Yoga Plug

Stiff? Sore? Tight? Need to stretch?

If you're any kind of an athlete, or basically any kind of a hominid, your answer most days will be a resounding YES.

Take my shoulders and back today. After a 30 minute swim, I hit the weight room for 3 sets each of pull-ups, push-ups, tricep extensions, bicep curls, upright rows, shoulder presses, and then some core work. I stretched a bit afterwards, but today I could use some more. I don't have time for a full yoga class, but sure would like to spend 10-15 minutes doing some quick yoga stretches that target my arms, shoulders, and upper back.

Lucky for me, I have a 12-minute shoulder stretch podcast downloaded on my mp3 player. It's one of many short yoga podcasts available for FREE from Sage Rountree, a yoga instructor/triathlete (and Robyn's tri coach) in North Carolina.

These podcasts are great!!! You download them, and then can use them after a workout, on your lunch break, or any time you feel the need to stretch (which, again, if you're doing any kind of training, you feel the need to stretch pretty much all the time!) I recommend watching the video that goes with the podcast the first time you do the routine, just to make sure you're getting everything correct. After that, take it on the go.

Sage has also recently published a book called The Athlete's Guide to Yoga, which I highly recommend. If you're new to yoga, this book is simple enough to get you started. And if you've been practicing yoga for a while, there's great information on how to work your yoga into your training program. The pictures are terrific, and it's a practical, no-froo-froo guide to incorporating yoga into your athletic lifestyle.

So... now you have no excuses. Download a podcast, read the book, or just make it up on your own. However you decide to do it, work a little yoga into your day and you'll feel better, perform better, and have a better recovery from your workout!