10 Benefits Of Yoga For Athletes (according To Science)
Yoga is an ancient physical and mental practice that has spread throughout the world thanks to its benefits as it guarantees balance between the body and mind. For several decades it has gained popularity in the West, and “yogamania” has experienced a boom in recent years because it responds to different problems of our time, including a sedentary lifestyle or stress.
For many, it is not only a way of doing physical exercise, but it is a lifestyle that allows you to find inner peace and that commits you to observing healthy habits and proper nutrition. Yoga attracts, and that is why more and more people practice it This is because it manages to integrate breathing with movement so that the mind and body stop being two autonomous entities and become one. Yoga allows you to reconnect with yourself, something that is difficult today.
Anyone can learn and practice this discipline, which is also suitable for many athletes, since it provides an improvement in physical condition, greater control of breathing and relaxation, an increase in flexibility, as well as an ideal mental attitude that favors the state of flow and increases sports performance. Athletes who practice it gain knowledge about the connection between their mind and body, improve mental clarity and concentration, and are more prepared for the challenges they face.
Etymologically “yoga” means union, and the objective of this discipline is the fusion of the individual soul with the universal spirit. It originated in India thousands of years ago (approximately 3,000 years BC), but contemporary yoga did not begin until just over a century ago, when it was introduced to the West by English soldiers and officials who were in the Asian country and by numerous teachers who came to the West, thus establishing the beginning of the different schools that are known today.
Yoga is made up of Asanas (postures), Pranayama (breathing), Savasana (relaxation), Dhyana (meditation), Kriyas (cleanings), Mudras (gestures to channel energy), Kirtan (songs) and Mantras (phrases). Throughout history, different types of yoga have emerged, since its practice has been adapted to different cultures. We can find Buddhist, Hindu, Chinese, Tibetan yoga, etc.; and through the discoveries made by yogis, different traditional yoga systems have emerged (Astanga Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Mantra Yoga, etc.).
In the West, “Hatha yoga” is the most popular, and although it is usually taught as a physical practice for its asanas (postures), its practice involves a holistic experience that also takes into account aspects such as breathing or meditation. Nowadays, Western culture has influenced new forms of modern yoga such as Power Yoga originated in the United States in the 90s. In this way, the religious component has been left behind to give more weight to the physical aspect.
The practice of yoga for athletes
For one years now, Yoga has begun to be part of gyms and sports centers in many locations Its benefits applied to both health and sports performance are increasingly engaging athletes, both elite and those who train to improve their overall state of well-being or physical condition.
Mastering the physical and mental challenges that yoga demands can be a discovery for many athletes accustomed for years to a different concept of training, because this practice is based on the principle of integration of the body as a whole. This new holistic approach can reveal weaknesses and imbalances that have never been exposed before, and integrates the physical and mental element that is so important during competition or training in sport.
More and more athletes are discovering the different ways in which yoga can be used to improve psychological and physical performance and, consequently, sports performance. From increasing mental concentration, improving flexibility and balance, preventing injuries or perfecting technical skills, many athletes have already benefited from this ancient discipline, including the basketball player. Lebron James the tennis player Maria Sharapova or the footballer Ryan Giggs The latter retired as a professional athlete at the age of 40, played 23 seasons in the Premier League and played 963 games for the club. Manchester United Yoga may have been her big secret.
Reasons why an athlete should practice yoga
But what reasons can lead an athlete to want to add yoga to their training plan? What are the benefits of yoga that contribute to improved sports results? Considering the information provided by different research in this regard, yoga improves sports performance for the following reasons.
1. Greater flexibility
When talking about yoga, the first thing that comes to mind is its asanas (postures). Therefore, It is not difficult to associate its practice with improving flexibility Asanas help us increase the ability to move muscles and joints through their full range.
There are many studies that have shown its usefulness for increasing flexibility. For example, a study from the University Center Doncaster (United Kingdom) showed that a weekly yoga session for 6 weeks was enough to notice improvements in this basic quality of physical condition. Sarah Ramsden, yoga instructor for Manchester United and Manchester City explains: “Being flexible and having good movement patterns helps you have greater speed, power, sharpness of movement and greater recovery.” All of them aspects that improve the performance of athletes.
2. Reduce stress
It is not surprising that with the pace of life in today’s society, many people suffer from stress, which in turn can cause psychological health problems such as depression, anxiety, mental exhaustion or hostility, which seriously harms the activation level of athletes. relevant cognitive processes and sports performance.
Furthermore, the threatening characteristics of the competition or the athletes’ environment also cause stress to be a fairly frequent response in the life of an athlete, as stated by José María Buceta, professor and director of the Master’s Degree in Sports Psychology. from the National University of Distance Education (UNED).
A study carried out jointly by scientists from the Thomas Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia and of Yoga Research Society showed that Daily yoga practice reduces levels of cortisol, a hormone released in response to stress A twenty-minute session a day is enough to notice a significant reduction in stress levels, according to research from Ohio State University in the United States.
3. Increase strength
Following a routine with different asanas on a regular basis increases muscle tone and strength. Yoga postures are held for long periods of time, which causes isometric contractions of the muscles, generating a gain in strength.
A study published in the International Journal of Physical EducationSports and Health showed that The asanas strengthen the arms, shoulders, legs, back, buttocks and abdomen
The same study concludes that yoga increases the strength of underused muscles in different sports disciplines such as swimming, cycling or running. These gains improve body stability and prevent injuries, because yoga works to strengthen the muscle fibers that support and surround the muscles most used in these sports. This means that a more balanced and optimally functional overall strength is produced.
4. Helps in recovery
For optimal sports performance, training is as important as recovery. To avoid overtraining and to continue performing at an adequate level, it is necessary for athletes to understand that recovery periods after physical activity are essential, Yoga is a form of active rest which means that, with its practice, the body uses biological mechanisms and metabolic and cellular processes to repair tissues and generate molecules, such as enzymes, that allow it to continue performing at a good level.
According to an investigation published in International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development, yogic breathing helps circulate and detoxify lymph, a fluid that runs through the lymphatic system. This accelerates recovery after physical exercise by 15% and eliminates fatigue.
5. Greater balance and coordination
Yoga is different from other exercises, as it generates movement without causing tension or imbalances in the body. Therefore, its practice is an ideal complement to different forms of physical exercise and an advantage in any sport. A study carried out by Dawn Boehde and John Porcaridel for the Human Performance Laboratory of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (United States) showed that coordination and balance improve with yoga because the different postures are combined with breathing and movement.
Now, how does this affect sports performance? Greater balance and coordination means better control in body movement, which manifests itself with more efficient technique.
6. Improves sleep
“The practice of yoga increases serotonin levels, which helps you sleep better,” explains Dr. Murali Doraiswam, author of a study at Duke University that included a review of more than 100 research papers on yoga. yoga. Serotonin (5-HT) is a neurotransmitter that, in addition to regulating mood or appetite, increases the production of melatonin, a hormone that participates in sleep cycles. To get a peaceful rest, also, serotonin is involved in the control of stress and body temperature
For this reason, a study by the University of Barcelona and the University of the Balearic Islands published in the Journal of Sports Psychology recommends that athletes carry out sleep quality control, due to the importance of its restorative characteristics and its positive relationship with sports performance, training and competition. Dr. Cheri Mah, from Stanford University, showed in an experiment that basketball players who improve their sleeping habits increase their shooting effectiveness by 9%.
7. Improves mood
There are moods that facilitate performance, and generating positive attitudes and emotions is a key element in the good sporting performance of each person. Serotonin (5-HT) not only has a positive effect on sleep, but is also involved in mood regulation. In fact, low levels of this neurotransmitter are associated with depressive behaviors.
An investigation by Cabral, Meyer and Ames, published in The Primary Care Companion CNS Disorders, concluded that practicing yoga regularly produces significant improvements in patients with depression and anxiety in a similar way to physical exercise. Furthermore, another research, this time published in The Journal of Complementary Medicine, found that there is an increase in another neurotransmitter in yoga practitioners: GABA. The benefits of GABA are numerous, as it participates in improving mood, the ability to concentrate, promotes relaxation and helps control stress.
Since negative moods can be detrimental to sports performance (for example, making it difficult to concentrate) It is necessary to control these psychological variables to maintain an optimal level of performance
8. Helps prevent injuries
Many sports such as cycling and running are characterized by highly repetitive movements over a long period of time, which causes certain muscle groups to develop while ignoring others. Imbalances in muscles and joints can lead to injuries.
As shown by a study carried out by Teodora Dominteanu, professor at the Department of Physical Education and Sports at the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest, just like the cyclists and runners, the tennis players, with whom she carried out her research , They experience a tremendous amount of shock, shortening and stiffening their muscles When these muscles are not restored, lengthened and stretched, imbalances and injuries occur more frequently.
Many yoga poses, such as Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana), mobilize and extend the back, shoulders, triceps, glutes, hamstrings, rectus femoris, and calves, strengthening the muscles. and providing flexibility to the body. This position is highly recommended to prevent ankle injuries, which is why it is especially recommended for runners or triathletes. Additionally, it helps prevent elbow and wrist injuries in sports such as tennis.
To protect athletes from possible muscle injuries, research published in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research states that it is necessary to achieve a good level of flexibility. In this way, a reserve joint and muscle range is achieved, in case some unexpected or unusual gesture is superior to the work mobility gestures.
9. Improves concentration
Concentration is the ability to maintain focused attention on an object or the task at hand without distractions, and is key to achieving sporting success. In yoga, concentration is worked mainly through Treatk (Fix the look), Nasagra-drishti (nasal contemplation), Brahmadya-drishti (frontal contemplation).
According to the results of a study from the University of Illinois**, the subjects who participated in the research and who practiced yoga had a better ability to concentrate and processed information more quickly** and with greater precision. They also learned, maintained and updated information in less time.
10. Improves resistance
Although sports performance is multifactorial, it is evident that endurance plays an important role in sport. According to science, Yoga improves both aerobic and anaerobic endurance A study by Aslan and Livanelioglu concluded that a group of subjects who trained four times a day for six weeks improved 9.8% on the Cooper test, a test that measures aerobic capacity.
It appears that, although yoga is not an aerobic exercise, yogic breathing (pranayama) increases lung capacity by improving the flexibility of the rib cage and allowing the lungs to fully expand, as explained a study published in Yoga Journal. On the other hand, research by Cowen and Adams, which evaluated the relationship between yoga and anaerobic resistance, showed that both ashtanga yoga As the hatha yoga cause an improvement in this type of resistance.
