Yoga is a traditional practice that is now common throughout todays society. It is known for its many benefits relating to improved flexibility, mental clarity, and strength. Throughout recent years, the popularity of yoga has increased, and the benefits have been noticed. Yoga can also greatly assist athletes with performance, from assisting in decreasing stress, strength building or flexibility.
It is widely known that many athletes can experience high volumes of stress. With the pressure to perform optimally, it is no wonder that sporting individuals may struggle to remain positive. One aspect of yoga that is often spoken about is the incorporation of meditation. Whether one is consciously making the effort to be mindfully aware or not, yoga allows a calming effect on the body throughout the practice. The combination of the postures and mindfulness has been found to decrease stress levels. One meta-analysis by Wang, Lei and Fan (2023) supports the idea of yoga as a Mindfulness-Based Intervention having a positive impact on “athletic performance, mindfulness level, and mindfulness-related psychological components” (Wang, Lei, Fan 2023). Another study tested the effects of yoga for College Athletes over 12 weeks. The study by Xu et al. (2022) concludes that the mindfulness scores of the group continually participating in yoga were much higher than those in the control group.
One of the common ideas about Yoga is that it can increase flexibility. Whilst there are many other benefits, this is a major one that cannot be overlooked. The flexibility level of an individual can correlate to one’s likelihood to become injured. Whilst more comprehensive research still needs to be done in this area, it is evident how often one stretches impacts prevalence of injury. If an individual stretches regularly, the muscles, ligaments and tendons are then more likely to be able to withstand trauma. For example, if an athlete accidentally falls or trips in a position that would extend a muscle more than its resting position, then one who does not stretch regularly might have a higher chance of pulling the muscle. This would occur as they have not stretched their body beyond a resting state, so when their body does enter that range, there is a greater likelihood of injury. The study done by Xu et al. (2022) also examined the functional movement of college athletes. Their results concluded that those who practiced yoga over 12 weeks experienced greater shoulder mobility and more depth in a deep squat compared to those in the control group. With greater functional movement comes greater ability for the body to bounce back from potential harm, thus demonstrating the flexibility benefits of yoga.
Whilst yoga may not be the most intense form of exercise, it is definitely one that will get your smaller muscles moving. Yoga does not focus on the larger muscle groups, rather those small ones that you often forget about. For example, when in lunge pose, the muscles around your ankles are working hard to keep you stable and upright, or in downward dog, you are strengthening the shoulders, arms, hands, and wrists. Performing these poses alongside others will assist in building up all of these small muscles, and therefore work to support the body. In the study by Xu et al. (2022), they also measured stability of the trunk during rotation. Those that participated in the yoga exercise had higher stability compared to those that were in the control group. In another article by Vaidya et al. (2021), they compared the athletic ability of cricket bowlers over 12 weeks, where half participated in yoga practices, and the other half was a control. Muscular strength was valued using a medicine ball throw, vertical jump, and back leg dynamometer test. Those that practiced yoga saw improvement in their muscle strength and bowling speed, in comparison to those in the control group.
Throughout various studies, it is interesting to note the various benefits that a regular yoga practice can have upon athletes from various sports. Such benefits include a more positive attitude, greater flexibility and also strength. Whilst there is still much study that can be done in this area, it can be noted that the evidence so far leads to positive outcomes.
References
Wang, Y., Lei, S. M., & Fan, J. (2023). Effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Promoting Athletic Performance and Related Factors among Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trial. International journal of environmental research and public health, 20(3), 2038. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032038
Xu, D., Wu, H., Ruan, H., Yuan, C., Gao, J., & Guo, M. (2022). Effects of Yoga Intervention on Functional Movement Patterns and Mindfulness in Collegiate Athletes: A Quasi-Experimental Study. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(22), 14930. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192214930
Vaidya, S. S., Agarwal, B., Singh, Y., & Mullerpatan, R. (2021). Effect of Yoga on Performance and Physical Fitness in Cricket Bowlers. International journal of yoga therapy, 31(1), Article_10. https://doi.org/10.17761/2021-D-20-00060
