Many of my athletic friends have asked why they should try yoga. With only a limited number of weekly hours to train, wouldn’t time be spent better in the weight room or the pool, or out on the road?
I used to feel the same way. In fact, I hated the first few yoga classes I tried. I was painfully self-conscious, I didn’t understand the Sanskrit, I didn’t know the protocol regarding mats, and my back was miserable as we sat still on the floor. Plus, yoga wasn’t weightlifting, it wasn’t aerobic exercise, and it was really hard. I thought I was flexible and strong, and it was a big blow to my ego to be humbled by simple poses. Not until I was pregnant with my first child—and then later training for the marathon I knew I could run after surviving the delivery of said child—did I begin to see the answers to the question: Why yoga?
Flexibility.
Consistent and gentle practice of yoga asanas (poses) will do wonders for your flexibility. It takes patience, but in time, you’ll probably be able to touch your toes. Really! As you become more flexible, your range of motion is increased, and you can exert more power throughout your stroke while greatly reducing drag in the water. You’ll be more comfortable on the bike; a tight lower back and locked-up hamstrings hamper aerodynamics and efficiency. In time, you might even be able to move to a more aggressive position. And a greater range of motion at the hips, knees, and ankles lends you a more fluid stride. Yoga can free up some of the binding that contributes, step by step, to IT band syndrome and patellar tendonitis.
Strength.
The isometric work of long standing holds and the isotonic work of flowing through a sequence like the sun salutations builds functional strength. Yoga makes a good complement to a gym strength routine. If you practice yoga, your joints will become more stable, as tendons and ligaments gradually strengthen. You’ll gain balance and feel more stable while running trails. And you’ll dramatically increase your core strength, which gives you a firm base of power for all your sports, as well as decreasing back pain.
Power.
You’ll have more power when you can use that newfound strength through a fuller range of motion. When the muscle fibers are longer, they can generate more force, even in the presence of lactic acid: again, more power.
Lung capacity.
Yoga invites deep, conscious breathing. You’ll learn to take full breaths and to empty your lungs completely. A regular practice can boost your VO2 max. Many yoga classes incorporate pranayama, or breath exercises. These are simple and directly applicable to your training. Triathletes already do pranayama while swimming—when you fall into a ratio of one breath per three strokes, you’re increasing your control of the breath. And this focus on the breath helps calm the mind.
Mental focus.
If you’ve ever found yourself counting your strokes or steps, or moving to the beat of a song stuck in your head, you’ve had experience using a mantra. It’s a useful way to focus the mind away from distractions and to the work at hand, whether that’s exertion or sitting quietly in meditation. Once you learn to concentrate on concentrating, you’re ready to reach that state of flow that characterizes really great performances. (Incidentally, these states are two of the eight limbs of yoga outlined by Patanjali: dharana and samadhi.)
The sum of the parts. Yoga teaches us not to be too caught up in outcomes. It teaches us to find the edge of intensity: to get into an intense situation, something just south of discomfort, and use the breath to remain calm. This skill is critical in training and racing, and it helps in mundane activities: a contentious meeting, a root canal, a tense Thanksgiving dinner, traffic.
If you’re convinced, find a good local teacher. If you don’t click with the first instructor you try, visit another class. Ask your friends which classes and teachers they’ve enjoyed. You can check out my podcast—please do!—but it helps to have learned the poses in person from a qualified, experienced instructor first.
In the future, I’ll explain the different styles of yoga and their relevance for athletes. Meanwhile, start slowly and don’t be embarrassed at your inflexibility (consider it a badge of your athleticism) or surprised at how difficult simply sitting on the floor can be.
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After beginning with Warrior III to work on standing balance (strengthening the hips, legs, and torso), we move to the ground for Modified Side Plank (opening the hips), Half Moon Balance on the knee (core and balance challenge), and Side Bow (balancing and opening the front body), finishing with a brief stay in Downward-Facing Dog (for the back body). 
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