Yoga for Athletes w/ Om Gal & Om Bro

Yoga for Athletes from OmGal.com from Rebecca Pacheco on Vimeo.

Yogis often ask me if yoga practice is enough to keep fit, and my answer is always: YES, as long as the style of yoga that you practice is vigorous (and consistent) enough. On the other hand, if you prefer a very gentle, restorative practice, then additional exercise is probably needed to ensure adequate cardiovascular health, weight management, immune system support, etc.

Meanwhile, athletes frequently seek my input on how to supplement their training programs with yoga, and sometimes, they even wonder how effective yoga can be as its own form of training. Is it challenging enough? Can it take the place of some of an athlete's strength and conditioning work? Again, the answer is YES.

So, I recruited my "little" brother, a former professional lacrosse player, to show you how. Recently, we combined our workouts at the storied New York Athletic Club to create a video for yogis, athletes, and yogi/athletes to illustrate how traditional strength training can be substituted or complemented by yoga.

Here, Reece (a.k.a. "Om Bro") demonstrates some high octane exercises, which I then translate into effective asanas with similar benefits. The exercises and asanas range in difficulty, but please bear in mind, a baseline fitness level is needed for all of them. As with any new exercise program, please consult your doctor first.