Let’s talk mobility. For the past month you have all been eating better, sleeping better, lifting more, and moving faster. But can you touch your toes? Clasp your hands behind your back? If we did the Presidential Fitness Test, would you pass the flexibility portion? This is elementary school stuff, guys. The ability to bend over and pick something up is a key component of CrossFit, and of life.
Lately, a lot of big time athletes have been talking about flexibility and how yoga has helped them with their sport. John Wellbourn, founder of Crossfit Football, talks about his yoga practice on his blog, professional sports teams are signing yoga instructors on their staff rosters, and marathon runners are adding yoga to their training program. Even MMA stars like Diego Sanchez are joining in the flexibility party (and apparently having luck with the ladies as a result). So what does this all mean to you? Looking around RVA, I see people rolling around on lacrosse balls and foam rollers and our brilliant trainers are adding mobility into our programming. And that’s all good. But what if you added a yoga class once or twice a week? Depending on the class, that’s 2-3 hours a week that you focus solely on your flexibility. Woah. Soon enough you find that you can squat deeper, you have better muscle awareness when your knees roll in, and your hip flexors aren’t so tight. Our very own John Huston has added Bikram Yoga to his training and check him out – his squats are lower, he stands up straighter, and he can almost sit on his heels!
So where do you begin? At home with K. Starr, mobility before and after your WOD, and this handy dandy RVA Yoga for Athletes guide prepared just for you by moi (Editor’s Note: word doc is linked below). Ask your trainers, ask me, and then just do it.
-Val