More athletes incorporating yoga into workouts

Russell Ragland is a competitive runner and knows the importance of stretching before he hits the road. He says, “Otherwise my muscles would be tight when I run and I'm just asking for an injury."

Now he is using yoga to make himself an even better athlete. "It increases strength, endurance, balance,” he explains.

Most people realize yoga can help with balance and toning your core, or mid-section, but studies also show it increases flexibility and helps eliminate soreness. That is why many college and professional teams are now incorporating yoga into their training.

Michelle Demus, with Pure Yoga, tells 3TV, “It's intrinsic in any kind of sport where you're training, especially at a high level, that there's going to be imbalance in the body. If you're really good at running, you're going to get tight in the hamstring. If you're good at cycling from hinging over at the back, you're going to get a little bit tight through here."

Research also shows athletes who perform yoga gain strength without the strain.

"You're working with your own body weight so in terms of injury prevention and overall body conditioning, it's one of the best exercises out there."

Also, the concentration that comes with yoga can help sharpen your head game.

"The mental aspect of yoga is a huge, huge issue, with yoga the breath work becomes very intrinsic in a lot of what we do."

Experts say that may make all the difference in an intense round of tennis, or any sport when the competition is tough. All the combined benefits come into play for long distance running, which Ragland says he enjoys most. “Since I've been integrating yoga practice into my routine I believe that I'm less sore or sore for a shorter duration of time after a race or a hard run."

Yoga moves can also improve your game for other sports, such as surfing, swimming or skiing, where the body has to react quickly.