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Athletes & Hot Yoga

Fitness is one of the most crucial factors in distinguishing yourself from others with similar skill levels in college soccer and sports in general. While I enjoy running for leisure, sprint intervals and beep tests always brought anxiety, no matter how fit I was. A true sign of a fit player is the ability to recover quickly, bringing their heart rate down to be able to go all out again.

When I first started hot yoga, my primary goal was to improve my flexibility. Stretching had always been a chore for me, so committing to hot yoga was my way of holding myself accountable for recovery. This summer, my boyfriend and I began attending Power Vinyasa classes almost three times a week, and I quickly became addicted to the stress relief they provided. Each class offered an hour of focusing on movements, noticing subtle sensations in my muscles, and coordinating my breath with every pose. I found that yoga significantly improved my days—my body felt better, and I felt calmer and happier. The more I practiced, the more benefits I noticed, and the biggest one was my breathing during fitness activities. I started using the techniques I learned in yoga, the Ujjayi breath (in through the nose, out through the mouth). 

Last week, I got my best score ever on the Yo-Yo beep test. While I had worked hard to stay fit this summer, I didn’t do anything different than normal, and if anything, conditioned less as I had to rehab an ankle injury at times. I attribute my score to my breathing. The Ujjayi breath brought my heart rate down effortlessly, and made me feel like I could run forever. I was able to recover quicker, and focusing on my breath distracted my brain from the test and the anxiety of reaching the passing level. 

I can’t encourage yoga for athletes more, and wholeheartedly believe it should be added into every training/fitness program. If you’re wondering where to start, I recommend Hot Power Vinyasa and to find an instructor you like and can match your schedule with! Every teacher has their own style/flow and it’s important to find the one with the right intensity and focus.

Athletes & Hot Yoga

Fitness is one of the most crucial factors in distinguishing yourself from others with similar skill levels in college soccer and sports in general. While I enjoy running for leisure, sprint intervals and beep tests always brought anxiety, no matter how fit I was. A true sign of a fit player is the ability to recover quickly, bringing their heart rate down to be able to go all out again.

When I first started hot yoga, my primary goal was to improve my flexibility. Stretching had always been a chore for me, so committing to hot yoga was my way of holding myself accountable for recovery. This summer, my boyfriend and I began attending Power Vinyasa classes almost three times a week, and I quickly became addicted to the stress relief they provided. Each class offered an hour of focusing on movements, noticing subtle sensations in my muscles, and coordinating my breath with every pose. I found that yoga significantly improved my days—my body felt better, and I felt calmer and happier. The more I practiced, the more benefits I noticed, and the biggest one was my breathing during fitness activities. I started using the techniques I learned in yoga, the Ujjayi breath (in through the nose, out through the mouth). 

Last week, I got my best score ever on the Yo-Yo beep test. While I had worked hard to stay fit this summer, I didn’t do anything different than normal, and if anything, conditioned less as I had to rehab an ankle injury at times. I attribute my score to my breathing. The Ujjayi breath brought my heart rate down effortlessly, and made me feel like I could run forever. I was able to recover quicker, and focusing on my breath distracted my brain from the test and the anxiety of reaching the passing level. 

I can’t encourage yoga for athletes more, and wholeheartedly believe it should be added into every training/fitness program. If you’re wondering where to start, I recommend Hot Power Vinyasa and to find an instructor you like and can match your schedule with! Every teacher has their own style/flow and it’s important to find the one with the right intensity and focus.