You can listen to an episode of CrossFIt Radio through the CrossFit Journal and hear Keith Wittenstein from CrossFit Virtuosity in NYC talk about how yoga can benefit CrossFitters. You can also find plenty of conversation amongst the self-proclaimed bada** CrossFitters making fun of yoga and claiming it is the antithesis of CrossFit. Maybe in some ways that is true. For example, CrossFit benefits mental health by making you so tired in ways you haven’t been since you were a kid that you get a good night’s sleep. CrossFit promotes relaxation by making you work so hard your brain can’t get in the way. It sure doesn’t do it via any relaxation poses. However, yoga promotes a body awareness that benefits CrossFitters immensely. Take Briar, our CrossFitting yoga instructor, for example. The photo of her under our Welcome page is her VERY FIRST SNATCH! Yup, you show me any one of you triatheletes or college athletes or strong guys who managed to get your first Snatch to look like that. Balance, coordination, flexibility and accuracy are all elements of fitness improved via neuromuscular adaptation. Yoga addresses all of these. Body awareness, or the ability to make your body do what you want when you want, is crucial in moving better. What is CrossFit ultimately about? Moving better so you can increase your physical work capacity. Yoga can undoubtedly help a lot of people move better which can get you CrossFitting better. Check out Briar and our free 7:00am Thursday yoga class at www.crossfityoga.com.
