The Art of Movement: Integrating Yoga with Other Athletics
I’ve always enjoyed challenging both my body and mind. About five years ago, I started my journey with calisthenics. I had seen insanely fit people doing skills like handstand push-ups and the human flag, and I wanted to learn how to control my body like that. I had a decent foundation from lifting weights at the gym, but calisthenics pushed me in a completely new way. It wasn’t just about lifting heavier weights or aesthetics. It was about mastering full-body control.
Early on, it became clear that to make real progress and stay injury-free, I needed to focus on mobility, flexibility, and recovery. At the time, I was working out at my university gym, which offered free yoga classes. I didn’t know much about yoga, but I knew those classes could help with the flexibility and joint care I was starting to need.
And I ended up falling in love with the practice.
Yoga is one of the most efficient ways to train. In a single hour, you get strength, mobility, flexibility, injury prevention, and mental discipline. My progress in calisthenics accelerated after I started practicing regularly. I also noticed major benefits in board sports. My knees could come up higher for skate tricks, and popping up on a surfboard became way easier thanks to improved hip mobility. I could move my feet into the right position before pressing up, instead of trying to muscle through it. Just to name a couple examples.
Fast forward a few years, and I found myself wanting to share what I had learned in fitness and physical health. Because I loved the efficiency and depth of yoga, the physical and mental benefits, and the way it aligned with my values: balancing discipline with grace, teaching yoga felt like a natural next step. I’ve met incredible people through the practice and built a strong sense of community by sharing it with others. These days, I regularly practice hot yoga, which adds the benefits of heat and sweating to the mix. I teach about 5 classes a week and always meet awesome people!
If you do any kind of athletic training, I highly recommend adding yoga to your weekly routine. Even just a few sessions a week can make a massive difference.
If you have any questions about how yoga can support your athletic goals, I’d be happy to help.
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