Recently I had the opportunity to interview Ana Forrest, founder of Forrest yoga. In this short video, Ana discusses how yoga can benefit strength athletes of all disciplines. She also demonstrates a few exercises that will supplement a weight lifting practice and improve performance. Here are the five practices Ana highlighted during our interview:
- Deep Breathing: Weight lifting is often accompanied by grunting and tension in the breath. Learning to breathe deeply can help reduce internal injuries.
- Side Bends: Side bends open up the ribs and improve flexibility in the back to prevent back injuries.
- Elbow to Knee: A lot of weight lifters do core exercises that aggravate lower back problems. Simple abdominal exercises like elbow to knee strengthen the back and make the abdominal muscles more responsive.
- Flash Prep: This exercise strengthens the arms as well as the hamstrings and back. Great for the Achilles, lats, and pecs.
- Sun Exercises: Sun exercises serve as an excellent warm up for weight lifting practice.
If you're a strength athlete looking to get more out of your sport, find a Forrest yoga teacher in your area here.
