Appropriately, a blog linking yoga and American football ahead of the Super Bowl this weekend. (Come on the LA Rams!)
American football (particularly this side of the pond) – is often perceived as the archetypal ‘macho’ sport with plenty of physical contact, taunting of opponents and less than subtle celebrations….
This video outlines one athletes path to finding yoga…..did he find yoga or did yoga find him as Goldie has suggested (available on BBC Sounds).
NFL linebacker Keith Mitchell found yoga as way to recover from a career ending spinal injury that left him unable to move for several days. Initially the main objective of starting yoga was to regain full mobility. What turned out to be a means of recovery became a life changing experience.
Now a yoga instructor, Mitchell believes the combination of mediation with physical movement has changed his life.
Isn’t it great that increasingly professional athletes turning to yoga, breaking down the social stero types that yoga is predominantly for women. Interestingly, yoga was originally for boys in India – it is only as yoga practice was adopted in the west that it became the domain of women. Yoga is constantly evolving, being influenced by geography, gender, age and the ever increasing styles of yoga that people can practice. Most importantly the practice of yoga is open to everyone – there is no right or wrong way.
Go find a local teacher or class – try a few out to find out what you like and don’t like. If you don’t try it – you wont know if its for you or not….
