September is National Yoga Month; a time originally established to raise awareness about yoga’s health benefits and encourage new practitioners to explore this ancient discipline. For gym-goers and athletes-alike, like our GymIt members, this month presents the perfect opportunity to discover how basic yoga principles can revolutionize your training routine!
Why Every Lifter Should Care About Yoga
Yoga isn’t about perfecting Instagram-worthy poses; it’s about building a more resilient, flexible, and mentally focused athlete. The practice addresses common issues plaguing serious gym-goers: tight hip flexors from too much sitting, rounded shoulders from bench pressing, and the chronic tension that limits range of motion and increases injury risk. By incorporating yoga-based movements, you’re essentially giving your body the maintenance it needs to perform at peak levels.
Essential Poses for Your Training Arsenal
- Downward Facing Dog – Perfect for opening tight shoulders and lengthening your posterior chain after heavy deadlift sessions. Hold for 30-60 seconds, focusing on pressing your hands firmly into the ground while reaching your tailbone toward the ceiling
- Pigeon Pose – A game-changer for hip mobility, especially crucial for squatters. Start in a low lunge, bring your front shin parallel to the mat’s front edge, and slowly lower down. This targets those stubborn hip flexors that traditional stretching often lacks
- Cat-Cow Stretches – Begin on hands and knees, alternating between arching your back (cow) and rounding it (cat). This spinal mobility work is essential for anyone who spends time under a barbell or hunched over weights
- Warrior III – Build single-leg stability and core strength by balancing on one foot while extending your opposite leg behind you, arms reaching forward. This challenges your body’s sensory receptors and addresses muscle imbalances that can derail your lifts
Breathing for Better Performance
One of yoga’s most underutilized tools is breath control. The 4-7-8 breathing technique (inhale for 4 counts, hold for 7, exhale for 8) activates your parasympathetic nervous system, promoting faster recovery between intense training sessions. Practice this for 5 minutes post-workout to help your body shift from fight-or-flight mode into repair and rebuild mode.
Building Your Solo Practice
Start small with 10-15 minutes of movement after your regular workouts. Focus on areas that feel tight or overworked from that day’s training. Use your smartphone timer to hold poses for 30-60 seconds, breathing deeply throughout. Remember, consistency beats perfection – five minutes of daily practice will yield better results than one hour-long session per week.
Your Training Evolution Starts Now
For Yoga Month, why not challenge yourself to incorporate these evidence-based recovery tools into your routine?! Your joints will move better, your muscles will recover faster, and you might just discover that the mind-body connection you develop on the mat translates to more focused, powerful training sessions. Plus, if you want a guided practice, GymIt Brookline trainer, Maddi, is leading a complimentary outdoor Vinyasa Flow Yoga Class on Saturdays at Coolidge Park in Brookline from 10-11am through September 13. Learn more here!
