#WhyIYoga

From injury prevention to increased joint mobility to counter-stretching overworked muscles, the list of reasons to add yoga to your regimen seems endless. Athletes have taken notice and are increasingly adding yoga to their crosstraining to give them an edge over their competition. For this blog series, we interviewed pro athletes who compete in several different sports and asked them why they practice yoga. 

Cait Misencik

Triathlete + Ultra-Runner

Favorite pose and why: Dancer’s Pose because it helps my stability. Camel Pose because it opens my chest and resets my mind.

In 10 words or less, describe why you love yoga: Yoga strengthens, balances and improves my life and overall fitness.

How does your yoga practice benefit your other passions/hobbies? Along with strengthening my stabilizer muscles, stretching and flexibility, yoga helps my breath. It helps me learn to control y breath even when my heart rate might be high in a race.

Why did you start practicing yoga? To de-stress and become more “centered” mentally.

How does yoga impact your everyday life? I am more calm, more focused and more rested — all of which are essential to success in my training. 

What misconceptions about yoga, if any, were changed after your started practicing? Yoga is for YOU. It isn’t about crazy hard poses that look beautiful on camera. Yoga is for you, your body and your mind. If you want to stay in Child’s Pose the whole time, that’s okay. It’s about listening to your body, not pushing yourself into an uncomfortable zone. 

Corbin Clement

Climber

What is your favorite pose and why? Standing revolved hand to foot. It is a difficult and tiring balance that takes focus. I also love a good IT band stretch. 

In 10 words or less describe why you love yoga. Life necessities: physical strength, mobility, mental control, relaxation and mindfulness.

How does your yoga practice benefit your other passions/hobbies? Yoga helps with injury prevention and recovery and allows for the mobility and strength I need for continued improvement.

Why did you start practicing yoga? Yoga, of all things, was actually offered as a high school PE class. I loved it, but didn't practice consistently until I started snowboarding year-round as a coach and athlete in college.

How does yoga impact your every day life? Simply put, it helps me to remember to breathe.

Shawn Rodine

Surfer/SUP

What’s your favorite pose and why? Dancer’s. The chest opener and balance required is a great compliment to SUP, and it’s ridiculously fun to try on a paddle board. 

In 10 words or less describe why you love yoga: The connection of mind, body and breath. Yoga brings my entire being back into alignment.

How does your yoga practice benefit your other passions/hobbies? Yoga keeps my healthy and strengthens the muscles I ignore during SUP. It keeps me injury free.

Why did you start practicing yoga? To stretch and strengthen my body so that I can keep doing all the activities I love. 

How does yoga impact your every day life? Finding a connection with my breath. In times of stress or constant distraction, I can close my eyes, focus on my breath and become more centered, focused and ready to face the challenges of the day.

Ashley Kujawski

Skier

How long have you been practicing? In my life? 8 years. Religiously? 4 years. Mindfully? 2 years. 

What’s your favorite pose and why? Camatkarasana - Fallen Triangle/Wild Thing. Both of these poses require complete control and stability, and I'm able to reach a new depth with every practice. The stronger I become, the more I'm able to lift my heart and let my head go. It's a heart opener, a core burner, and a pose where I can embody more space than my physical presence allows. I become more than me. 

In 10 words or less describe why you love yoga: Yoga teaches my body to build strength with my mind. 

How does your yoga practice benefit your other passions/hobbies? It builds strength, it repairs, and it helps me reset. It provides a common ground to come back to after all different types of other seasonal activity. I can measure my progress in other "sports", and professionally, by the state of my yoga practice.

Why did you start practicing yoga? At first? It was a trend. Religiously? I hated my job and it felt good. Mindfully? I learned what presence was. I learned how to grow. My teacher taught me when to know I am enough, and when to dig deep for more, and that both were OK.

How does yoga impact your every day life? I can manage stress. I've become more aware of what my body needs to be successful and what my mind needs to support it effectively. And I've made some pretty damn good friends along the way.

What misconceptions about yoga, if any, were changed after you started practicing? Yoga can change your life in so many ways: physically, spiritually, emotionally, professionally, socially, the list goes on. But you have to let it. You literally have to allow yourself to become a blank slate every single time you step on your mat. I still can't believe some of the emotions I've left practice with. The namaste is real!

Ryan Petry

Pro Mountain Biker

In 10 words or less describe why you love yoga: Every pose is a different experience.

How does your yoga practice benefit your sport? The stretching and stability work is just what my muscles need.

Why did you start practicing yoga? The cute girl who I had a crush on in high school asked me to go to a few classes. 

How does yoga impact your everyday life? I am able to handle stressful situations much more calmly and level headed-ly.

What misconceptions about yoga, if any, were changed after you started practicing? I like yoga classes that are really tough. It isn’t always super zen and relaxing. There is so much more variety and there is a style that everyone can enjoy.