Roller Derby Guide to Yoga
Yoga is an all-around healthy discipline. Regular practice will balance with the aggressive body-punishing sport of roller derby. Yoga creates energy and improves stamina and concentration. It also keeps the body flexible and calms the mind.
Yoga stretches before and after practice will help with warming up the muscles and prepare your body to either workout or wind down.
Yoga for Roller Derby
These yoga poses are simple but very effective. Perform these on your own, or with your derby team. You can progress by attending a weekly yoga class and beginning daily practice at home.
The cat cow stretch is a great starting point for roller derby girls. This pose establishes ideal spine alignment while strengthening back muscles. Put yourself back together after a rough practice with the cat cow stretch.
- Start on your hands and knees.
- Roll your chin to your chest and hunch the spine like a cat.
- Then arch your back and lift your head into the cow position. Moo if you are so inclined.
- Repeat several times at a slow and steady pace.
- The back muscles get a nice workout and stretch in this pose.
Downward facing dog will relieve tiredness and strengthen legs and arms while stretching the spine.
- Starting from a kneeling position, come up on hands and knees
- Place hands directly below the shoulders
- Legs are hip-width apart
- Walk palms forward, breathe out
- Bend your knees, press your tailbone towards the ceiling, and then straighten up the legs.
- Hold for 5 breaths.
- Walk yourself into the plank position and hold.
Child pose is a beginner yoga pose that will stretch the lower back and inner thighs, perfect for derby girls who need to recover after a tough workout. Deeply relaxing, the child’s pose will also promote flexibility and increase circulation in your joints and the discs of your back.
- Start on your knees; separate the knees as wide as you can and sink down to the floor.
- Continue down, stretching your arms out in front of you and placing your forehead on the floor.
Release Your Inner Warrior
The warrior pose does many great things for a roller derby girl. Regardless if you take up yoga seriously, or just dabble in the above stretches, your day isn’t complete without practicing the warrior.
The warrior pose will
- Build the muscles in your legs
- Strengthen ankles, knees and joints
- Encourage deep breathing
- Relieve upper back and shoulder pain
- Encourage flexibility in the hips
- Release your “inner warrior,” creating a feeling of power
YogaJournal.com provides detailed instructions on how to properly do the poses. Warrior I, II and III are all extremely beneficial.
https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/1708
Warning
If you are experiencing back pain, do not attempt unilateral yoga movements: postures that involve balancing on one leg, such as the tree pose, warrior 3, or half moon. If a yoga move feels like it is causing more pain, avoid or modify the pose to accommodate your body.
Attending yoga classes with an experienced instructor who can spot imbalances and provide suggestions is well worth the time. There are several different styles of yoga and many different personalities that teach yoga. Be patient and you will find a good fit for you.