Why Athletes Should Consider Doing Yoga

For athletes to reach their peak performance – and do so for a very long period– they need to supplement their training with physical and mental drills. One such activity that has become well-loved by many athletes is yoga, for a variety of reasons, including the following:

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Strength: The common way to improve strength is weightlifting. But yoga can help in this aspect because the consistent practice of the poses, called asanas, requires holding up one’s own weight. These postures can greatly develop core body stability, utilize various muscle groups, and create a more balanced overall strength.

Flexibility: In many sports, flexibility plays a critical role so that there is an increased range of motion and series of movements becomes easier to perform. Injuries can also be minimized with better flexibility. Even in non-sports activities, litheness can be beneficial. By doing yoga, flexibility in joints and muscles are developed.

Balance: Lack of balance has contributed to plenty injuries across various sports and physical exercises. Because yoga helps improve control of the body and coordination of the different body parts, those who seek to develop better balance should consider practicing yoga.

Mental control: Yoga includes rigorous corpse poses, also known as savasana, which are as essential as asanas. These postures require meditation, which can help athletes gain better control of their mental faculties.

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Bob Mims, CPA, promotes the importance of staying active through several physical exercises, such as yoga, P90X, and swimming. For similar reads, visit this blog.

Does P90X really work?

P90X is a product of Beachbody.com that allows people to work out at home with minimal equipment. Workouts for this lineup of routines last around 50 to 70 minutes with warmups and cooldowns. But does the entire program really work? Ideally, it does.

There is a key though to P90X – consistency.

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It’s very easy to start the routine and fall off the wagon after just a week or two. Most of the people who say the program doesn’t work either stopped before the half-way point or never followed the diet plan. Yes, there’s also a diet plan, which shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone since any workout plan should also come with a nutrition plan.

P90X also comes with a number of schedules depending on one’s health goals. Given the variety of routines in the program, it’s pretty easy to come up with a customized schedule. But this only works if it is balanced with cardio and weights and is followed for 90 days.

Just like any other fitness program, P90X takes discipline and a mindset that doesn’t waiver. Those who don’t succeed usually come up with excuses. They either say they’ve gotten bored with the program or they’ve got too much on their plate and they only have limited time to work out.

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For those who think they don’t have time, they should check out P90X3, which has intense programs that are half as long as P90X’s. If that still doesn’t work, then perhaps fitness isn’t for you.

Bob Mims is from Memphis, TN. He loves coaching kids in basketball, playing golf, and keeping fit and healthy. Learn more about Bob here.