Yoga and Summertime: Atheletes

Summertime is the time I use to "catch up". With practitioners moving outdoors to take advantage of the gorgeous Seattle weather, I shift my focus towards dance performance and what I like to call Seattle's "high season" of Bellydance (aka Middle Eastern dance) with the following free public festivals:

NW Folklife Festival (May 22- 25)

Mediterranean Fantasy Festival (July 17 - 19)

Arab Festival (dates to come)

I wrap up my group classes (Yoga for Eating Disorders and Yoga at Rainier Health and Fitness) for the summer, and I also head outdoors. An example is Yoga on Alki Beach (meet at the statue). If the weather holds, I'm down there doing pratypana (warm ups), pranyama (breathing techniques), and modified yoga asana while facing the water. You are welcome to join in, watch, ask questions, or just take one of my free newsletters, which includes "Five Tips to Your Best Summer...Ever." 

I also like to consider the intersection between Yoga and other sport activities, such as running, soccer, tennis, and bicycling. Using Yoga to control your breathing and release prana (life force) is an essential element to any physical activity. 

Recently, I spoke with a young football player who has had some difficulty with breathing. After conducting a session focus on breath technique and meditation, there was a visible positive result! Of course, he had been advised to see a doctor and rule out any physiological explanations for his breathing difficulties. I expect to hear back how these techniques helped him with his football training. But it was no surprise to hear that his team uses some modified Yoga Asana (Postures) to help them improve their strength, control and focus, and agility. 

Got a story about Yoga and your sport activity? Shoot me a response.