YOGA FOR CROSS-TRAINING

More and more athletes have discovered that yoga is a valuable complement to their exercise programs. The complete body workout that yoga offers adds a new dimension to an otherwise one sided workout. A typical runner suffers from muscle rigidity as a direct result of the runner's one-dimensional workouts. When you run, swim or lift weights, you perform a specific action over and over again. This repetition results in a body that is structurally out of shape and excessively tight which in turn makes it more prone to training related injuries. This is where yoga can help. A regular yoga practice will increase your flexibility, improve your balance, help strengthen and tone your muscles and help you to experience deep relaxation. Yoga is one of the best disciplines for strengthening and toning your muscles which are shortened and tightened in cross training. Yoga works all the muscles in your body so there is no danger of developing imbalanced muscle groups. The stretching that you engage in during your yoga practice helps lengthen and stretch muscles thereby reducing the risk of injuries. This stretching also strengthens and tones the muscles thus building endurance and stamina.

Yoga improves your flexibility. Increased flexibility then eliminates the tightness that leads to pain by opening up your joints. By adding a regular yoga practice to your routine, you'll bring flexibility back to these muscles and ligaments which in turn lead to a more relaxed and efficient workout.

Yoga helps promote a sense of relaxation. Tense muscles often contribute to pain. Relaxing muscles helps to minimize the pain that is associated with it. Tense muscles don’t receive enough blood. Breathing deeply as practiced in yoga, helps to relax your muscles and increase your capacity to deliver much needed oxygen to the working muscles more efficiently. Thus leading to better endurance. By adding the counterbalancing benefits of yoga you not only elongate and strengthen your overtaxed muscles, but also reap benefits such as better body alignment, greater endurance and a general sense of well-being.