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:

1. Deep Breathing: Weight lifting is often accompanied by grunting and tension in the breath. Learning to breathe deeply can help reduce internal injuries.
2. Side Bends: Side bends open up the ribs and improve flexibility in the back to prevent back injuries.
3. 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.
4. Flash Prep: This exercise strengthens the arms as well as the hamstrings and back. Great for the Achilles, lats, and pecs.
5. 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.