YOGA FOR ATHLETES
The benefits of yoga for athletes have been documented through extensive research and include: improving athletic performance, preventing and reducing injuries, and enhancing mental readiness for competitive sports. My experience and expertise is in working with coaches, athletic trainers and captains to customize yoga sessions that complement the specific needs of a team at various times in their training cycle.
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Yoga for Strength and Conditioning focuses on a specific approach to yoga practice that develops strength and improves conditioning – especially for the core - during the base period or pre-season.
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Yoga for Flexibility and Mobility provides tools to develop and maintain the flexibility and mobility needed to maintain peak performance during the competitive season.
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Yoga for Recovery and Restoration offers practices that help athletes recover from intense athletic training and competition, complementing athletic intensity with practices of rest and recovery.
I work with teams in regularly scheduled sessions, in series of workshops, and in one-time special events. My work with individual athletes and teams includes practices of body awareness, breathing techniques, mental focus, balance, and visualization.
Yoga has been critical to my team's success over the past several years. Not only does it offer a unique way to increase flexibility, core strength, and body awareness, but if offers the swimmers a way to decompress emotionally, spirituality, etc. The mindfulness about being in the ‘here and now’ and letting go of all the other stressors that pull at us all day long is very powerful. The team always feels refreshed and more positive after their yoga sessions.
Martie Staser | Men’s and Women's Swimming and Diving Coach
LYNNE'S EXPERIENCE WITH TEAMS
My personal experience as a competitive Ultimate Frisbee player has helped me to discover a powerful and playful connection between yoga and sport. Since I received my yoga teacher training, I have combined my passions for yoga and athletics in my own training as well as in my work with individual athletes and athletic teams.
I have worked with varsity teams at Nazareth College for the past sixteen years and currently teach yoga to twelve teams on campus. I have also worked with teams at St. John Fisher College, University of Rochester, Rochester Institute of Technology, Bryant and Stratton, Hamilton College, Brighton High School, Greater Rochester Area Disc Association as well as many individual athletes. I have received intensive training in teaching yoga to athletes by Sage Rountree, a nationally renowned trainer and author of The Athletes Guide to Yoga and The Athletes Guide to Recovery.
Yoga has helped me improve as an overall athlete by working on my balance, flexibility and strength, which has helped me on the field. Another reason I enjoyed yoga with Lynne was because it was a great time to have fun, find a place of relaxation and remind myself of all of life's blessings.
Alessio De Michele | Men’s Varsity Soccer Captain | Nazareth College