The Answer is Yoga.

The answer is yoga? What on earth was the question?

As a coach to high school athletes, time and time again I am asked how to help them with technique, injury prevention, long-term playing and many more questions involving the physical aspects of being an athlete. And almost always, I include yoga in my answer.

Yoga is the heart and soul of mobility. The more mobile and flexible you are the less likely you are to get injured and the more likely you are to keep yourself from shuffle along like an old person.

It is a practice that has to be done consistently in order for it to work. In yoga practice, you are listening to your body and improving its mobility and flexibility. I do some yoga in my practices to help introduce my players to the benefits and to show how they can increase their own body’s movement.

Yoga is great for sport specific strength and flexibility. For volleyball players, yoga is great for loosening tight hips, shoulders and waists. All these areas are needed for hitting, passing and serving. The more range of motion an athlete has the less likely they are to strain themselves and create permanent injury.

Yoga is also great for balance. These young athletes do not quite understand the importance of balance in sports and how it adds to their game.

Our minds are also settled when we practice yoga. We concentrate on breath and movement and that allows your mind to let go of the stresses of life. Even if only for 20-30 minutes.

As a coach and former athlete, I am mindful of the effects of sports on the body long-term. Our body's will ache, creak, crack, and pop more and more as we play, but yoga can help keep us strong and mobile.

So, as I said before...

THE ANSWER IS YOGA!