Yoga and swimming

This week the MU swim club has been prepping for one of our favorite travel meets, the Hoosier Invite at Indiana University. We're also less than 50 days (49 actually) from Nationals. Slowly but surely, we're embracing the grind.

Unfortunately my body has been struggling to embrace the amped up practices. I've been turning to yoga to relax my muscles. I highly recommend every swimmer incorporate yoga into their practice routine. Here's a bit of context for my experience (or lack thereof) with yoga. 

A timeline of Katie's history with yoga: 

- Fall of 2012: Katie goes to college and starts basic yoga classes. 

- Spring of 2013: Katie gets bored with yoga because it doesn't give her enough of a workout. 

-Spring of 2014: Katie discovers the wonder that is hot yoga.

I began hot yoga as a way to cross train outside the pool. Due to a series of old injuries, my body cannot handle the impact of most land sports. Shortly after, I discovered that hot yoga combined with swimming kills my shoulders. I took some time away from yoga to be in top condition for spring nationals. Unfortunately I suffered some undiagnosed back issues this summer that now prevent me from doing hot yoga. 

While doing research for Mind of a Swimmer, I came across quite a few recommendations for swimmers doing yoga. I find that yoga is most helpful for stretching swimmers' hips/legs. When we kick, we hold a straight leg position. There is a reason swimmers are notorious for having horrible hip flexors.

Rebecca Soni recently tweeted out a video she helped put together of a yoga sequence meant to target swimmers needs. SwimSwam also has ample literature on various yoga poses and sequences for swimmers. I highly recommend checking them out. 

I've been supplementing my swim practice with a basic sun salutation sequence and a few extra poses to stretch my hips. If you're considering making yoga a part of your routine, please listen to your body. It's not about being the most flexible or doing the coolest poses. It's about learning to turn off your mind and listen to your body. Yoga is a healing practice. 

Before yoga, I hit a figurative wall in my swimming. My body was in constant pain and I felt like I was fighting the water with every stroke. 

Now, I tackle practice with a renewed spirit. I no longer feel trapped in a chlorinated world of sore shoulders and hip flexors. I've even begun to up my mileage with morning practices. I haven't felt this good in water for a long time. That is why I think all swimmers should do yoga.