PSA: Download our app! You'll have access to hundreds of free yoga videos organized by length, style, part of body and more! Option to opt-in to our exclusive content section where you'll receive weekly video and voice messages for $1.99/mo. Plus, when you review our app and send a screenshot to Lauren, you'll receive a gift in thanks.
As many of you know, I've recently started Olympic weight lifting. I love it and it has helped so much with my upper body strength, which in turn has helped with my arm balances in yoga.
One of the most frequent questions I get when it comes to working out is how I deal with tightness from weight lifting. For me, it just comes down to making the time to stretch and incorporate yoga every single day - which isn't hard since my job is essentially to do yoga...but obviously that is tough for people with, you know, real jobs. :)
So my suggestion would be to practice a little yoga every day - even if it's 30 seconds in rag doll pose while you wait for the shower to warm up, or a quick five minute flow while you wait for the water to boil as you're in the kitchen cooking. Whatever you can do will be better than nothing.
For my Olympic lifters, I've decided to start a new video series to help with mobility. Not only will this help you to feel more loose in your day to day life, but the increased mobility should help you make gains in your lifts and may even prevent injury. I'd suggest practicing this video a couple times per week and track your lifts with photo or video over the course of a month to see if you've increased your mobility. If you're up for it, use hashtag #ybcgym so I can see!
The first video in the series is for chest and shoulder mobility. It's a pretty gentle flow because we're not interested in raising the heart rate so much as we are interested in finding opening within the front body, upper back, chest, armpit, arms, and shoulder areas. I hope you enjoy it! Let me know how it goes for you down in the comments below and please feel free to share on facebook or in email to friends who are Olympic lifters and could use a little yoga in their lives.
Pin now and practice later!
20 Minute Yoga for Olympic Lifters - chest and shoulder mobility
Wearing: Moto Leggings & tank c/o Evolve Fitwear. Bra by Sadhana Clothing.