Yoga has been proven to improve proprioception and balance. Studies have shown a significant reduction in falls in those who practise yoga. Balance is a huge asset in most sports, as is proprioception; awareness of where the body is in space. This not only minimises accidents or injury, but also allows an athlete to consider their form better and feel for when their body is moving inefficiently.

A tailored yoga practise allows us to strengthen what needs strengthened and lengthen what needs lengthened, in order to meet the demands of a particular sport. For example, studies on running have shown that there is an optimal degree of flexibility and stiffness required to maximise running economy. This delicate balance can be effectively achieved through yoga.

Yoga is a useful prehab practise and if performed optimally, can make us anti-fragile. Studies have shown that variability and diversity of movement of a particular joint or muscle reduces the chances of injury. For example, an ankle that is trained and strengthened by balancing on one foot, slack-lining and using a balance beam is far more resilient than one that only runs and is limited in its mobility. Therefore, since the nature of yoga encompasses diverse movement patterns, it can be used as a great prehab tool.

Yoga can also be used to support rehab if required. Working in conjunction with a physio is a great idea, as the rehabilitation exercises can be built into the yoga program over the short, medium and long term (post recovery). 

Breath-work has great benefits for athletes. At the most basic level, most people are not breathing correctly. Yoga can train the biomechanics of breath by improving posture, mobility of the thoracic cage and functionality of the respiratory muscles, which will improve the quality of breath. 

Biochemistry of breath can also be explored through yoga. Utilising oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitric oxide to the right degree can improve circulation, aerobic capacity, performance and more.

Breath-work such as nasal breathing, breath retention and hypoventilation practises can be used to facilitate optimum oxygen uptake in the blood, which can boost performance. Breath-work practises such as these, also increase an athlete’s tolerance to carbon dioxide. This allows for greater physical exertion for less perceived effort, something all athletes want! These exercises can be used in a similar manner to prepare for, or simulate high altitude training. 

We can also use the breath to ramp up the parasympathetic nervous system. This is the optimum state for recovery and boosts the immune system. It is a great skill to learn that an athlete can opt into when needed. The opposite can also be applied by ramping up the sympathetic nervous system when action and focus is needed.

Scientific studies have shown that yoga can change the physiology of our brain; often referred to as neuroplasticity. These studies found that yoga practitioners tend to have a larger amygdala; the part of the brain that helps to regulate emotions. The same was true for the prefrontal cortex, which is core to decision making. An athlete could benefit from this in terms of managing their emotions on race day, or making better decisions during the high pressure environment of a race.

Yoga and meditation are effective tools to quiet the mind. Learning this skill and gaining autonomy over the mind, which may have previously run riot, gives a sense of control over our thoughts and emotions. This agency of self leads to confidence, a necessary attribute for any athlete. Meditation can also allow us to reset the mind if negative chatter creeps in. This ability to flip the script of the mind is an invaluable skill that keeps winners winning, even when they are thrown curveballs. 

A core principle of Ashtanga yoga is Tapas; derived from the Sanskrit ‘to burn’. It’s about having courage to face the discomfort that inevitably comes with self improvement. Athletes also have to suffer, it’s part of the game. A win or loss can be down to who is willing to suffer more. It makes sense therefore, to train this resiliency of spirit at the innermost part of the being, through yoga. Simultaneously, yoga also encourages us to accept our current state, what we can or can’t do, with complete kindness to ourselves. This supports an athlete’s mental health and their ability to cope when things don’t go to plan. 

Flow state can be described as a place of optimum performance, where everything else is quietened, except intense but somewhat relaxed or surrendered focus on the task at hand. Flow state principles can be trained very effectively through yoga. The more familiar athletes are with it and how to get into it, the more successfully they can apply it in sport.