Yoga helps keep you fit for football

Want to play football? Practise yoga to keep yourself fit - Qatar Tribune - First with the news and whats behind it

Want to play football? Practise yoga to keep yourself fit

Yoga is extremely beneficial to all sports, football included. Various breathing techniques help expand lung capacity, which improves the overall stamina, preventing injuries and MUSCLE CRAMPS. Yoga actually helps tune the player to focus on the game, handling pressure, restoring energy, will power, and confidence, because it trains the mind as much as it trains the body. Many people have the misconception that yoga is only for certain people. But that is not true. Whatever your favourite sport is, you can continue to practice that, and spend a few minutes on yoga. It will raise your performance level. As Qatar looks forward to bigger football events in the future, I thought this article will be insightful for people who love football. Tight hamstrings are perhaps one of the biggest worries for a player. Also, when you need to unleash your kick, you need a very good follow-through of the leg (flexibility) to go with extremely toned thighs (strength). Watch David Beckham or Ronaldinho take a free-kick to appreciate the need for flexibility, balance and strength! There are a lot of postures that can help you attain these, but here, I will show three basic moves which you can practise. A player's performance always depends on the efficiency of the body and mind. Nowhere is this more evident than in the sport of football. These postures, if practised regularly, will go a long way in achieving and maintaining that synergy. Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) \u9679? Lie full length on the floor on the stomach. Face downwards and rest the palms by the side of chest, the fingers straight and pointing in the direction of the head. \u9679? With an exhalation, raise the body from the waist. Keep the arms straight and move the head inwards towards the feet, trying to keep the crown of the head as close to the floor as possible. If you can't, just do as much as your body allows you to. \u9679? Keep both legs straight and don't bend the knees. Try to keep the heels and soles on the floor and feel the stretch in both legs and shoulders. \u9679? While holding the pose, breathe slowly for 10 to 30 seconds. \u9679? Once you finish, lower the whole body with an exhalation. \u9679? Do 3 to 5 rounds Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana) \u9679? Lie full length on the floor on the stomach. Keep the face downwards and rest the palms by the side of chest. Keep the elbows on either side of the body, with the fingers straight and pointing in the direction of the head. \u9679? With an inhalation, lift the chin, head and chest up. Try to arch and lift the entire torso up till the navel. If you have better flexibility, you can arch more without giving pressure to the lower back. \u9679? While in the pose, breathe slowly. Maintain the position for 10 to 30 seconds \u9679? With exhalation, lower the chin, head and chest back to the floor \u9679? Can do 3 to 5 rounds Triangle pose(Trikonasana) \u9679? Stand erect with the feet more than shoulder-width apart. Turn the right foot to the right side. \u9679? Inhale and stretch the arms sideways and raise them to shoulder level, so that they are in one straight line. \u9679? While exhaling, bend to the right. Take care not to bring the body forward and keep the hips and knees straight. \u9679? Place the right palm comfortably on the right foot, or if you can keep the full palm on the floor, you can attempt that as well. \u9679? Do the same sequence with your left side (right and left together is one round. You can do 5 to 8 rounds).