How does yoga help footballers and why has it gained popularity? Elite athletes will use any means possible to get their bodies in better shape than their competitors. This is no different for footballers. It is a sport with an incredibly high injury rate, meaning staying fit is often more important than getting fit in the first place. If a footballer can avoid injuries, it lengthens their career and makes them a more attractive prospect for other clubs to buy. A proven but not often discussed away for footballers to lengthen their careers is yoga. Many football fans may think yoga is something that only middle-aged women do, but in reality, it’s been a key tool for some elite players who have had impressively long and injury-free careers. The reason yoga suits footballers are because it develops muscles that get neglected by the nature of the sport. Football is a lopsided sport, so players use each leg for separate tasks. One leg is almost always used for kicking the ball, the other is planted into the ground repeatedly. This means the hip flexor and quadrilaterals are frequently engaged by the kicking leg, but they are not with the planted leg. As this happens throughout a footballer’s entire career, it can cause imbalances in the spine and hips. Yoga is a way of training muscles that many people don’t even realize they have. For a footballer, this can translate into improved speed, strength, and muscular endurance.
"How does yoga help footballers, and why has it gained popularity?
Elite athletes will use any means possible to get their bodies in better shape than their competitors, and footballers are no exception. With an incredibly high injury rate in the sport, staying fit is often more important than getting fit in the first place. If a footballer can avoid injuries, it lengthens their career and makes them a more attractive prospect for other clubs to buy.
A proven but often overlooked method for footballers to extend their careers is yoga. While many football fans may think of yoga as something that only middle-aged women do, in reality, it has been a key tool for some elite players who have enjoyed impressively long and injury-free careers.
The reason yoga suits footballers is because it helps develop muscles that are often neglected due to the nature of the sport. Football is a lopsided game, with players predominantly using one leg for kicking the ball while the other leg is repeatedly planted into the ground. This repetitive action frequently engages the hip flexors and quadriceps of the kicking leg, while these muscles are not as actively engaged in the planted leg.
As this imbalance continues throughout a footballer's entire career, it can cause imbalances in the spine and hips. Yoga provides a way to train muscles that many people don't even realize they have. For a footballer, this can lead to improved speed, strength, and muscular endurance.
Hakan Dokuzoglu