Yes To Yoga

I'm guilty. I regularly neglect any type of stretching after training. For some reason I find it difficult to even take an extra 5 minutes after my workout to stretch and/or roll out! I know my body needs it but why can't I find the motivation? I decided that if I was to get more consistent at working on my flexibility, I was going to have to find another way to get it in that excites me.. so I tried yoga!

~~~

I've always heard about athletes benefiting from yoga. This past summer I finally decided to try it out for myself. I wanted to see if the benefits were worth the investment. I joined a yoga studio here in Las Cruces, New Mexico called Indigo Yoga. They offered many different types of yoga but I decided to explore hot yoga, specifically hot bik-yasa (a set sequence of flowed, full-body movements fused with modern music in a hot room). I was a little nervous at first.. What if I'm terrible at this? What if I just spent money on classes that I don't end up liking after a few sessions? Will the benefits be worth me taking the time out of my Saturdays? I stepped out of my comfort zone and started! Through my experiences so far, the answer is YES! Yoga has definitely benefited my training, flexibility, and more!

Here is why!

~~~

First thing I love is the heat! The heat quickly warms up my muscles so I can get deep into the stretches and positions of the practice. Practicing controlled, flowed movements in infrared heat therapy makes me sweat like crazy but also feels like a detoxification for my body. When I finish a session, I feel refreshed and reenergized (even though I basically worked out for and hour). I have also found it to be a stress reliever. The atmosphere keeps me in the present as the heat and breathing techniques melt all my worries away. My thoughts are calm while the heat prepares me to strengthen and heal my body!

~~~

Practicing bik-yasa has definitely helped me achieve my goal of increasing my flexibility! I am blessed to be decently flexible, which is why I constantly neglect stretching.. but for athletes that are naturally bound tight, hot bik-yasa is a great resources to help! By only going once a week, I have experienced a significant difference in my flexibility and I feel it transfer through to my weightlifting and discus practices. I feel more loose, relaxed, ready to work, and more efficient! Post training, I'm not as tight and don't seem to hold as much tension in my body than when I'm not consistently practicing yoga. Because of the increase in joint and muscle flexibility yoga has given me, my range of motion for discus and lifting has improved as well! I'm moving more efficiently and its happening more easily!

~~~

Another reason why I love bik-yasa is because I am gaining so many benefits while also burning a ton of calories! This past summer I wanted to lean up a bit so the fact that I am strengthening and stretching my muscles all while burning some extra calories is a major win! Yoga has surprised me by being a really great workout! The flows are challenging but taking rest is encouraged whenever needed (which was good because holy moly.. my body would be shaking at some points)! I enjoy the fact that I have to push myself through the bik-yasa session because the difficulty keeps it interesting. I love that bik-yasa tests my limits while also helping me to reach my physique goals!

~~~

Lastly, I feel myself getting stronger from practicing hot bik-yasa yoga. I'm seeing improvements in my balance, stability, and an increase in my body awareness which is extremely valuable in my training! It's helping strengthen muscles and ligaments that surround and support vulnerable joints in my body as well as helping equalize muscle imbalances from my sport specific training. With discus, I take numerous repetitions in one direction so increasing strength, balance, and coordination with yoga will only benefit my training and help prevent injuries now and for the future so I can have a long career in this sport!

~~~

If you are struggling with flexibility but also want a healthy challenge, I HIGHLY suggest hot bik-yasa yoga but choose the practice that best suits your needs! I think every athlete can benefit and transform from this practice not only in their athletic performance but in many other aspects of their life!

~~~

A good yoga mat: https://amzn.to/2OR8Rak