Why should everyone exercise yoga if they were athletes or not?

Athletes—especially professional athletes—have trainers who prepare weight training regimens and stretching exercises for them. Athletes have coaches who observe and correct every movement they perform, and they have physicians who check them for injuries. So, do they really need one more way to train? The answer is yes. They should do yoga, because it provides an extra edge through balance, flexibility, breath, and mental sharpness.

The desire to improve is a key component of competitive sport, and all athletes have room for improvement in their sport or training. Athletic careers are characterized by a chase for a better time, a stronger body, better split-second decisions, the ability to take a harder hit, and other ways of advancing. Every small improvement gives athletes an edge in achieving their goals for better performance. Whether they are professional athletes competing against others or amateurs competing to improve themselves, yoga can bring that special edge to their performance.

Training for your specific sport or activity includes strengthening and conditioning your muscles. Each sport emphasizes some muscle groups over others. Yoga can help bring balance to all the muscle groups of the body. 

This text isn’t as comprehensive as an anatomy text, but it does address the major muscle groups that are targeted in the exercises. Figure  

1.1 provides an overview of the major muscle groups from the anterior (front) and posterior (rear) view. Refer back to this figure as you learn the exercises in this book.

Yoga is a particularly effective training tool for athletes because it weaves together stretching, strength building, breathing, and balance. 

This combination offers an edge. Each athlete has unique needs, and a yoga practice benefits everyone in a special way. This chapter outlines some of the many ways that a yoga practice can improve athletic performance.

For each of the benefits of yoga for athletic performance, you can find
yoga poses to maximize that benefit.