Want to Become a Top Performer? Do Yoga!

When I roll out my mat I glance around the room to see who all is in attendance… sure enough the usual, the majority being women of all ages and only few gentlemen. I can’t help but to think that I’d win a Kia Optima if this class turns into an NBA skills competition. It never does, but I’m always left thinking: Where are the athletes?

Yoga is widely known for increasing flexibility, decreasing stress, aiding recovery, helping to find focus and preventing serious injury. All serving to benefit the athlete, yet we are largely absent in yoga studios across the country.

Beads of sweat fall from my face onto the mat as I hold my pose in downward facing dog. With each breath I take I begin to let go of any unnecessary thought patterns. As I enter stillness the problems of the outside world cease to exist. I raise my right leg, adding a degree of difficulty while I am only focused on taking full – and – deep breaths.

Now when I’m out on the golf course about to have an explosive Happy Gilmore reaction, I’m reminded by this pose to be mindful of my breathing.  It was hard in the beginning to slow down my overall approach to the game, but today I quite often manage to reproduce stillness on the golf course by giving each shot my full attention.

For quite some time, the fear of a groin pull was a source of my insecurity playing baseball. I simply didn’t experience the freedom of motion I needed to lunge, twist, hit and run in a symphony of motion and timing. Sinking deeper into half pigeon pose I am targeting my hip flexors, where years of neglect have left ‘the gatekeeper’ of mobility rusty with an attitude to boot.

Slowly, the congestion in my hip joints disperses and my groin muscles become strengthened by this proactive therapy that targets the origin of my reoccurring injury. Today, the sudden changes in direction that once plagued my groin allow me to make an outstanding play!

To further search for underdeveloped areas in my body, I do revolved extended side angle. For me, this pose is a constant work in progress and from it I’ve learned to embrace improvements as they happen, no matter how small the increment – progress always brings a smile to my ever so reluctant face.

The twisting sage pose helps me to identify and accept the forces that move with and against me. By paying attention to my figurative ‘blind spots’ I can address the issues that passively take time and energy away from achieving my goals.

So, earlier this year I packed up my car, grabbed Rocko Bubba Jones (my dog) and said goodbye to America’s Finest City! (San Diego). Till this day I warm up in this pose and it reminds me of the clarity I’ve gained to prioritize challenges and make decisions with confidence.

I’ve found yoga to be a multidimensional approach to training that gets my body and mind prepared for any challenge and I’m convinced that we can tap into the same degree of focus required to exceed typical levels of performance and produce extraordinary results at work.

With every yoga class I took, I could concentrate better, I got my work done quicker; I managed to set goals that align with my passions, and now I am forging my own path into an exciting new career!

So what are you waiting for? You can learn these poses at any gym that offers yoga classes. Drop the weights, get off the cardio machine, and try it out yourself.