Developing a yoga class for athletes

Triathlon Forum
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The owner and head instructor at the yoga studio I go to is looking to develop a class for athletes and is asking for my input. While I am sure she will want to target people from a variety of sports, I am selfishly thinking of what would be best for myself, my training partners and the triathletes I coach (many of whom don’t currently do yoga).

I have noticed that I personally prefer a restorative class since my training often gives me enough intensity, and my first concern is that the yoga instructor will feel the need to make a class for athletes more intense and strength based. However, this is my personal bias and possibly not how many other triathletes feel.

So I put it out to you, the greater ST community: If you could design a yoga class, how would you do it? We are looking at something that would go from January to April (pre-season).

Namaste

Mike

2

Try Kimberly Fowler’s “Yoga for Athletes (R)” No Chanting - No Granola - No Sanskrit. Awesome workout!
http://go2yas.com/

3

Personally, I find that the more intense my triathlon-specific workouts are, the more restorative I prefer my yoga practice to be. That being said, since the class will be running from January to April, it would probably help the athletes if some strength work were to be incorporated. Perhaps if the class were to include both core strength/balance exercises and restorative poses it would be helpful to all.

How often would the class be held? Perhaps there could be a different focus each day (i.e., upper body, lower body, core, balance, general flexibility). Athletes would then be able to choose classes based on their personal needs.

4

I personally like a yoga class that’s basically ashtanga + vinyasa flow (going through series A and series B in entirety), so you get your heart rate up and have a pretty steady workpace. Then on to some balancing poses to work the little muscles and the soft tissue in the lower calves and feet. Some more vinyasas to connect poses like triangle, reverse lunge, side angle, plank, side plank, etc. that get at the groin, hip, core strength, and full-body extension and stretching. Pigeon, of course, for the piriformis. Arm balances like crow and titibasana to work on core strength and shoulder strength. Couple of backbends, then your inversion of choice (I find that forearm stand works the shoulders and lats in ways that are complementary to swimming). End with a reclined twist and corpse pose. A energetic yet relaxing 75 minutes.

My husband and I are both runners and cyclists, but he does not swim. He finds that the yoga has done wonders for his core strength, his inflexible hips and ankles, and his stretched-tight IT bands. I find that it’s a good full-body workout, and that the standing poses have really helped me keep the plantar fasciitis at bay.

5

I think the first decision to be made is if this class will focus on flexibility and opening up the body or strength and overall stability. There isn’t any reason why both aspects can’t be incorporated into a nice 60-90min class though. Runners typically have fairly stiff lower bodies and as triathletes, improving ankle, hamstring, and hip flexibility should be a major focus to help with both swimming (ankle flexibility) and cycling (hamsrting flexibility). I’ve got the DVD mentioned above and it’s a nice routine that works through some of the basic positions focused on athletic strength and stretching. I also take a weekly all-levels or power yoga class which I like because of the variation from class to class that you don’t get with a DVD.

6

Completely agree with a bonafide Restoration Class. We have a very talented gal where I go that focuses on hips and back in the class with no regard whatsoever for athletic performance. I was thinking just yesterday how varied the class attendees are based on body type and fitness levels; upon casual observation of the class attendees, you would not make a connection to potential gains in athletic performance. I try to make one at least once a week all year long. Restoration Class during the week = > watts on weekend :).

7

Hey Mike,

I used to attend a class at a local club that had a bit of inconsistency in instructors each week. One girl would do a lot of prone, supine, seated stuff and the other one was all about ‘challenging’ us with single leg poses & long-duration standing poses throughout. At the time, I had my fingers crossed that I would get the ‘easy instructor’ before each session, since I typically did the class after my tough stationary bike session. But, in retrospect, I think that challenging my stabilizers in a controlled way while my prime movers were fatigued was really beneficial. I didn’t have any over-use injuries this past year despite my highest volume to date and I think the combination of the 2 types had something to do with it.

Hope all is well and the snow isn’t spoiling your fun yet :slight_smile:

Cheers,

Alan

8

My wife is the expert on this stuff, I will forward this to her and have her give me some input.

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Thanks everyone for the good ideas and great variety of responses - keep them coming!

Alan - no snow right now (it’s actually raining right now if you can believe it). How is the rehab coming… from your bike crash, I mean :wink:

MC

10

Mike,

This is a cool idea to me. I practice Yoga and have for a couple of years. Like many athletes who start practicing, I was doing it for the core strengthening and the flexibility development. It also is a really nice work-out counterpoint to running and cycling. I understand your idea about the “restorative” class and mostly agree. Of course, you could develop different classes for different times of the year. For instance, more “restorative” classes during the season, and more intensive classes with power flows for the off season.

I think that there will be some who would be turned off by a strong presence of the “granola” or guided meditation aspect to Yoga. The funny thing is that I really think that one leads to another. Some of the greatest physical advances I have made in my practice have been because I have opened myself up to breathing and the meditative side of Yoga. It may be an awareness thing. So ideally (at least in my opinion) you must gently introduce it, or at least have some classes that have it.

Those are some of my thoughts.

Bernie

11

Hey Mike,

Yeah let’s keep my personal problems out of this :slight_smile:

So that I’m not totally off topic, I should mention that as far as yoga goes, I’m doing nothing but restorative yoga right now - only seated, supine, prone positions. Then again that could just be due to the fact that if I did a standing posture my femur might snap again hmmmmm.

Sorry to hear about the rain. I’ll do a snow-dance for ya.

Take it easy bro.

Alan

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OK, I don’t know what kind of snow dance you’re doing Alan, but please stop. It just turned to freezing rain and I hate running in that crap!

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yes, what LynneK said!

I go to yoga classes when I can, and love how stretched out I feel after it.

14

Here is some info from my wife, hope it helps

A yoga class ideally should include a balance of all asanas; (Sanskrit for postures) standing, balance, seated, prone and supine. It should also include a pranayama (breath control) practice. I know it is ideal to keep the heart rate low, and I often wonder how athletes going about this? Pranayama teaches to use the full capacity of the lungs. Many of us are chest breathers and never breathe deep into the belly, let alone into the back body. We often forget that the lungs expand 360 degrees around. There should be some sort of additional breath practice being taught in addition 3 part breath and/or ujjayi which are usually done during the asana practice. Breathing, can help to either calm or excite the entire nervous system. So when the breath becomes irregular and unsteady, the mental state also becomes unsteady. However, when the breath is calm and steady, so is the mind. This leads me into the final pose of yoga practices…savasana (corpse pose). My students always laugh when I tell them this is one of the most difficult postures in the entire practice. Savasana, is about being still in both the body and the mind. From an athlete’s perspective, you might look at savasana as your recovery time. You have done all of these postures…strenuous or not…and savasana is your time to allow it to integrate. Ideally, your breath practice; usually nadi shodhana, (alternate nostril breathing) would come after your asana practice to prepare you for meditation. Regardless of your religion or creed, this too is an important part of training. So much of training is dynamic and taking the time to sit and get quiet creates balance. It also teaches concentration and focus…which last I checked was a big part of racing :slight_smile:

For those who mentioned reducing problems with fascia, you might look into taking a yin yoga class. Yin holds postures for about 3 minutes with the muscles relaxed in order to work the connective tissue. Restorative postures are usually included in this class as well.

Those of you who enjoy restorative classes…I don’t blame you! They’re lovely! In a restorative class, you are fully supported by blankets/bolsters/blocks etc. So many of us don’t give ourselves permission to slow down. If you can get to a restorative class I definitely recommend it…as long as it is at least an hour and a half long. That’s my opinion.

I can’t remember the person who mentioned “inconsistencies between instructors” at the gym, but I thought this was an interesting word to use. No two classes will ever be the same. Chances are if you take a vinyasa class at 2 different studios they will be nothing alike. Just because the class may have the same name, the instructors will teach differently. This is primarily do to the training (or lack of) they have received. To locate a reputable teacher in your area, it is best to go to the Yoga Alliance website at www.yogaalliance.org They set the standards for us. The teachers listed on the Yoga Alliance website have attended a credible school and are required to fulfill continuing education requirements as well.

Finally, always tell your instructor of any chronic or acute injuries, un-medicated high blood pressure or eye disease. Also be sure to mention any medications you might be currently taking. We want you and others in the class to be safe and can only create that environment if you provide the information.

Hope this was somewhat helpful!

Shannon Clark, RYT

15

Here is another take by my wife, she is watching this thread!!

Bernie says " you could develop different classes for different times of the
year. For instance, more “restorative” classes during the season, and more
intensive classes with power flows for the off season"

I would agree with this mainly because it creates balance. Restoratives are
cooling and are ideal to do in the heat of summer (or as a balance to your
grueling workouts). Your power yogas are the opposite and if you’re looking
to build heat in the winter this will do it. Not many of us enjoy a cooling
practice regardless of the time of year because our egos tell us that if
we’re not sweating we must not be working hard enough. On the other hand,
if you’re like me and are rooted in fire then a hot practice isn’t
necessarily good…unless of course your out of balance…which I am most of
the time :slight_smile: If any of you are familiar with Ayurveda (yoga’s sister
science), you know what I’m talking about.

Getting off my soapbox for now…at least until someone else mentions
granola…hahaha.

16

Often when I go to Yoga class, our instructor asks what we are looking for out of that session. Generally, I don’t suggest much (unless I’m really in the mood for something) because I figure that I will trust her to give me what I need rather than what I want. Most of my practice is at home with a DVD or a flow out of the Yoga Journal. So when I go to class it is nice to just sort of get that change of pace.

I really like what your wife said in the thread above. There are definitely some pearls up there.

As far as “ego” goes, my ego goes away during Yoga. I’m about as flexible as an aluminum rod. But it is a journey and I keep travelling, one step at a time! Some of the Ayurveda stuff I have read is really cool, and I really appreciate it as I study Yoga more and more.

Hey, man, you gotta have your granola!!!

Bernie

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I really like what your wife said in the thread above. There are definitely some pearls up there.

I know, she’s great with this stuff. It has been enlightening for me.

18

I really like what your wife said in the thread above. There are definitely some pearls up there.
I know, she’s great with this stuff. It has been enlightening for me.

Can you do these Yoga poses in the tanning booth?

:slight_smile: