"Here and now is where Yoga begins" "Your body exists in the past and your mind in the future. In Yoga, they come together in the present"
Yoga is a largely practiced technique that is beginning to spread around the world more and more everyday. Many cultures are seeing the benefits of practicing Yoga and feel the power of mindfulness and meditation. Yoga is an ancient practice focusing on stillness, breathing, body awareness, flexibility and strength to boost mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing. It is composed of practices or disciplines that train the mind to be in control and present. The main components of yoga is breathing and postures (a series of movements designed to increase strength and flexibility, while bringing the mind into the present with a heightened connection between mind, body, and soul. The practice is said to have originated thousands of years ago in India and has been adapted in other countries in a variety of ways.
"Yoga's origins can be traced to northern India over 5,000 years ago. The word yoga was first mentioned in ancient sacred texts called the Rig Veda. The Vedas are a set of four ancient sacred texts written in Sanskrit. The Rig Veda is the earliest amongst the vedas and is a collection of over a thousand hymns and mantras in ten chapters known as mandalas, which were used by Vedic age priests. Yoga was refined and developed by Rishis (sages) who documented their practices and beliefs in the Upanishads, a huge work containing over 200 scriptures. Yoga is amongst the six schools of philosophy in Hinduism, and is also a major part of Buddhism and its meditation practices." (Google arts)
Yoga is a mindfulness practice that helps you tune into all your senses and be more connected or "one" with yourself and the universe. When you learn to tune your vibrations to the right frequencies, everything begins to align itself and manifest in the direction you focus your energy. The key is consistency and effort. Yoga like anything else takes practice, and sometimes more effort to really see results. But starting small and working your way up, is a great start to learning such a valuable tool and technique.
Yoga was first introduced to me when I was training for baseball in Junior college because our head coach was a strong believer it would help our performances and prevent injuries. I would definitely agree it was true, and it started my desire to maintain this practice for year to come. The biggest benefits I noticed was overall physical improvements in flexibility, mobility and stability. But mentally, better clarity, focus and consciousness after each session. It helped so many aspects of my life, including mental toughness and overall mood and emotional behavior control. Because it helps uplift the body in so many ways, you naturally feel better and happier from endorphins that get released.
No matter what situations would arise, I made smarter decisions and had more patience to think clearly for maximizing whatever opportunity was in front of me at the moment. Yoga helps me stay in the present and that is key for athletic performances. Whichever athletes can be un-phased and stay in the moment are more inclined to have better results as their focus is more locked-in.
Yoga for athletes is just another part of the routine that is needed to enhance all aspects of the body and mind. The wonders are amazing, and this is definitely needed for everyone, not just women and elderly people... More and more men are realizing the benefits of practicing Yoga, and are starting to embrace the eastern philosophy while adding their own twist to the focus. I've taken part in power Vinyasa's where a male instructor lead us through a very intense "practice" that connected core strength, stability, endurance and mindfulness. Possibly one of the hardest workouts to do, but so rewarding after, as it feels like a breath of fresh air after. Of course I wouldn't recommend anyone jumps straight into advanced Yoga, but start with the basic poses and techniques and build yourself up to whatever level you desire. Either way give it a try!
As well, majority of professional sports teams have their athletes partake in Yoga a couple times a week to really emphasize body awareness, mobility, flexibility, and mindfulness. The more an athlete can be in the moment the better, and the more an athlete can control their emotions and logic, the better they can perform. So Yoga has been an excellent addition for myself and other elite athletes, and I hope you join the movement too!
One of the biggest benefits from Yoga is the connection between the body and breathing. In athletics you need to be able to manage your breathing and control your emotions in order to maximize your opportunities in the moment. Yoga helps teach you how to lower your HR and ease your mind in order to be more relaxed in the present. Since Yoga teaches you to control your breathing, it naturally helps release good hormones/endorphins which lower cortisol levels and helps you properly switch between your nervous systems sympathetic and parasympathetic. This is necessary for optimal recovery time and making sure you are fully in tune or amped up to perform when the time is needed.
9 Benefits of Yoga
1) Improves strength, balance, flexibility/mobility
Slow movements and deep breathing increase blood flow and warm up muscles, while holding a pose can build strength.
2) Improves lower-back pain
Yoga is as good as basic stretching for easing pain and improving mobility in people with lower back pain. The American College of Physicians recommends yoga as a first-line treatment for chronic low back pain.
3) Helps ease arthritis symptoms
Gentle yoga has been shown to ease some of the discomfort of tender, swollen joints for people with arthritis, according to a Johns Hopkins review of 11 recent studies.
4) Helps heart health
Regular yoga practice may reduce levels of stress and body-wide inflammation, contributing to healthier hearts. Several of the factors contributing to heart disease, including high blood pressure and excess weight, can also be addressed through yoga.
5) Helps relax the body for improved sleep/recovery
Research shows that a consistent bedtime yoga routine can help you get in the right mindset and prepare your body to fall asleep and stay asleep.
6) Helps manage stress
According to the National Institutes of Health, scientific evidence shows that yoga supports stress management, mental health, mindfulness, healthy eating, weight loss and quality sleep.
7) Promotes better self-care
The consistent mindfulness towards body, mind and soul being in-tune is helpful for creating a routine geared to positive self-care
8) Helps improve mood and emotions
You may feel increased mental and physical energy, a boost in alertness and enthusiasm, and fewer negative feelings after getting into a routine of practicing yoga.
9) Improves neuromuscular body connections (senses)
Different poses and exercises at slower tempos and flow, help connect the "real" vs "feel" sense for everyday living. The more you do it, the better everything aligns.
Now a days you can google or YouTube videos that have guided practices for all levels of people. Plus, they have many free apps that also walk you through many great routines. Our Mindset app is now released and has videos and instructional guidance to help improve your athletic performance. Our app puts performance in the forefront of pushing your mind & body with various Yoga and fitness videos, all tailored towards obtaining peak performance. Wherever you start, just make sure you be honest with your level of abilities, and don't overdue it. Like anything start small and work your way up. Once you feel the benefits, you'll be glad you added Yoga into your routine!
Hopefully, this gave you some good insight on why you should be practicing Yoga a few times a week if not more, to maximize your bodies capacities, and overall body and mind connections. Mindfulness practices are very helpful in these stressful times, either from the ongoing pandemic or work, school and relationships that can all take a toll on our psyche. Life is stressful, but you can control and manage how you respond to it for better or worse. Yoga teaches you how to mange yourself better, and always make the most of any situation. Remember Yoga is a way of being, and much more than just poses or exercises. It is a deep connection between mind, body, and soul that uplifts your quality of living and boosts your complete health. Deeper health is definitely needed more than ever with all your daily stimulation, and finding just 15-30 minutes daily to unwind and release unwanted energy to induce positive mental and physical health, is crucial for being at your best.
Stay Strong... Stay Healthy... Stay Consistent & Keep developing yourself
Level Up!
Love
M!NDSET Team
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