Yoga and Training

#4 - Eagle Pose

So I think I mentioned somewhere that I got into yoga a few plus years ago.  Bikram yoga to be more specific.  I practiced for years about 6 days a week, loved it, but wasn't really training for triathlons at that time.  So now that I am more in training mode, I feel like yoga actually seems easier.   Even though I sometimes feel sore and tight in many places, it all flows better.  One of the instructors last night made a comment in class that I actually heard.  Sometimes I zone out.  He said when we do sports we break down our bodies, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, in my humble opinion.  As we know in order to build muscle we have to 'work' it, push it to a limit without overdue use to become stronger, build larger muscles, etc... But in yoga, it's more like therapy in motion.  So all of a sudden in class I felt like I was putting myself through my own massage session.  Although a massage is definitely better!   As athletes we beat up our bodies often and then we go about our day, work, kids, demands that require our attention so in yoga, you get to be kind to yourself, let yourself be there for 60/90 minutes of just you.  I know it is probably hard to squeeze that much additional time out of the day when you already spend a fair amount training, but since the cooler temperatures are on the way, for much of the country anyway, maybe now is a good time to taper down and try to incorporate some yoga.  You may find what I do, that it does help.  Body, mind and spirit.  I found someone who is a bit of an expert on the subject, written a few books, has video's with many great tips that I thought I would share.  If you can't go to a class, doing some of the postures in a quite place at home can be the next best thing.  Namaste

http://sagerountree.com/media/books/the-athletes-guide-to-yoga/

26 Bikram Yoga Postures - Done in order, each 2x's

Triathleta