Sri Yogi Anand - Founder of Adwait Yoga School

7 best Yoga Asanas for Athletes

Yoga Poses for Athletes

Table of Contents

Yoga is a great way to build strength and flexibility if you are an athlete. It also teaches you to respect your body and increase focus. Focus is essential to achieve athletic goals. These yoga postures can also increase your stamina and coordination. It can also help you avoid burnout.

One of the key benefits of yoga is that it can increase the blood flow to your muscles. It helps them recover from training. It also helps to increase your lung capacity.

Naukasana (Boat Yoga Pose)

Boat Postures

Naukasana is a great pose for athletes because it strengthens the core. It also helps you to maintain your speed. It makes it easier for athletes to connect with their mind and body.
This pose is a good way to tone up your abdominal muscles. In addition to strengthening your abs, this yoga pose also improves your mental well-being. It is important to note that naukasana is not suitable for pregnant women or women who have migraine headaches.

It is also part of the Padma Sadhana sequence. Performing naukasana for 30 seconds each day will help you to improve your physical well-being. Naukasana is a yoga asana that strengthens the abdominal muscles and the muscles in your shoulders, thighs, and back.

It also helps to control blood sugar levels, reduce stress, and decrease gas formation. It is also good for curing chronic illnesses like high blood pressure and heart disease. Naukasana is not a strong pose, but it is very effective for muscle toning. You should perform the pose two to three times a day. 

Naukasana also improves the circulation of blood. It is important because blood vessels in your body are essential to help you get energy. This pose also enhances your mental well-being because it relieves stress.

Dhanurasana (Bow Yoga Pose)

Dhanurasana postures

Amongst the many Yoga asanas for athletes, Dhanurasana is a very important one. It helps relieve stress, improves flexibility and also strengthens the body. This asana stretches the chest, groin, shoulders and ankles. It also strengthens the lower back and arms.

It also helps with menstrual cramps and lower back injuries. It can also help reduce belly fat quickly. This pose also works to improve blood circulation within the spine. It is also a good stretch for hip flexors. If you have tight hips, this can help relieve them.

This pose also stretches the abdominal organs and promotes optimal breathing. It can help cure dyspepsia and gastrointestinal disorders. It can also help with weight loss and the management of diabetes.

Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)

Adho Mukha Postures

Adho Mukha Svanasana is a powerful pose that requires strength and flexibility to perform correctly. It also can help athletes improve their overall performance. Aside from boosting athletic performance, Adho Mukha Svanasana helps relieve back and neck pain. 

It also stretches the hamstrings and calf muscles. It also improves blood flow to the brain and heart, allowing you to focus better. While there are several variations of Adho Mukha Svanasana, it’s best to start with the basic version. This is important to practice the pose regularly. It’s also a great pose to practice if you’re pregnant or have recently had a baby.

Performing the pose can strengthen and tone the lower abdominal area, which can help pregnant women keep a healthy weight. It can also help women dealing with menopause symptoms.

Adho Mukha Svanasana also helps improve balance. It engages several muscles in the body, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, back muscles, shoulder blades, and spine. It also balances the heart, throat, and third eye chakras. That can also affect the pituitary gland, which is responsible for insulin secretion. It can help prevent osteoporosis.

Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I Yoga Pose)

Virabhadrasana I also known as Warrior I, is a yoga pose that strengthens the hamstrings, quadriceps, psoas, and abdomen. It is also a great stretch for the groin. It improves balance, coordination, and focus. This pose also builds strength in the shoulders, biceps and triceps.

It is also beneficial for pregnant women in the second and third trimesters. It helps to alleviate sciatica, osteoporosis, and knee pain. This yoga helps improve balance and mobility, strengthen the back, shoulders, and buttocks, and stretch the hip flexors. It is especially useful for athletes.

To perform the pose, you must first stand with your feet three to four inches apart. You then bend your right knee and bring your foot to the mat. It would help if you turned the back leg at a 45-degree angle. The back of the lifted leg will get a strong stretch from the hip to the foot.

When doing this yoga pose, you should breathe slowly. The slow breaths will increase your concentration and balance. They will also raise your awareness. It is also important to be careful while balancing. Avoid turning your head, as this will cause neck pain.

Bhujangasana (Cobra Yoga Pose)

Bhujagasana pose

The front of the abdomen. It is part of the Surya Namaskar sequence. Athletes best practice it because it helps them keep their bodies flexible and supple. Bhujangasana also helps in soothing pains and ailments in the neck, back and abdominal region. It also helps in improving blood circulation. This Pose can also tone the kidneys and spinal nerves. It can also relieve stress and depression.

It is also good for postnatal women. This is also useful for those with menstrual problems. It also stretches the shoulder bones. You can practice it individually or as part of the Surya Namaskar sequence.

It is important to remember that pregnant women do not do Bhujangasana. It is also not recommended for people with hernias. People who suffer from chronic back pain should also consult a doctor before they begin practicing.

Aside from reducing belly fat, Bhujangasana also helps in toning the spine. It also stretches the front of the abdominal region, which is important for athletic performance. It can also help in improving blood circulation and digestion.

This Pose also helps in strengthening the thighs. It is also good for those with muscle aches and soreness in the upper body. It is also beneficial for people suffering from respiratory ailments.

Setu bandhasana (Bridge Yoga Pose)

Setu bandhasana

Setu bandhasana is a great Yoga asana for athletes because it stretches the entire body and benefits everyone. It can help alleviate joint pain, relieve stress and anxiety, and improve circulation. 

This is a good exercise for athletes because it improves circulation, relieves stress, and improves overall health. It is important to practice it with proper alignment and to ensure that you are breathing properly. This pose has many benefits for athletes, including a great stretch workout and reducing your risk of heart disease and varicose veins.

This pose is a great stretch for the spine and legs. It improves blood circulation and relieves back pain. It also reduces stress, anxiety, and fatigue. This is important to practice the pose with proper alignment. You may need to consult a yoga instructor before starting this asana.

The Bridge Pose is a basic backbend pose that strengthens the chest, neck, and back muscles. The posture also improves blood circulation and releases tension in the neck.
This pose is not suitable for pregnant women or those with spinal disorders, hernias, or disc injuries.

Setu bandhasana should practice regularly. You can also practice it in conjunction with other asanas. This pose is good for athletes because it can help reduce fatigue and joint pain. Senior citizens can also practice it with arthritis.

Supta Matsyendrasana (Supine Spinal Twist Pose)

Supta Matsyendrasana postures

Supta Matsyendrasana is one of the best yoga asanas for athletes. It strengthens the muscles in the back, legs and arms and reduces the risk of injury. It also relieves stress and tension in the body. This pose also improves balance and flexibility. This pose is especially beneficial for football players, who are constantly moving their bodies and need to maintain a strong core.

Athletes can perform the Supta Matsyendrasana as a warm-up before workouts or as part of a relaxing cool-down after a workout. This pose stretches the obliques, chest, glutes, and hamstrings.

Supta Matsyendrasana requires a yoga mat and enough space. You can also use a bolster to support your shoulders and hips. You can place your head on the bolster as well. You may also wish to place a towel over your bolster.

Conclusion

Yoga can also help athletes develop a stronger awareness of their body’s limits and improve body awareness. Athletes can also benefit from yoga as a warm-up. It can also increase the range of motion and flexibility of their muscles. Yoga is also a great biofeedback tool. 

The 2020 study suggests that yoga practices can help reduce the risk of injuries in athletes. It can also improve your athletic performance and prevent athletic burnout. This practice will increase your stamina and coordination.

Picture of Yogi Anand Adwait

Yogi Anand Adwait

Sri Yogi Anand is an ordained Himalayan Yogi, Yoga Mediation Master, Spiritual Guru, Life Coach, Writer, Eloquent Speaker, and Founder of Adwait Foundation® and Adwait Yoga School.

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