Taper time is every swimmer’s favourite part of the season. After months of hard work it is time to allow your body to recover so you can perform at your best. A Swimming-Specific Yoga practice is the perfect way for you to enhance your recovery.
Yoga has incredible restorative qualities which include:
- Relaxing the nervous system
- Releasing unconscious muscular gripping
- Lowering cortisol levels
The following three poses are perfect to help both the body and the mind restore.
Supported Back Bridge
Benefits:
- Gentle opening through the hip flexors
- Gentle inversion
- Restorative qualities
Cues:
- Start flat on your back with the soles of your feet flat on the ground hip distance apart with your arms at your sides
- On an inhale lift your hips up and off of the ground
- Place a firm yoga block (a text book can be used as a substitute) underneath your sacrum – the flat part of your pelvis – either on it’s lowest or second lowest height
- Once you feel completely balanced allow your weight to be supported by the block
- Turn your palms up to face the sky
Restorative Child’s Pose
Benefits:
- Relaxes the upper body and hips
- Restorative qualities
Cues:
- Have pillows or a bolster next to you
- Start on your knees with the top of the feet on the ground with your big toes together and your knees out wide
- Bring your seat back towards your heels
- Fold forward at your hips bringing your upper body down onto the bolster or the pillows
- You can have your arms out in front with your elbows bent or have your arms by your sides with the hands at the hips
- Allow the upper body and hips to completely relax in this pose
Body Scanning
The intent of savasana is to allow yourself to relax completely. This is the perfect pose for you to be in when going through a body scan.
Lie flat on your back with the legs mat distance apart, arms at the sides of your body with the palms facing towards the sky and allow the eyes to close. If you wish you can also use props in savasana such as a bolster under your knees.
Once you have come into savasana pose bring your awareness into the body and slowly move that awareness from head to toe or toe to head simply noticing how the body feels. Next go through another body scan, but more slowly than you did the first time. In your second body scan when you come to points where you feel tension or tightness in the body keep your awareness there for a few breaths allowing your exhales to release the gripping in the body.
After going through the second body scan allow yourself to completely relax and let go.
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You can find 20-45 minute classes specifically designed for recovery at Swimming-Specific Yoga. Follow the link on our page to try our online classes free for two-weeks!
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THIS YOGA FOR SWIMMERS ARTICLE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY SWIMMING-SPECIFIC YOGA THE WORLD’S TOP RESOURCE FOR ONLINE YOGA CLASSES AND INFORMATION DESIGNED FOR SWIMMERS.
You can also find shorter classes and sequences on our Youtube channel.
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