Dynamic Duo
The following blog post was written as an assignment for a fictional company combining Yoga and Basketball.
Dynamic Duo for Health
Forging a Strong Mind and Body
For many Americans, living a healthy lifestyle presents a challenge, and it should come as no surprise that a large percentage of the population is overweight or obese.
Many factors contribute to this, work schedules, family commitments, and expense: gym memberships, expensive in-home equipment, or personal trainers.
I was in that same situation myself, until two years ago when I decided to prioritize my health. That’s when things changed for me as I went on my path of personal discovery, I found a perfect combination that truly helped me forge a strong mind and body. It’s so simple; you may wonder why you didn’t discover it yourself.
At my yearly physical, I wasn’t surprised to learn I put on an unhealthy 30 pounds… improper diet and lack of exercise will do that to you. With my poor diet, and lack of exercise I was looking at developing chronic diseases such as diabetes, high cholesterol, maybe a heart attack.
It was at this point I became determined to find something to take the pounds off and bring joy back into my life.
Talking to my wife, she suggested Yoga.
Yoga!! What the hell…
That’s for housewives, not me I told her. She told me to stop being stereotypical, even though women make up most yoga practitioners, the percentage of men is increasing. And the calming effect on your mind will be worth it.
She would know as she had been doing yoga for the last year and has told me it has eased her anxiety and depression.
I thought about it for a while, and though I did not jump into it, I pursued one of my other favorite past times, basketball. It had been years since I picked up a basketball, but I needed to rediscover myself. First, I practiced alone, then I found a few pickup games, eventually joining a league.
When I mentioned to John, my coach about my wife recommending yoga, imagine my surprise when he said, “why not, I practice yoga, in fact why don’t you join me.” That night I decided to investigate further and discovered yoga is a thing with prominent, All Star level NBA players.
Sportcasting.com says this about NBA players and yoga:
• Yoga has been practiced by some of the biggest names in basketball. Some may scoff at the notion of yoga’s physical and mental discipline, but it’s known to be among the most beneficial workouts. It’s no mistake that NBA players past and present embrace it.
• 2021 NBA Champions, Golden State Warriors do Yoga as a team.
• NBA legend, All-Star, and champion, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has spoken openly about the importance of yoga, continuing to urge players to do it. -sportcasting.com
• Even current NBA superstar Lebron James has embraced Yoga.
• James has practiced yoga for over a decade and credited it with the reason he’s remained quite health throughout most of his career. The results don’t lie.
NBA All-Star Lebron James practicing Yoga.
Considering, as we age, we tend to lose strength and flexibility, our bones become brittle, some of us even become hunched over, lowering our quality of life. The amazing thing is that it is preventable, with proper exercise.
Physical inactivity is the major cause of chronic diseases and premature death in the modern world. 1 Thus, physical activity is essential in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases,2 and participation in sporting activities is suggested as a means for improving the health of nations.3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6180545/
Playing basketball by itself has its own set of benefits including:
• Hand eye-coordination
• Endurance
• Balance and coordination
• Builds muscle
• Burns calories
• Increases bone strength
Playing basketball helps improve motor coordination, flexibility, and endurance. It also encourages speed, agility, and strength. These skills are shown to have a positive effect on promoting a healthy body weight and encouraging more physical activity, which can enhance cardiorespiratory fitness and self-esteem. -healthline.com
Per Harvard Health, adding Yoga into your routine provides the following health benefits, in forging your strong mind and body:
• Toning and strengthening muscles
• Helping to maintain a healthy metabolism
• Protection against injury
• Relieving stress
• Improve mental health/sleep
• Improves balance
• Improves bone health
• Increased flexibility
Source: File:Bukh ParighasanaWhy Is This Lens Flying Off The Shelves? The Zoom Photos It Takes Are Just Incredible! (trendingsaver.com) Why Is This Lens Flying Off The Shelves? The Zoom Photos It Takes Are Just Incredible! (trendingsaver.com) Parsvottanasana Navasana.jpg - https://en.wikipedia.org
Taken together, playing basketball and yoga really creates that dynamic duo for total overall health. You will increase or maintain flexibility, build muscle, reduce stress, lose weight, get a better night’s sleep, strengthen your bones, and improve your overall energy levels.
Best of all, anyone at any age can practice yoga and play basketball. You don’t even need to play a game, some simple drills like dribbling a ball while you walk will help.
Feel you are too old for yoga? Consider this fact those over 50 make up the largest increase in new yoga students.
As I navigate through this new life of mine, I am glad to have discovered this great combination as my mind and body have healed and gotten stronger since engaging in both.
A strong mind is important for a strong body, and vice versa. When you have both, well then you can conquer anything. And it does not take much to get there.
Maybe you have never played or picked up a basketball or know what a pose means when relating to yoga, but you can learn quick.
Get started on forging your strong mind and body, with 6 Free Yoga poses and Basketball Drills Here, or enter your email below for immediate delivery.
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