Prepare For Yoga

• 1). Study alignment. As important as proper alignment is to weightlifting, it's equally so for yoga. Educate yourself in the principles of correct biomechanical alignment to help circumvent the inherent tightness of a weightlifter's compact body. The Iyengar and Anusara yoga styles emphasize alignment, so studios that teach those styles are a great place to start.
  
  
• 2). Give your muscles the gift of recovery time. Many athletes who arrive at yoga from resistance training plunge into yoga's "deep end" to experience the high level of self-challenge they're used to. This approach sometimes leads to injury, as the microscopic tears in the weight trainer's muscles haven't recovered from high-stress activity before being re-exerted too soon in the yoga studio.
  
  
• 3). Practice patience. Your yoga journey won't be easy, and your body may feel very tight and resist the stretching movements at first. Be willing to be gentle with yourself as you learn.
  
  

In the Studio

• 1). Ask your teacher to guide you through poses to increase stability in the joints and to watch your alignment closely while you perform them. These poses will help your form in the weight room as well, by teaching your body its best, fullest range of motion.
  
  
• 2). Ask your teacher to recommend poses that stretch your most-trained muscle groups. Stretching these muscle groups will make your strength more functional and prevent the body from hardening beyond the scope of usability.
  
  
• 3). Ask your teacher to introduce you to restorative poses that you can do both in the studio and at home, or in the gym. These poses recharge the nervous system by stimulating the body's natural relaxation response, countering the stimulatory effects of intense exercise.