YOGA CENTERPIECE OF TRAINING

Feb. 1, 2010

Greetings sports fans and welcome to the off-season!

Over the last few months I’ve received questions, comments and testimonials from some of you. Thanks so much! Keep em’ coming. For this issue I wanted to share one man’s testimonial and how changing his exercise focus improved not only his game but his life.

By Joseph Panza

For the past nine years I have used an extensive yoga workout combined with core strengthening and aerobic exercises to prepare for senior softball season.

Yoga has become the centerpiece around which I have built my entire training regimen. The reason: yoga assures me that I am working to improve my flexibility, my endurance, balance and strength while minimizing injuries.

So you understand my medical history; I had two knee operations. My ankle, shoulder and both elbows have been surgically repaired. In addition to those injuries I have degenerative disk disease. A few years ago that meant that I was looking at fusion or disk replacement surgery.

Since practicing yoga surgical remedies are no longer an option and I am less prone to injury from running, slowing, stopping or accelerating during sports.

Yoga increases flexibility, range of motion and balance. All of these you need to play softball or other sports; let alone feeling good while doing normal daily activities. Before yoga I could hardly bend to reach a ball, take a full swing, throw with full range of motion or (my favorite) run the bases without pain or fear of injury.

Today my doctors are pleased with my health and fitness.

But most importantly I am pleased to be essentially pain-free

Today, many professional athletes in all the major sports are using yoga in combination with other sport-specific exercise routines as a way to prevent and recover from injuries.

Yoga can be demanding but with so many varieties and modifications for each pose it can be practiced by anyone successfully.

Yoga is easy to use in the sense that you do not have to join an expensive club or invest in a lot of equipment. I do recommend you invest in some videos or check out a class in your neighborhood.

Please talk to the instructor before class. They can answer any questions and help you get comfortable as you try something new. You will want to purchase a mat for cushioning and slip prevention while practicing yoga. They are available anywhere you shop.

This off-season, I urge you to give yoga a chance and see if you don’t see a difference in how you feel. Keep it up and it just keeps getting better. Then next season, see if it doesn’t make a difference in how you play! “I wish I had started yoga 30 years ago.”

Good luck and as they say in yoga, Namaste!

Dr. Panza is a tenured professor at Southern Connecticut State University, where he teaches in the Recreation & Leisure Studies Department. He is an avid softball player, enjoys tennis and other ball sports. He may be reached for further information at panzaj1@southernct.edu.

Lisa Cachia is a Nationally Certified Personal Trainer/ Group Exercise Instructor and owner of Benefitness Personal Training. Contact Lisa at benefitness@comcast.net.