First, I must admit, I know virtually nothing about football. Perhaps what a touchdown is but it truly ends there. Nevertheless, to avoid being a total social outcast, I do tune in once a year to the Superbowl, to at least be able to say I watched a bit of the game. My real reason though is to watch the half-time game because of the music. My favorite half-time show in recent years was when U2 played at the Super Bowl. Actually, that was not so recent - 2002!
A couple days ago I wondering how many, if any, (although I recall hearing about at least one) football players incorporate yoga into their fitness regime. It was no surprise to me to yoga could help these he-men with much needed flexibility, strength, and balance. My interest was piqued, however, to learn that going back to at least 2005, a number of Pittsburgh Steelers had added yoga to their workouts. I decided that if the Steelers won the 2009 Super Bowl, I would write this post.
Granted, these athletes don't need to shy away from the more challenging types of yoga (although some football players admit such yoga can be quite difficult) as I, the non-athlete would. Former NFL player, Sean Conley, apparently is the official power yoga teacher for the Steelers. He has designed a class specifically tailored for the physique of football players. The class is voluntary. When he first launched the program, Conley admits that interest was limited. But, attendance has grown since then as the physical benefits of yoga have become evident.
I don't know if the players on yesterday's line up were the ones who have taken yoga. But, it would not surprise me if at least a few were....
Wisdom of the Day: "We live in such a driven, competitive world that yoga can be a nice complement to all athletic endeavors." ~Karen Conley, co-founder of Amazing Yoga studio, Pittsburgh, PA.
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