Yoga for athletes

As many a yoga teacher knows, most athletes struggle with the same three areas: hips, hamstrings, and lower back.

Weight-bearing endeavours—like running, biking, or tennis—ask a lot of your hips and hamstrings in order to power your movement. And since both are closely connected to the lower back, it can end up sharing the burden.

This short post-workout stretching sequence hits all three areas—hips, hams, and lower back. Even if you're thinking "I've got no time in my training schedule for anything else!," no worries—a little yoga goes a long way.

These yoga poses are safe enough to do at home on your own. Try this sequence every other day for fast results. Note: If you're not warmed up, don't push yourself.

Photo by istock Aug 24, 2011