Let’s face it: everyone needs a little mind-body recalibration, no matter how physically fit you are. Endurance sports like running, climbing, biking, and more require a great deal of not only physical strength but also mental strength. There may be moments in an athlete’s career where they feel on top of the world, and other days on the bottom. How is it possible to maintain a more consistent and healthy sports practice?

The Mind-Body Connection

One of the greatest systems you can tap into is the mind-body connection. The mind-body connection is the link between your emotional state and health and well-being. For example, negative thoughts often lead to negative behaviors while positive, encouraging thoughts lead to healthy behaviors and coping mechanisms.

The mind-body connection is most easily accessed through the breath. This is one gift that we are born with and that the great Indian science of yoga can teach us about. In the West, connecting with the breath has been codified as Mindfulness meditation, which is a great starting point for understanding the mind-body connection.

The most simple and basic way to establish this connection is to simply set aside 5-10 minutes before starting a workout to meditate or connect with your breath. It is as easy as sitting down and following each inhale and exhale with your mind, noticing when thoughts or emotions occur, then gently guiding yourself back to following your breath. 

A breathing or meditation practice will enhance your body’s ability to oxygenate your muscles, often resulting in greater endurance for your sport of choice, as well as quicker recovery time afterward.

Once you are comfortable with a regular mindfulness breathing practice, you can advance toward Alternate Nostril Breathing or Breath of Fire. These practices will further enhance endurance through longevity of breath and strengthening the diaphragm (the breathing muscle). They are described below.

Alternate Nostril Breath

Take a seat and close the eyes. Use the right hand and fold down the three center fingers. Close the right nostril with the thumb and exhale through the left nostril. Then, inhale through the left nostril and close with the pinky finger. Open the right nostril and exhale through the right side. Inhale on the right side, close with the thumb, and exhale left. Continue repeating this, 6-12 times, with right and left equaling one set. Remember that you always inhale from the same side you just exhaled from if you get confused. This helps even the oxygen levels in the brain for better performance.

Breath of Fire

Sit comfortably and close the eyes. Place the hands on the knees, palms face down. Inhale deeply through the nose and take quick, percussive exhales out through the nose. Feel the abdomen quickly pull inward with each exhale. This will internally heat the body. Start with a set of 10 and gradually build up to 50-100, depending on lung capacity. If you feel dizzy, stop.

Both of these breathing techniques are great to perform before engaging in your sport of choice.

Stretching It Out

We all know that yoga is also great for stretching and recovery after a long-distance sport. However, yoga is more than just stretching. It is the combination of breathing with the posture itself that will allow you to go deeper into the mind-body connection and make it a regular part of your routine.

For many endurance athletes, it is the legs which get most beat up and subsequently, most rejected during periods of soreness. A little pre- and post-workout yoga could benefit your routine. Try the following stretches.

Before a Workout

Lunge Pose for the Hip Flexors

Place one leg forward and one leg back. Bend the front leg to 90 degrees with the knee stacked over the ankle. Back knee can be down or lifted up. Hands can rest on the front thigh or reach them up to the sky. Keep the hips square and hug the inner thighs into the center of the body. Stay here for 5 breaths up to 1 minute. Then change sides.

After a Workout

Downward Dog for Calves and Hamstrings

One of the most well-known yoga poses, Downward Dog, is a great calf and hamstring stretch. Start in a tabletop position with hands under the shoulders and knees under the hips. Press into the hands and lift the hips into the air, creating an inverted V-shape with the body. Feel free to pedal out of the legs, bending one knee at a time to get a deeper calf stretch. Hold for 5 breaths and up to one minute.

Reclined Figure-4 for the Hips

This is a great one for the hips which tend to get tight from any sport. Lay down on your back and bend the knees with the feet on the floor. Cross the right ankle over the left knee and thread the right hand through the center hole, grabbing the left knee to pull the legs into the chest. Relax the head down. Hold for 1 minute, then change sides.

For the Upper Body

Often, the upper body is neglected which can lead to poor posture, neck strain, shoulder soreness and more. This may be particularly true for athletes such as swimmers and climbers. Taking care of your chest, shoulders, and arms will also help you breathe better for longer sports activities. Try this yoga pose.

Puppy Stretch/Melting Heart for the Shoulders

Start on your knees and keep the hips in the air as you sink the chest downward with straight arms. Bring the forehead to the mat or a block/cushion if it doesn’t reach. To deepen the pose, make sure you are breathing and bring your chin onto the mat as you drive the chest further down. Hold for 5 breaths to 1 minute.

As you can see, all you need is an extra 10-15 minutes to incorporate yoga into your endurance sports routine through breathwork and some simple stretches. Your mind and body will thank you in the long run, literally- pun intended!