Yoga Reduces Muscle Soreness Post-Workout

Back in 2004, a study out of Springfield College in Massachusetts found that ongoing yoga practice and a single bout of yoga appeared to reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) in women who had performed eccentric exercise.

Eccentric exercise is the type of muscular contraction in which a muscle is lengthening. When lifting weights, we typically think of this as the lowering phase: lowering a barbell to the chest in a bench press or lowering the body to the bottom of a squat.

Many athletes will relate to the DOMS following a challenging workout in which going down stairs or lowering to sit in a chair is exceedingly painful! This study's findings support the idea that an ongoing yoga practice combined with a single bout following eccentric training will reduce this type of muscle soreness.

This is great news for athletes who train 5-6/week and want to train intensely, but still feel fresh for the next day's workout.

For a more detailed write-up of this article click here:

http://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/more-good-reasons-athletes-do-yoga.