The health benefits of yoga for the athlete are endless. Physically, yoga is a great workout which improves balance, strength and flexibility. It also reduces the physical imbalances that athletes regularly experience due to the repetitive use of the same muscle groups. The real magic of yoga for athletes happens on the inside which may not be visible right away. When practiced regularly, yoga can not only enhance the athlete’s life, it can transform it completely. It’s hard to convince the athlete that corpse pose is the most beneficial to him/her, but it is. In shavasana, or final resting pose, there is an opportunity to quiet the mind and notice the negative fear-based impulses that trickle in. When an athlete can combat these limiting thoughts or narratives, they are no longer trapped by them–thereby being better able to unleash the untapped potential in their game. This has everything to do with being the best at any given sport. What distinguishes one great athlete from the next is their ability to master the mind. That laser focus required by a winning athlete is not dominated by negativity or fear, rather he/she is fully present in the task at hand which is being the best at his/her game. Regular yoga, asana practice married with breath is the best way to train the mind to be peaceful, especially when the stress of competition kicks in, so that the necessary concentration for competitive life can take a leading role.