Photo Credit: Benny Mendizabal
Juniors Domenic James and Jake Shade strike various yoga poses to get a good workout.
October 20, 2011
Benny Mendizabal, Staff Writer
Calm. Peaceful. Tranquil. These are not the words most frequently used to describe a football team. But the Marauders are not your ordinary football team.
Led by junior quarterback Jake Shade, some of the football players have turned to yoga as a different type of workout. Players gather at SHade’s home every Thursday night to participate in a weekly yoga routine.
“It’s just a way to relax and get more flexible,” said senior running back Justin Goodloe.
Shade began his yoga workouts with the help of his summer football coach.
“I have become faster, calmer and more flexible just from the summer,” said Shade.
He has brought that practice within the walls of the football team, and he has helped them learn the difficult poses of difficult exercise.
“It has really become a ritual before every football game,” junior Domenic James said.
Players who have done yoga noticed an impact on their game almost immediately.
Originating from India, yoga is used by many to achieve spiritual insight and tranquility. Along with the mental advantages, yoga brings certain physical advantages, as well. According to the Mayo Clinic Staff report, yoga provides improved balance, increased flexibility and more range of motion and strength.
Yoga tends to help with a variety of health conditions, such as cancer, depression, pain and anxiety by helping with sleep problems, fatigue and mood. Yoga also can help reduce heart rate and blood pressure.
The players incorporate many different postures and positions into their exercises. Having to twist and turn the body was one of the hardest things for them to adapt to.
”In the beginning, it was a little difficult to learn how to do each pose, but after a while, I got the hang of it,” said Shade.
Shade and the rest of the players who participate are looking to continue to use yoga as a source of both mental and physical exercise not only for the rest of the season, but for upcoming years as well.
”Yoga has helped me become more one with my inner self just as much as it has helped me on the football field,” said Shade.
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December 7th, 2011 at 12:45 am
I love how the football players use yoga its a great way to stay in shape and stay flexible.
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December 8th, 2011 at 2:36 pm
If the workout works then do it guys. It dosent matter how it looks it only matters what the score is at the end of the game.
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March 2nd, 2012 at 2:23 pm
It’s great how different sports teams use yoga for cross-training. It’s a good way to have a variety to your workout routine.
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