Yoga and Athletic Performance: The Mind-Body Connection

As a competitive equestrian, I was drawn to yoga over 25 years ago after a serious riding accident. I exercised regularly and considered myself fit and strong. But I discovered that if I truly wanted to communicate more effectively with my horse, I needed more. Riding requires exquisite control and awareness of the body, the breath, and the mind. Strength and aerobic conditioning are a given, but this simply isn’t enough.  That holds true for many sports.

When I found yoga, it became not only a passion but eventually a way of being in the world

As a cardiologist, I intuitively applied the lessons of yoga to my daily life. Taking a mindful pause gave me a means to be present, to connect with my patients and deal with the complexities of their care at the same time.

Creating a regular yoga practice was challenging at first. I loved attending evening yoga classes at the local studio, but that wasn’t always practical given my unpredictable schedule. Thanks to online options, even when my day went haywire, I discovered that yoga was a practice that I could access no matter where I was, or what the hour.

Although I didn’t realize it at the time of my first encounter (it was the 1990s after all), athletes of all stripes are drawn to yoga for the very same reasons. It’s not just a trend. There is strong support from the scientific and medical literature. In this article, I’ll touch on the ways that yoga can enhance both physical and mental performance for athletes.

Yoga and Physical performance: Strength, Flexibility, and Balance

Improved Flexibility and Range of Motion

Yoga's emphasis on healthy flexibility can be especially beneficial for athletes who are constantly in motion, where stiffness in muscles can restrict movement or cause strain. It’s not just for tennis players, bikers, or hikers. One study found improvement in hamstring flexibility in rugby players. And many NFL players find yoga to be an important part of their training regimen.

Strength and Stability

While yoga is often associated with flexibility, it also promotes muscle endurance and strength. Key areas like the core, legs, shoulder girdle, and back are essential for balance and stability. Sports like golf and equestrian activities demand the ability to maintain stability in certain muscle groups while achieving precise, focused movements with others. Holding poses such as Warrior II and Plank builds strength, particularly in these stabilizing muscles.

There’s also good evidence that yoga can improve cardiac and respiratory fitness, which is vital for just about any sport.

Better Balance and Coordination

Yoga is a great way to enhance proprioception, which is your body’s ability to sense your position in space. This is what helps you to find and keep your balance. Poses like Tree Pose and Half Moon pose challenge your neuromuscular system, creating both balance and body awareness. As a result, you’ll also enhance your coordination.

Yoga and Mental Performance: Focus, Resilience, and Stress Reduction

Mental Focus and Concentration

Yoga’s mindfulness techniques, including breathwork and meditation, help you to remain present and focused. Research has found that yoga practitioners experience enhanced cognitive function, improved attention, and increased mental clarity.

That means that whether it's maintaining a steady breath during a challenging climb or staying calm through your golf swing, yoga helps you to remain centered, minimizing the impact of distractions. And these benefits can carry over to your daily life.

Stress Management

It’s common to experience physical as well as mental stress from the pressures of competition.  Both yoga and meditation may help reduce your body’s production of stress chemicals like cortisol. This may be one reason that yoga practitioners tend to perform better under pressure and recover more quickly from setbacks along the way.

Building Emotional Resilience

If you’re an athlete, you know that you can never take a win for granted. It’s part of the challenge that keeps you coming back. Yoga teaches emotional resilience by encouraging non-attachment to outcomes and focusing on effort and intention. This mindset, reinforced by yoga's meditative practices, eases the sting of disappointment or frustration.

Conclusion

Yoga is not a means to an end. It is a practice that can offer lifelong benefits. Integrating yoga into your training regimen can enhance flexibility, strength, balance, and focus, while also fostering resilience and a sense of calm.