As we begin to gear up for the launch of our highly anticipated yoga sequencing course, I’ve been looking back at my own journey in yoga, and I can't help but reflect on how much I've learned. When I first began my yoga journey working with athletes over 20 years ago, I'll admit that I was clueless about how to tailor sequences for different body types and sports. I remember thinking, ‘If in doubt, bring old faithful out!’ In those early days, I leaned heavily on Downward Dog to solve my sequencing problems. My big mistake was slotting in a Dog here and there, without truly understanding if i ..read more

Injured athletes often face psychological challenges with feeling excluded from their ‘tribe,’ which can be difficult to manage. Practicing activities such as yoga and meditation can help them pass the time in a productive and rewarding way, avoiding overthinking their injuries and pushing themselves too hard to return to their sport. Injured athletes face several psychological challenges, such as feeling isolated. This can be incredibly hard to manage and can often lead athletes to push too hard in their efforts to return. Fortunately, embracing activities like yoga and meditation can help i ..read more

In this blog, Hayley Winter and Leon Taylor discuss the physical and mental demands of diving and the training necessary to succeed. Leon Taylor is an Olympic athlete, BBC sports presenter, TEDx speaker on mental health, yoga teacher, and supporter of Yoga Sports Science. Leon talks about his years of training and the impact of the mental and physical demands of his sport. Hayley and Leon discuss the strength and technique involved, as well as the psychological preparation, and give examples of the effort required to make it to the Olympics. Leon Taylor. Olympic Diver Diving is an intense spo ..read more

Athletes are continuing to discover the benefits of yoga beyond its ability to make them flexible. From pre-workout activation to post-workout stretching, it aids in improving balance and helps to strengthen and stabilize the body. Moreover, it lengthens the muscles after a grueling workout to support recovery. Given the plethora of benefits, many have been drawn to the practice to boost their athletic performance. However, the physical advantages of practicing yoga are only one part of the exercise, as it is also very instrumental in improving an athlete’s mental game. Today we'll be looking ..read more

My journey to yoga came through being an athlete and a personal trainer. As an athlete in my 20’s, I was introduced to yoga through my chiropractor/mentor at the time. His insight and knowledge was years ahead of his time and I completely trusted him as I ventured to sit in what, at the time, I considered ‘torture’. I know many of you can relate to what I am talking about. Yoga ~ sitting still within oneself A scary thought, let alone to be a young athlete with a ton of energy who was being asked to slow down. Because of my trust, I set my mind to it and knew that, long term, it was going to ..read more

In the wake of 2020, an unprecedented year, may still leave you wondering what actions you can take to best support yourself in 2021, and how you can try to continue adapting to the ongoing challenges and changes. Yoga is a great practice to help feel stable in uncertain times - both on and off the mat. However, the true power of “yoga off the mat” doesn’t lie in a peaceful walk amongst the trees, but in life’s tests and challenges. Yoga asks the questions: “How can you navigate this situation with mindfulness and intention?” “Where can you be a source of light in the darkness?” When you take ..read more

Let’s take a quick trip back in time. Four years ago, we looked at the importance of breathing patterns in our 2016 presidential candidates in ,,this article. We dissected the distinction between the two respiratory performance systems: relaxed, controlled breathing within the parasympathetic nervous system, and short, sharp breathing within the sympathetic nervous system. Now four years later, we are faced with another election stitched with heavy threads of uncertainty - a controversial period of time in the midst of a global pandemic. Having a direct affect on the respiratory system, COVID ..read more

Photo credit: Newsweek I believe Roger Federer to be one of the most graceful tennis players of all time. He seems to move across the court with such effortless ease that I often feel he goes home and choreographs his matches. Besides having an outstanding team behind him that we all wish we had, it is his core strength and stability that gives him his dynamic court movement. Where strength of the core was once thought of as having six pack abs, we now know this is far from the truth for core stability. Core stability, for an athlete, is about being strong enough to come back to their center ..read more

In this blog we explore why including a simple everyday balance challenge is essential for your brain and every day movements. According to a recent report by the World Health Organization, (WHO), people losing their balance and falling is the second most common cause of accidental deaths worldwide. A shocking statistic, but one that can be linked to a more sedentary, computer-based lifestyle. A YSS favorite, Dr Michael Mosley, refers to this in his new podcast series, ‘Just One Thing’. He says, ‘our balance is far worse now than it used to be. Having a more sedentary lifestyle comes at a cos ..read more

We have all been breathing since the moment we were born. We breathe our first breath upon arrival into the world and we will leave after taking our last breath. All the days in between we breathe 21,000 breaths a day; yet we only utilize a small portion of our lung’s capacity. Learning to unlock the powers of your breath could make a key difference in your performance on the court, as well as your quality of life off the court. This all begins with bringing awareness to your own breathing patterns. A tennis match is a series of short bursts of high intensity movements followed by shorter and ..read more