendicular to the spine while the ankle bones rest beyond the thighs (a basic composition but not alignments and actions).

The second pose Aadil has just recently named after several decades of considering it and checking, checking, and re-checking. It’s a supine internal rotation.