How does a professional football team prepare for the Super Bowl? Aside from typical running, throwing and strength training drills, the championship-bound New York Giants also reap the athletic benefits of season-long yoga sessions.
Gwen Lawrence, celebrity yoga coach and spokesperson for Gaiam TV, has been teaching yoga for 22 years and working with the New York Giants for 11 years.
“The Giants were my first professional team,” Lawrence said, who specializes in different forms of yoga, including Iyengar, Hatha, and Ashtanga Vinyasa, to engage the entire body and mind.
Lawrence, who also works with the New York Knicks, Rangers and members of the Yankees, said she works with the Giants twice a week during pre-season to get the players in shape and prepare their bodies for the upcoming year.
“In-season, I come in on Mondays and do post-game restorative work with the players,” she said. “I can’t just go in there and kick their butts and expect full-body participation.”
The routine can change week-to-week, according to Lawrence, depending on how the players are feeling and which areas – such as their legs or their backs – are giving them problems.
at Glen Cove with Howard Cross. Must've been around 1999. One of my buddies asked how much they benched, and Toomer responded by saying that he didn't really lift, but he worked out by doing yoga. Then you see him making diving grabs down the sideline and you're like, 'welp, guess I need to do some yoga'.
These are the little things behind the scenes us fans rarely hear about. But this is where veteran leadership can have positive (or sometimes negative) influences. Most important thing I took from that article though is that OBJ actively sought out Jennings.
have shown that static stretching BEFORE competition actually inhibits/impedes performance. A dynamic warmup that mimics movements in the actual sport itself is SOP now.
that standard stretching AFTERwards can be beneficial
thats what im referring to - and guys I know there have been yoga trainers that have worked with the giants in the past. its not nearly as widespread and inclusive in the routine as it could be. I got to talk to Kenny Phillips about that a few years ago and the impression he gave me is there still is that negative stereotype associated with it. They all know about it, talk about it in the locker room etc - but few guys do it. Boss, Diehl, Toomer are all guys that have gone on record as doing it, ESPN did a story about it years ago.
STILL - it is not nearly as widespread on the uptake as it could be. Particularly hot yoga for injury prevention.
I've done the hot yoga before (I think its also called Bikram yoga, but that could also be something different). it was an hour and a half class. my towel was completely soaked afterwards. like when you pull it out of the wash before the spin cycle. I easily went though the two liters of water I brought with me...some of the poses were very difficult if not impossible for me to do (I knew that going in), but the people that could pull them off were unbelievably flexible. I felt great afterwards too even though it took me the rest of the day to rehydrate. Told myself I'd start going twice a week at least. haven't been back since and have had a knee operation in the meantime as well (from running).
so I can definitely see where football players could benefit from it. supplement it at least with lifting and diet, etc.
As Jennings saying he liked and appreciated the way OGJ worked and decided to take him under his wing, or that OBJ came up to Jennings and said he liked the way Jennings worked and as a result Jennings took him under his wing?
Quote:
“He kind of came under my wing,” Jennings said. “It was on the practice field. Said, ‘I like the way you work. I appreciate the way you work.’ He’s been with me every day.”
RE: We had Amani Toomer come to our middle school Â
at Glen Cove with Howard Cross. Must've been around 1999. One of my buddies asked how much they benched, and Toomer responded by saying that he didn't really lift, but he worked out by doing yoga. Then you see him making diving grabs down the sideline and you're like, 'welp, guess I need to do some yoga'.
Yup I recall Amani used to swear by yoga as the reason for his longevity and relative good health in his career
Oh, oh, you said yoga. Never mind.
(Actually I love it)
How does a professional football team prepare for the Super Bowl? Aside from typical running, throwing and strength training drills, the championship-bound New York Giants also reap the athletic benefits of season-long yoga sessions.
Gwen Lawrence, celebrity yoga coach and spokesperson for Gaiam TV, has been teaching yoga for 22 years and working with the New York Giants for 11 years.
“The Giants were my first professional team,” Lawrence said, who specializes in different forms of yoga, including Iyengar, Hatha, and Ashtanga Vinyasa, to engage the entire body and mind.
Lawrence, who also works with the New York Knicks, Rangers and members of the Yankees, said she works with the Giants twice a week during pre-season to get the players in shape and prepare their bodies for the upcoming year.
The routine can change week-to-week, according to Lawrence, depending on how the players are feeling and which areas – such as their legs or their backs – are giving them problems.
thats what im referring to - and guys I know there have been yoga trainers that have worked with the giants in the past. its not nearly as widespread and inclusive in the routine as it could be. I got to talk to Kenny Phillips about that a few years ago and the impression he gave me is there still is that negative stereotype associated with it. They all know about it, talk about it in the locker room etc - but few guys do it. Boss, Diehl, Toomer are all guys that have gone on record as doing it, ESPN did a story about it years ago.
STILL - it is not nearly as widespread on the uptake as it could be. Particularly hot yoga for injury prevention.
so I can definitely see where football players could benefit from it. supplement it at least with lifting and diet, etc.
Yup I recall Amani used to swear by yoga as the reason for his longevity and relative good health in his career