Wind Down & Restore with Post-Workout Yoga for Athletes

If you’re anything like me, I bet you’re a runner, a weightlifter, an obstacle course racer or some other type athlete who thrives on a tough sweat session but not so much the attention to mobility and cooling down that should follow. Over the last two years, I’ve come to realize that yoga is a fantastic and fun way to stretch out, unwind and realign the body after working out. Plus, it can be done at home in 15 minutes or less – meaning, “I have no time for that,” is a pretty lame excuse!

Post Workout Yoga For Athletes

Forget the hassle of heading to a yoga class after the last mile has been run or burpee been thrown down, Grokker, an online resource of home workout videos, has a relaxing post-workout yoga practice for athletes that really works to help ease muscles and the nervous system into cool down mode immediately following a high-intensity exercise event. Actually, Grokker has 1,500+ fitness videos for to choose from, I just thought you’d like to get a taste of this one I keep putting in my queue – Post Workout Yoga for Athletes.

What I like about this athlete-centric practice is that it gently stretches and opens the body to optimize the workout I just finished. Each pose helps my taxed muscle tissue start to repair while I’m still warm and grounds my energy after being in “beast mode” for a couple hours. Because runners, weightlifters and other athletes tend to have tighter muscles than uber-bendy yogis, I appreciate how this video provides simple modifications so that I can attempt each pose without getting injured.

Yoga Shoulder Stretch and Chest Opener for Athletes

I couldn’t reach my hands together on the other side, but the Grokker instructor showed me how to modify this pose with a yoga strap.

Jennifer Fisher - Beef Team Elite Runner

Home workouts and yoga videos from Grokker round out my fitness and keep me competing at the top of my game.

Plus, did I mention how easy it is to do a Grokker yoga workout at home?! Just log in, search the library and hit the play button – or schedule a reminder for a later date and time!  Somedays, I barely have time to fit in a quick run, let alone finding time to drive to a yoga class in crazy Austin traffic. There’s no denying the social benefits of exercising in a gym or group fitness class, but often – very often – that is not convenient, or even possible. Grokker video workouts have been a solid addition to my widely varied fitness toolbox – there are all types of workouts and even healthy cooking episodes to suit my current interests and abilities.  

 

Here are some other reasons to check out Grokker (in addition to receiving a 14-day free trial and 40 percent discount).

Variety: A library full of 1,500+ premium video classes in popular genres like yoga, fitness, meditation and healthy cooking. Videos last 10 minutes to 1+ hours and are available in beginner to advance fitness levels – you will never get bored!

Quality: Grokker’s videos, made in-house, are beautiful and inspiring to watch – the expert fitness instructors also know what they’re talking about and will wisely teach and lead you through all the steps.

Community: You can contact your fitness instructor to have questions answered and also connect with thousands of like-minded fitness enthusiasts from around the world. You’ll also find all the latest health and fitness tips at Grokker – they keep you in the know and motivated!   

Convenient: Workout as YOUR schedule permits, where, whenever and as much as you want. The Premium videos can be accessed on any device including laptop, tablet and phone.

 

Remember, for a limited time, you can get a 14-day free trial and 40 percent discount on premium memberships, so check Grokker out STAT! 

What is your favorite post-workout stretch or yoga pose?  Have you ever followed along with a video class?  Please share in the comments below – XOXO, Jennifer

This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of Grokker.

5 Tips to Carry Fitness Motivation Through Winter + Compression Sock #Giveaway

5 Tips to Carry Workout Motivations Through WinterIt’s only the beginning of November, but between dwindling daylight hours and cooler temperatures many are already wondering how to stick with a fitness routine when it’s time to move indoors from outdoors. Both professional and recreational athletes alike complain that seasonal weather swings, along with hectic holiday schedules, can contribute to fitness fallout. Don’t let your workouts get sidelined this fall and winter– these suggestions will keep you motivated and on task until the return of sunny skies and warm weather.  Oh, and don’t forget to enter my giveaway at the bottom of this post to win a pair of VIM & VIGR Compression socks – cute new gear is ALWAYS one of the ways I stay motivated to workout.

Rowing indoors during winter makes good running alternative.

Embrace Cardio Equipment: Take your heart-pumping workout to the treadmill, stationary bike or row machine. While logging loads of miles without physically moving forward poses a mental challenge, the monotony of machines can be overcome by incorporating intervals, hills or other challenging elements that keep you pushing buttons and pushing the pace. For example, runners can sprint a ladder of eight 400 meters intervals with each getting successively faster.

Consider Gym Alternatives: While it may be too dark or dangerous to participate in your favorite outdoor activity, look around and you can probably find an indoor comparable at the health club.  Obstacle course racers can hone skills at rock climbing gyms or CrossFit boxes while hikers can jam it out on the Jacob’s ladder machine or stationary stair climber while listening to nature-inspired music. Get creative!

Widen Workout Net: Keep your interest up by trying out new classes; the fall and winter are the perfect time to challenge yourself with new skills. Plus, working out in a group setting offers the motivation and structure many need to succeed. Mix it up and try a fitness class you’ve never done before like yoga, TRX suspension training, trampolining or even indoor surfing! A Class Pass or similar service is a great way to exercise within a large network of fitness studios without having to have a membership to each.

Build a Bootcamp: Recruit your family, friends and neighbors to join the workout fun by organizing a boot camp. You provide space in a basement, garage or den with the couch scooted to the side and attendees provide the on-the-spot comradery and encouragement needed to get the job of burpees, pushups and squat jumps done. To keep things fun and fresh, take turns writing up the workouts or start a friendly “challenge” style competition.

Reward Your Hard Work: A pat on the back for busting your butt in the gym is nice and all, but sometimes a more tangible incentive is in order! List out short and long term goals for your fall and winter fitness and then pick a few rewards – maybe something smaller for the short term rewards, like a new pair of compression socks or new music downloads and something bigger like a snazzy new GPS watch or fancy sunglasses for the season-end goals.

If you’re into compression socks like I am, then you’ll love to reward yourself with a pair or two from VIM & VIGR. If you’ve seen me running and hand-standing my way through Instagram, you’ve most likely taken note that I am partial to knee-high compression socks – and the brighter and more patterned, the better! Compression socks keep my legs feeling fresh when running fast or long, they keep me warmer when the weather cools down (cold is under 75 degrees to me), and they facilitate muscle recovery by keeping blood circulating. Compression knee-high socks also keep my shins from getting scuffed up doing dead-lifts, box jumps or rope climbs.  They are also excellent for traveling or days when I have to stand all day working at a conference or cooking demo.

Vim & Vigr Compression Sock Giveaway

VIM & VIGR has to be the most fun, most hip and most happy brand of compression socks around – for both gals and guys. This is the only brand I will wear now, and I’m not just saying that because I’m a lucky-duck ambassador. The fit is great, the “squeeze” is just right, and the styles are modern and fun and begging to be shown off!  There’s not a day that goes by when someone doesn’t tell me that “they love my socks”!  You need to enter the giveaway below – three of my readers will each win a pair of their choice!

Visit VimVigr.com and let me know which pair of compression socks you like best! Share in the comments below. And don’t forget to enter via the Rafflecopter app below for more ways to enter! XOXO, Jennifer

a Rafflecopter giveaway