Everyone tells athletes, “Listen to your body.” But it’s revolutionary to actually do it.

Over the years of training and competing, we hone this skill through trial and error. Stomach virus? Decide to push through and end up taking two weeks off instead of one day. Tired during a workout, can’t hit the splits? Adjust your plan for an easy day and return to training stronger. Through lessons like this we learn to listen to our bodies, when to push and when to let go — when to work and when to rest. 

Where the listening really pays off is when we can identify and address imbalances before they become injuries. If you pay attention, your body will tell you exactly what you need to know — it will tell you how to solve your problems. It’s when we stop listening that we run into trouble.

That’s why Athletes for Yoga Video is designed to keep you in touch with and learning from your best teacher: your body. Not sure how to get started? Start streaming videos pre-, during, or post-workout today, or see if one of these scenarios sounds like you:

Problem: Analysis Paralysis
You aren’t exactly sure where to start. You don’t have clear goals, immediate or future. Or, you feel overwhelmed by the work you feel you need to do.

Solution: Assess imbalance
Start with a video that lends itself to self-assessment and listen closely to your body’s responses as you practice. Keep a pen and paper handy so you can make notes — for example, which hip is tighter? Which leg is easier to balance on? And more importantly, why?

Try:

• The Hit Reset Book Collection — based on HIT RESET, this video series includes self-tests to help you assess and address the most common imbalances athletes plaguing athletes today.

• The Yoga for Balance Collection — these videos will help you establish and sustain a baseline of balance so that you can more easefully manage whatever comes at you.

Problem: Trouble Spots
Perhaps you’ve been to a PT or work with a coach, or are years deep in your sport and you already know exactly what you need to address — whether your glutes are weak, hammies are tight, or posture is floppy posture…

Solution: Focus In
Use the search box in the upper right corner of video.athletesforyoga.com to find all videos related to the muscle or area of your body that you want to focus on.

Problem: Time Poor
Between work and marathon training and, um, life, who has time to go to a 90-minute yoga class? We hear ya. But if you think you don't have time to do yoga, think again...

Solution: The 5-Minute Reset
Repeat after us: Anything is better than nothing. Spending 5 minutes a day will do a lot more to make you balanced and resilient than going to one random yoga class a week.

Try:

• The 5-Minute Reset Collection — a series for busy athletes on the go, there's a 5-minute video for most areas of the body.

Problem: Unfocused
It doesn’t matter how strong your body is if you can’t focus your energy to control and coordinate you movement and stay steadfast when challenged.

Solution: Strengthen Your Mental Game
Mental strength and stamina are like anything — they take practice. Aim to spend at least 5 minutes a day consciously setting your mental state so that you can meet the challenges ahead. Most of our video collections have an accompanying meditation video, but you can find more simple practices to get your head right in the Meditation category.

For $9.99/month you gain access to over 90 yoga for athletes videos that you can stream anytime, anywhere. Cancel any time. 

Got questions? Still not finding what you’re looking for? Let us know! Use #athletesforyogavideo to share how you’re using yoga to listen to and learn from your best teacher: your body.