Vol. 16 •Issue 6
• Page 53
Two of a Kind
Athletes can strike a balance with yoga and Pilates.
By Rachel Marusak
In the last few years, coaches of high-level athletes have been integrating yoga and Pilates into cross-training programs with promising results, namely fewer injuries and improved performance. Yoga and Pilates can benefit anyone, but athletes who are subjected to repetitive movements and asymmetric body build-up are ideal targets for balance-inspired workouts.
Although both techniques require body awareness and concentrated breathing, they're different disciplines. Before you prescribe a yoga- or Pilates-based regimen to an athlete, consider their distinctions to ensure the best results.
Healing History
Yoga is a form of physical and mental meditation that allows awareness and a deeper understanding of self. Put in athletic terms, it's about getting in "the zone."
"An athlete's state of mind at peak performance is comparable to a yogi's meditative place," says Tara Fraser, founder and co-director of Yoga Junction, a yoga studio based in the United Kingdom and author of several books on yoga, including The Easy Yoga Workbook and Yoga Bliss.
However, athletes who are used to pushing the limits in physically strenuous ways often consider yoga counterintuitive. But the mental training is beneficial and can help an athlete go the extra mile.
"Yoga is a brilliant form of cross-training for the mind and body," Fraser says. "It allows an athlete to get a better grip of the mental processÉ The challenge is to relax in a position and sit still."
Pilates, which is partly based on yoga principles, also calls for concentrated control of the body. The difference is its emphasis on strengthening the core postural muscles. The Pilates method was designed to rehabilitate injured soldiers during the early 20th century. Today, Pilates is a series of low-impact flexibility and muscular-endurance exercises.
"Pilates is great for athletes because it strengthens your core and teaches you how to use those muscles," says Howard Schissler, an A-certified Stott Pilates instructor and owner of a Pilates studio in New York City. "Endurance doesn't come from your limbs, but from your back and your abdominals. That's what gives you power."
While a yoga studio is sparsely decorated with floor mats, a Pilates studio is dominated by machines. The Cadillac and Reformer—the most popular Pilates apparatuses—feature belts, sliding seats and bars. The equipment targets specific muscles and teaches mental muscle control. For athletes, the goal isn't to work as hard as they can, but to do the exercises correctly, says Schissler.
Athletic Armor
Athletes who subscribe to yoga or Pilates often have coaches or trainers who build the disciplines into their training regimens. Consider Chanel Luck, a certified yoga teacher and body worker, and co-founder of YogaThree in Boston, Mass. Luck currently trains the Harvard swim team, and has trained Olympic runners, the North-eastern University swim team and a world-class weight team.
A former figure skater and swimmer, Luck was injured at 16 years old and spent 2 years in a back brace. "When I stepped onto the mat in the yoga studio, I knew it was for me. Yoga really helped me to heal," she says.
When designing workouts for her athletes, Luck prefers a type of yoga that focuses on flexibility, range of motion, balance and mental focus, and provides a deep muscle core workout. Luck says her teams credit the yoga sessions and exercises for making them faster, more flexible and better rested.
Before Luck prescribes a workout, she spends time observing and consulting with the athletes. Nuances in routines dictate different strategies. For example, a mid-distance swimmer's workout isn't the same as a sprinter's.
Luck also underscores the importance of considering injuries and diagnoses by health care professionals. "As yoga has become so popular—almost a fad—an athlete needs to be cautious before beginning a yoga program. There must be a dialogue between the physical therapist and the yoga instructor," she says.
Finding Balance
Customization is vital to designing an athlete's cross-training program. But there are sport-specific exercises that yoga and Pilates instructors can recommend for athletes. Consider how the following moves can counter common imbalances and asymmetries.
Chest opener for swimmers' shoulders. Shoulder injuries are common among swimmers. Luck says this exercise can benefit athletes regardless of swim style or distance.
To perform, stand in a position 6 to 12 inches from the wall with the right foot forward. Reach the right arm behind the body, extend fully, and place the right hand on the wall. Gently twist the torso away from the wall, feeling the pectoralis, biceps and deltoid muscles stretch. It's important to keep the hips aligned without tensing the opposite shoulder or side of the body, and breathe deeply into the upper chest and armpit.
"The idea is to make space by putting breath into the shoulder," Luck says. Hold the position for 10 to 15 breaths and repeat the exercise on the other side.
Arc bow bend for rowers' back. "This stretch is great to balance a habitually hunched posture by opening up the spine," says Schissler.
Sit against the arc bow apparatus–a sturdy block that supports a curved back–and slide up and over it until you're arched over the bow. Gently hold the head with both hands for support. Rest in the position with regulated deep breathing for 10 minutes.
Fitness circles for cyclists' inner thighs. This exercise balances the leg adductors, which is important for cyclists who sit in the saddle for hours. To perform, lie flat on the mat and raise both knees toward the stomach, stopping above the hips.
Place a large fitness ball between the knees, and use the core muscles to contract and pulse. Although this exercise works the inner thighs, Schissler says people shouldn't think of it as a leg exercise. Instead, use the back and stomach muscles.
Cow face for tennis players' arms. The cow face is a statically held yoga position that stretches the arm and shoulder muscles. Athletes of racket sports or sports that involve asymmetric upper body movement, such as archery, can benefit from this move.
Start by standing on the mat, feet together, hips tucked, back straight and shoulders back. In one fluid motion, position the left arm behind the back. Bend the elbow and allow the left hand to reach as far up the back as possible. Check the balance and alignment of the hips, shoulders and back.
Then lift the right arm straight up and bend the elbow to join the hands behind the back. Hold for a few minutes and repeat on the other side.
Figure four back release for every athlete. This position can help relieve low back pain, and stretches tight hips and buttocks.
To begin, lie on your back and cross your right leg over your left leg to make a number four. Allow the right foot to hang off the left thigh, keeping the right foot flexed to protect the knee.
Reach your right hand through the triangle between your legs, and wrap your left arm around the outside of the left leg to clasp the right hand.
Bend and pull the left leg in toward the chest, as you gently guide the right leg away from the body.
For a variation that stretches the hamstring, straighten the left leg, reach out from between the legs and grab behind the calf. More flexible athletes can grab the foot and pull the left leg toward the head.
The hundred for every athlete. This abdominal exercise is a Pilates move that benefits all athletes. Begin by lying on the back, tucking in the chin, and lifting the head and shoulder blades off the mat.
Keeping the legs straight and looking toward the stomach, instruct a client to raise the legs two inches off the floor. Scoop the stomach, pushing the belly button toward the floor, then raise the arms a few inches off the floor and pulse the hundred.
Yoga and Pilates instructors use the exercises within their disciplines to position athletes' bodies in new ways that can counter imbalances. However, some moves may be too challenging, especially for bulked-up or inflexible athletes. Pilates equipment lets users work at their own pace, and classic yoga positions can be simplified with chairs, blocks and belts.
By strengthening core muscles, developing breathing and increasing flexibility, yoga and Pilates can be complementary to an athlete's training. When athletes realize the benefits, they'll be able to make the most of these cross-training regimens.
Rachel Marusak is a freelance writer and is pursuing a master's degree in journalism in Strasbourg, France.
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