Thanks so much for your interest, everyone. I’m delighted with the number and range of questions you’ve submitted. Many of these questions are answered in my book, The Athlete’s Guide to Yoga, available at Chapters/Indigo in January. The book explains how yoga enhances your training by increasing your strength, flexibility, and focus, and it contains sample routines, detailed instructions for many poses of particular use to athletes, and even a short DVD. You can read more here.

Most of your questions fall into particular categories, so I’ve grouped them together below under headers such as “Yoga and Weight Training,” with both general and specific replies.

All my best for a healthy 2008! Namaste. —Sage

1. What to look for in an instructor and a style

Yoga will help you with whatever you do, period. That’s true whether you race the Ironman or the Iditarod, and whether you spend your day sitting on a bike or at a conference-room table. The question is finding the right style for your needs and goals. Some are very physical; others are devotional or meditative. We’ll discuss the physical (hatha) styles today, but please seek out the spiritual if you are so inclined.

The array of physical styles of yoga can be daunting, as can the differing qualities of instruction within a single style. Here is a short glossary:

Hatha yoga denotes any practice of physical yoga. It’s a broad term whose interpretation will depend on the teacher and studio.

Ashtanga yoga, which follows a set practice of poses through sequential series, appeals to athletes for its rigor and physicality. It’s a real workout, as are many power yoga classes, which are often based on Ashtanga. That means it might compete with your training efforts, so be careful about how often and at what point in the season you practice this very physical style.

Power yoga challenges you to use your body weight to build strength as you move, or flow, from pose to pose.

Bikram yoga is also very physical, and practiced in a hot room. I address this style more below.

Iyengar and Anusara yoga focus on alignment. These are a good place to start your study of yoga, since you’ll be learning the fundamentals.

If you can find a restorative class, that’s a great option for your recovery days and during peak competitive periods. It offers gentle stretches and deep relaxation.

These styles are taught at yoga studios and at gyms. You can find them online at yogajournal.com/directory and yogafinder.com. Marta, you shouldn’t have trouble finding a new class; look for those labeled “vinyasa flow” as well as “power.”

Start with a class that’s billed for beginners, and give it more than one try. Commit to a month or to six weeks of regular attendance, and you will begin to see the changes yoga will bring to your strength, flexibility, balance, and focus.

How will you know if your teacher is a good one? A good instructor will help you have a good experience, but what that means is individual.

There is no industry standard for teachers. Many are now registered with the Yoga Alliance, although that is not a necessity. Ultimately, you’ll need to determine for yourself if a given instructor is right for you. If you don’t jibe with the first teacher you visit, try another instructor. You can ask studio directors, fellow students, or your instructor for recommendations.

If you aren’t near a teacher, you can work on a home practice. But it’s still useful to drop in on classes when you have the chance, because it will refresh your home practice and give you an opportunity to receive feedback on your alignment.

2. Establishing a home practice

A home practice is where the real work of yoga gets done. You can move completely at your own pace, address your own needs, and learn a lot about yourself. This is where you learn about your “intelligent edge,” which Wendy describes. If you are worried about hurting yourself, you’re probably too deep into a pose or misaligned. (This is where having a teacher’s eye on you is priceless.) The intensity you feel should be a pleasant one: each pose should feel like a treat, not a chore, and it should never be worrisome.

Many of us have a paradigm in our heads that a yoga practice means practicing for at least an hour with incense burning and space music playing. Let go of that idea. Ten minutes of core-strengthening poses and stretches after your workout, five minutes of breath exercises, or two minutes of seated meditation all count as doing yoga. You’ll see positive results from a regular practice, say, three times a week; its length is less important than its consistency. I do a little bit of yoga every day; some days it’s ten minutes, some days it’s ninety.

So how do you know what to do? Choose poses you have practiced in class—those that were easy, as well as those that were more difficult. If you don’t have access to a class, find resources such as books, DVDs, and podcasts.

I have a podcast featuring short stretching routines to practice after your workout online at sageyogatraining.com. There are other very good podcasts available, including Yoga Today and Yogamazing.

You’ll find a list of recommended DVDs on my blog at http://sagetree.blogspot.com/2007/02/dvd-suggestions.html. Your fellow Canadian Kate Potter has a lovely television series called Namaste, which has great short routines of good use to athletes.

There are many wonderful books on yoga available. My two favorites are Erich Schiffmann’s Moving into Stillness and Jean Couch’s Runner’s Yoga Book. Also check out Baron Baptiste’s Journey into Power and Power Yoga, by Beryl Bender Birch. The “bible” of modern yoga is B. K. S. Iyengar’s Light on Yoga. Don’t be alarmed by some of the pictures; be sure to work at your own level.

I recommend using a video (or heading to class) once or twice a week, doing your own longer home practice one or twice a week, and including short routines almost every day.

3. Order of a home practice

These are more specific questions about home practice—great! Erin, I do the same thing you describe on my running days: I run, come home, do the mat Pilates sequence, then segue to yoga stretches.

In general, you’ll want to practice yoga after your workout, when your body is warmer and looser. There are a few yoga poses and sequences that go well before a run, such as balance poses (e.g., Tall Mountain, Warrior III) and easy sun salutations.

Sean, how long you hold the poses is up to you. You might cycle through a sequence (say, of standing poses) three times, holding each pose for five breaths or so. As a very general rule, you’ll want to spend at least five breaths in each pose unless you are intentionally flowing from pose to pose.

4. Beyond the mat

Breath work (pranayama, in the Sanskrit) is a critical element of yoga; many consider it more important than the physical practice. Greater still is meditation. The breath work and mental focus of these practices have direct applicability for everyone, and especially for athletes. They teach you to know yourself and your limits (or lack thereof).

Breath exercises can be practiced at the beginning or at the end of your session, Jana, depending on your time and inclination. The simpler ones can also be done while you’re in line, in traffic, or at your desk. Any time you can devote your awareness to your breath, do!

Similarly, meditation can come at the beginning or end of your practice, or it can be a separate event. Even two minutes of sitting quietly, bringing your awareness only to your breath, counts.

In the West, we’ve put a big emphasis on the physical elements of yoga, largely ignoring its spiritual and devotional aspects. You’ll find a vastly different approach in the East. I think that including yoga in your training brings you closer to an understanding of yoga as union, opening you up for a deeper exploration, however that manifests in you.

5. Yoga and weight training

As an endurance sports coach, I know the benefit of a weightlifting routine, and I assign my clients streamlined, periodized weightlifting routines according to their sports. But I must admit that I don’t lift weights myself. Yoga, swimming, biking, and running both take up my available hours to train and provide me with sport-specific strength. (But, Larry, you’re right, that photo makes me look like a bodybuilder, which couldn’t be farther from the truth!)

That said, yoga and weight training can be complementary and even happen simultaneously. You might add some yoga stretches between sets of weight lifting: dancer pose after a squat, say, or a forward fold after your lunges. You could do weights two times a week and a strength-focused practice on a third day.

Yoga can serve as preparation for weight lifting as you rehab. Its strength building uses body weight, moving through poses similar to your gym squats, lunges, and pushups. Once those feel stable with your body weight, you might slowly add extra weight. So, Mike, you could use the squat machine or do lunges with shoulder weight but use the breath and form you learn in yoga.

PJ, be careful with those shoulders—I recommend talking to a physical therapist and to a trainer at your gym.

Whether yoga and your gym routine should happen on the same day depends on the style of yoga you’re practicing. I wouldn’t do a tough class (Ashtanga, Bikram) on the same day as a heavy workout.

Finally, absolutely, yoga is great for increasing whole-body strength, and it’s completely portable, in a way a weight room isn’t! Ben, I think you’ll find a power yoga class a surprising challenge. Enjoy.

6. Hot yoga

The popular Bikram yoga sequence leads you through a series of 26 poses in a hot room. I find it really appeals to athletes, who are used to intensity and don’t think it’s a workout if they aren’t dripping with sweat.

In a hot room, you’ll find yourself moving much deeper into the stretches, which can be satisfying. But it also opens up a lot of room to overdo it. And if you’re also doing a lot of training, you’re going to dig yourself a hole of physical stress from which you might not be able to recover. So be careful with hot yoga, especially in season.

Since the Bikram sequence is the same each time, as Sylvia points out, you can see definite progress as you become familiar. But you’re missing out on the hundreds of other poses you could be doing in a less rigidly structured class. Keep your Bikram practice if you love it, but add another class or two to the mix. Think of it this way: doing only one sequence all the time is like doing the same workout all the time. If you did nothing but forty-minute tempo runs three times a week, you would get fit, but you would quickly hit a plateau and possibly even become overtrained. And you’d miss out on speedwork, hill training, distance runs—the variety that makes you a well-rounded athlete.

As I understand it, Bikram yoga teaches that you should “lock the knee,” as Zach reports. I don’t think that’s ever a good idea, especially in athletes, and I’m sorry to hear about the knee injury. The language of a Bikram class encourages you to push your limits. That appeals to athletes, but it may be a little overenthusiastic. You must remain with your intelligent edge. If a move sounds wrong or feels too intense in your body, skip it. Any good instructor will not force you into positions or situations that are unsafe.

Tapas refers to internal heat, drive, and discipline — something athletes have already. It may not need an externally heated room to stoke your fire. You want yoga to complement your training, not add extra stress.

7. Yoga and pilates

Pilates is a system of exercises performed on equipment and on the mat; its main goal is strengthening the core. It’s a wonderful complement both to yoga and to training, and it can serve as an entry point for those wary of yoga as “too spiritual.” (If you think yoga is “too woo-woo,” you haven’t found the teacher that resonates with you yet. Keep looking.)

Pilates emphasizes the breath in a slightly different way than does yoga, but they are very similar modalities and both very useful to athletes.

Hatha yoga’s focus is on core strength and a lot of flexibility work. Thus it helps with riding, Mark, because it will help stretch the hamstrings and hip flexors, either or both of which can affect your comfort on your bike. Better still, practice both.

8. Yoga and preexisting injury

Yoga can really help with your rehabilitation from an injury, provided you work with a teacher who is familiar with your situation. Bring it up with your doctor and physical therapist, too.

I’m not a medical doctor, so I can’t make specific recommendations, but here are some general ideas:

Naz, you and your daughter might check out the Esther Myers studio in Toronto (http://www.estheryoga.com/). The emphasis there is on alignment and using the spine safely.

Judi, you should be able to find someone good in B.C. for kids yoga. Gymnasts present a special problem, because often their problem is hyperflexibility and hypermobility. Restorative yoga might be a good choice — good luck getting an eleven-year-old athlete to be still!

Peter, talk to your PT. I roll my ankles almost monthly running trails, but I find that standing balance poses help regain some integrity once the swelling is gone. You might start some prophylactic exercises like drawing the alphabet with your toes, standing on one leg whenever you can, and anything else your PT recommends.

John, gentle shoulder stretches are the way to go, especially since the shoulder girdle doesn’t work as a true joint. You might try some supported backbends like fish (described above), with varying arm positions (in an inverted V, in a T, in a W, and finally in a V overhead). This will help stretch your chest, allowing you to maintain a more neutral shoulder position. Backbends like locust and, once your chest is open, bow will be useful.

Scott, my husband is recovering from a disc problem, so I know how frustrating it can be. He does a lot of spinal-extension exercises, such as locust pose, and lots of mobility work (cat-cow, in yoga terminology). Check with your PT, then start with a beginners’ yoga class. Be sure to tell the instructor about your injury. Eventually, you might progress to flow and power yoga, or to Pilates, either of which would encourage a healthy back for life.

9. Yoga causing injury

There are some common yoga injuries, especially strains and tears of the rotator cuffs and the high hamstring attachment. It’s easy in retrospect to see where you worked through pain but shouldn’t have; it’s much harder to stop at the first twinge and get your ego out of the way.

Mitchell, try expanding your yoga repertoire to include gentler classes, or those with less motion that can be just as challenging as power yoga. Yin yoga comes to mind here — it uses long holds of poses on the floor for a really tough mental workout. This would be a good time to focus on cultivating core strength, as well as mental strength. Work on building your seated meditation from a short period to a longer one (say, five minutes to thirty, by adding three minutes or so each week). A different but inspiring teacher might be just the ticket for getting you back to yoga in a different form.

Katherine, I am so sorry to hear about your miscarriage. Many doctors and teachers advise avoiding twists and inversions during pregnancy. Others believe that you can maintain an established practice but dial it back as your energy and belly dictate. The timing of the event was probably an unfortunate coincidence. My best advice is to check with your own doctor. Be well.

10. Yoga and the training season

How wonderful that yoga is officially incorporated at your National Triathlon Centre! Maybe I can drop by when I’m in Vancouver for Short-Course Worlds in June 2008. I know Sam McGlone practices a lot of yoga — obviously to great effect.

Nicholas, the yoga you practice should be in inverse relation to your sport training. In the summer or early fall, when you are in a base period, with your sports efforts light, your yoga could be more intense — say, power yoga classes or home flow (vinyasa) routines. You could do up to three intense sessions a week, depending on what your body and schedule allow.

In season, your yoga should encourage recovery. As you get closer to your peak competitions, your yoga should be very gentle; the work then becomes more mental than physical, keeping your mind in the present, focusing on the breath. It directly benefits your skiing, but in ways that are mental more than physical.

11. Yoga and competitive sports

Yoga heightens your proprioception, your sense of where your body is in space. That’s especially useful in contact sports. It also increases your focus, by encouraging you to constantly focus on the present moment, as embodied in the breath. This is useful in every sport, but can be particularly helpful when you step into the ring or court or up to the plate.

Yoga will strengthen the structures surrounding your joints, which get pounded in contact sports. Practiced with good alignment, yoga will help keep your knees strong and healthy (try chair pose and sun salutations with lunges). It will strengthen your core, which is the source of your power in all sports, and which works very hard in racquet sports and golf.

Best of all, yoga will give you room for recovery, in restorative routines, and teach you how to be deeply relaxed, a skill you can carry to your next competition.

12. Yoga and racing sports

This is my passion. Yes, yes, yes, yoga will help with sciatica, IT band pain, and the general tightness that endurance sports bring!

One pose that helps with both sciatica and IT band issues is the pigeon forward fold. Try the Pigeon Sequence episode of the Sage Yoga Training podcast (http://www.sagerountree.com/sagetree/Podcast/Entries/2006/4/2_Pigeon_Sequence.html). Be sure to use support under your hips if they are high, and if you feel pain in the knee, set that hip on the ground. Another good IT band stretch is cow-face pose (http://www.sagerountree.com/sagetree/Podcast/Entries/2006/7/10_IT_Band_Express.html), a version of which is pictured on the cover of my book.

Daniel, the top-of-the-foot pain might be a shoelace issue. Try skipping the middle holes so the top of your foot isn’t crossed by your laces.

Shannon, one nice destressing pose is supported fish, an easy backbend in which you lie on your back with a rolled blanket or bolster running the length of the spine. It helps “undo” the hunch of the cycling position, while stretching the shoulders. Any seated forward fold is helpful (be gentle), as is the Half Lord of the Fishes twist, for its hip stretch and spinal rotation work. It will loosen you for your swim and relax the areas that work hard in the bike and run. Good luck in your race!

13. Coffee (question from Billy Hamilton)

Happy birthday, Dad! I love you. There are some fun yogic breath exercises that have a stimulating effect without any caffeine necessary. I’ll show you at Christmas.

--Marta
Hi Sage,

Over the past year and a half, I was fortunate enough to participate in a weekly Power Yoga class offered at my gym in the west end. The instructor was phenomenal and the class was a highlight of my workout program and week altogether. I am quite flexible and fit, and found the pace and challenge of this type of yoga very appealing, motivating, even considered becoming an instructor of this calibre myself. I noticed my physique, strength, level of endurance as well as cognitive and emotional well-being improve tremendously. He has since left that gym to pursue other professional goals and I have not been able to find a substitute for the class anywhere else in the city. Would you know if these classes and/or courses are offered elsewhere? Or could possibly provide advice as to how I can continue pursuing Power Yoga specifically.

What would be the ideal number of sessions (and how long per session) per week for an athlete in their to receive benefits from yoga. Thanks!

My biggest challenge in yoga is being mindful of my edge. How far to push? What is that pain or discomfort I'm feeling in this pose and will it harm me?

What are your tips for establishing a regular home yoga practice outside of studio classes?

Dear Sage,

With respect to road riding, what advantages does Yoga have over Pilates?

Hi,

Has yoga been shown to help alleviate sciatic nerve pain? I'm an avid runner/ultimate player and have been plagued by this type on-again, off-again chronic pain in my upper left leg for years.

What are the benefits of Yoga, for contact sport athletes like football and rugby players?

Hi,

I recently took up boxing and am finding it to be the most complete whole body workout I've ever done.

I would like to do something to support my muscles on the off days. My sister tells me that yoga can be an intensive workout on its own and I don't want to take up another hard workout.

My question is, is there a particular type or style of yoga that would be a good complementary practice for my boxing training?

Thanks and continued success.

Hello Sage,
my question is in regards to the importance of tapas or meditational heat during the process of Yoga. How vital would you say it is to maintain a high body temperature while performing asanas? Although I can see the sense in Bikram, is it necessary to artificially provide that level of warmth during Yoga or should we be more focussed on the act of providing that heat solely through our own means? thank-you
Cam

I have an 11yr old daughter who is in competitive gymnastics. Thankfully she has been pretty much injury free but does complain some of knee/joint pain. Would yoga be a good cross training activity and be a possible prescription for preventing injury? Are there yoga classes for kids?

started doing yoga because of a back injurie with excellent results. I have never had any formal instruction and got my information off of the internet. My question is how many reps, and how long do I hold the poses for each exercise.

Hi Sage,
When I look at your physique,...I can't help but wonder if your not spending an equal amount of time weight training to compliment your yoga routine,....true or false?

I am recovering from a 2nd degree sprained ankle, which of course stopped me from doing my power yoga and other physical activity such as boxing. I've started boxing again but I'm reluctant to start yoga again since the stretches and balancing put a lot of strain on the ankle. Do you think yoga will be good for my recovery?

Yoga classes are great but come with a (sometimes high) price tag to attend regularly...On the other hand books and videos abound...what books or videos can you recommend and how should one approach the use of these? Is it a "stretch" to use these instead of attending classes?

I am doing Bikram Hot Yoga three times a week (I also walk and bike from time to time). We repeat the same 26 postures every class. Does this kind of repetition over a period of time continue to give my body the best benefit or does it cease to be as effective after practicing for a year or so. Should I be changing my fitness routine?

While training for my first marathon, I was advised to not do yoga. My coach warned that doing yoga may make my knees more flexible, leading to knee injuries. Is there any truth to this?

My shoulders, lats, and traps are very tight from years of football and weight training. I have been working on improving my range of motion in these areas but am seeing little progress. Also, still getting a lot of popping/cracking when I rotate my shoulders. What type of movements would you recommend to improve my range of motion?

Thanks,

Good day Sage,

I have been sitting behind a desk for years and truly let myself become out of shape. I am now over-weight and need a good, low impact method to get my muscles stretched out and firmed up as I diet. Is Yoga really all that it is said to be and if so where would I start?

What is the difference between yoga and pilates?

How frequent should yoga sessions be when in training season and racing season? Winter (cross country skiing) to be specific.

I have been doing Asthanga yoga for four months. Two weeks ago I had a miscarriage at 6 weeks. I started miscarrying while doing the primary series. Do you think that asthanga yoga is safe for women in their first trimester?

Hi, I have a disc problem in my back and have heard that increased core strength and flexibility will help with this. I have also heard that Yoga will help me achieve these goals. I have been very active my whole life until the last 6 months when my back has stopped me from doing much. I want to get back to where I was! Do you think Yoga will help? What classes to you suggest?

Thanks

I've done Power Yoga and I know it compliments my current weight training/cardio routine. Question: Should I perform Yoga on my non-gym days or on the same day as my gym routine?

What advice can you lend to squash players? I find that this sport has significant impact impact on my back, knees and especially hips.

What do you think the biggest differences are in the way that Yoga is practiced in North America verus India?