Yoga in its simplest form literally means to “yoke” the breath with the movement. To join them together. We all breathe innately. Our bodies are awesome machines that function well without our help. However, by purposefully linking our breath to our movement, we can help our body function at its very best.
Here are two benefits of dynamic yoga for volleyball athletes, especially during preseason:
Oxygen efficiency
During preseason, a dynamic yoga practice can serve you because you are actively linking your breathing patterns to each movement. For example, we inhale to move into a position and exhale to move out of it. The exhale comes when the work is being done, such as a jump serve or set across the court. A purposeful exhale can create safer movement, allow for more powerful movement and can focus the mind. So, if we learn to move on our yoga mat in this fashion, the breath becomes more controlled. The more you practice this breath control while moving, the more you will increase your oxygen efficiency. When you have a greater oxygen efficiency, you will not get winded on the court as quickly as your opponent. Thus, you can play longer rallies, games and tournaments without getting fatigued.
Flexibility
During the preseason, you are preparing your body for intense play. You are training and testing your limits. You want to be mobile and strong during this period. A dynamic yoga practice aids that process by keeping you flexible, increasing your range of motion and maintaining all the strength you have gained in the gym. This type of practice is based in ashtanga vinyasa and may include sequences such as sun salutations, standing and balancing postures and multiplanar transitions. You might also see active isolated postures or dynamic stretches that mimic your performance on the court.
Dynamic yoga is designed to improve soft-tissue extensibility in all planes of motion by employing the neurophysiological principle of reciprocal inhibition. Active flexibility uses agonists and synergists to actively move a limb through a range of motion, while the functional antagonists are being stretched. The use of a muscle’s own force production and the body’s momentum to take a joint through the full available range of motion is dynamic stretching. The goal of any flexibility routine is to create multiplanar soft-tissue extensibility that is controlled by the Central Nervous System (CNS). Though there are many types of flexibility training, no single method can improve every flexibility deficit. But when it comes to the preseason, dynamic yoga is a safe bet for healthy athletes.
Join us for some pre season appropriate, dynamic yoga for athletes on yaxonline.com. You will increase flexibility, develop joint stability, and build determination. Our mindful yoga classes link movement to unhurried breath, intensified by holding postures to awaken the body and clear the mind. Explore the details of each posture at a comfortable pace, allowing your body to deepen into a stretch or pause in a strength-building pose. The goal is to increase flexibility, increase ROM, increase joint stability, increase oxygen efficiency, decrease risk of injury, and keep you playing your sport.
Check out YAX Online for volleyball specific, performance breathwork videos. Click HERE to get started. Use code JVA30 at checkout for 30% off monthly, 6 month or yearly options! Get your free yoga breathwork video here.
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About the Author
Kalynn Evans (B.S., NASM-CPT, E-RYT 200, FMSC, XPT Coach) is the Owner of Yoga Athletex, LLC alongside her sister Patricia Bomar. She grew up playing volleyball; her mom and coach was a former college volleyball player at University of Houston and then a member of the US national team, so volleyball was instilled in her from a young age. Kalynn played club volleyball for 7 years at Club Texas in Houston. She played D1 college volleyball at SE Louisiana where she graduated with an accounting degree. Having some back and hip injuries throughout her volleyball career led Kalynn to practice yoga, and want to offer yoga to youth and adult athletes to prevent and rehabilitate injury. She completed her 200 RYT in 2013, completed Yin and Restorative Trainings in 2015 and 2016, FMS Cert 2016, and NASM-CPT in 2017 and XPT coaching certificate in 2018.
Kalynn’s Instagram: @kalynnevans
YAX Online Instagram: @yaxonline
Yoga Athletex: @yogaathletex
