3 Reasons Why Pro Musicians Should Practice Yoga!

Here's a special message on yoga from Tony Horton, creator of P90X.



Whether you blow a brass or woodwind instrument, play electric guitar for Toto or play cowbell for Blue Oyster Cult, your body, mind and spirit could benefit greatly from the regular practice of yoga. As we all know, travel is rough on the body and causes stress, especially in the lower back and lower extremities if traveling for extremely long distances. Add the mode of which transporation is being used and the pain can get a little better or a little worse. Here are three reasons to add yoga once a week to your routine.

1. Yoga shortens recovery time.
Go ahead and run your scales for F# melodic minor, or trade eights with your bass player in the saddest of all keys, D minor! But until you make sure you save 30 to 45 minutes to put Yoga into your weekly routine, you are going to discover that the wall of fatigue you see in the side view mirrors is closer than it appears.

2. Yoga promotes endurance.
Does this mean that guitar players that practice yoga regularly will be able to play extended solos in their nightly sets like Alex Lifeson or endure an amazing drum solo like Neal Peart? Yes, that is what I mean. You won't be a virtuoso like those two awesome players without some practice on your instruments...ok, maybe lots of practice on your instruments. But the ability to last longer while in the act of performing live is a definite advantage to be had. Many triathletes use yoga to boost their endurance or longevity.

3. Yoga prevents injury.
I hear stories all the time about musicians who have given up their love of playing an instrument because of injury. Joe Satriani ices his hands down for 20 minutes before hitting the stage because of past injuries when he was younger. The principle is simple. Take care of your body and it will take care of you. Tony Horton, the creator of P90X says, "Yoga is the fountain of youth." We all want to play and enjoy our instruments for as long as we can. It's hard to do what we've been called to do if we have injuries, especially if we play for a living.

There you have it. 3 reasons why professional musicians should practice yoga. Do you have questions? Maybe you need a Yoga exercise routine that is right for you. I recommend "The Fountain of Youth" in Tony Horton's One on One series, or his newest one, "Patience Hummingbird" from the same series. You can get all the information and buy those yoga workouts by logging on to this link: http://www.beachbodycoach.com/fit2praise Namaste!

Preview the "Patience Hummingbird" workout:

Hello and welcome!

Welcome to Raising the Standard. My focus is to help professional Christian musicians, praise and worship leaders, and even regular Joe's and Jane's get into the best shape of their lives.

Some of you may be touring professionals that know too often, food in the green room (fellowship hall or back closet closest to the stage) is often a bowl of M&M's or Granny's special cabbage soup. Even more laughable is the amount of space to yourself on a bus or van and trying to exercise for 45 minutes is a lofty idea instead of a reality. Don't fret! I'm here to help you. As a Beachbody (the company that made P90X) coach, I have access to various programs and nutrition ideas to help you get the most out of your ministry while maintaining your health, getting healthier on the road, in your office or most importantly, in the time available to you daily.

Someone right now is thinking, "What's the point of trying to exercise while on the road?" That's a great question and I'm glad you asked. It's been proven over and over again that exercise relieves stress and we know how annoying drummers can get! No one wants to lose a friend or colleague. Exercise offers that outlet that will lower the chances of you feeling the need to look for a new drummer before the first set is over.

One of working musician's favorite things to say when asked "What are you doing now?" is, "I'm living the dream." Are you really? Have you wanted to lose the belly but just haven't had the means or motivation to do so? That's just surface stuff. What about lowering your blood pressure, cholesterol or just overall wanting to feel better? I'm gonna post nutrition and fitness tips to help you achieve your goal.

A plan is necessary for change to occur. Proverbs 29:18 says, "Where there is no vision the people perish". So write down your reason or reasons for getting into better health. Post them here and allow me to assist you in your efforts towards that goal by coming up with a plan. I want to know your stories.

Ok...till next time, keep the Son in your eyes!

Brad Hafner (Fit2praise)