Yoga for Athletes: Alyssa Collins
From cheering at the World Championships to dominating the weightlifting platform, Alyssa Collins has always known what it takes to excel. As an athlete, she’s learned that success isn’t just about strength—it’s about balance, mobility, and staying mentally tough. That’s why yoga has become a cornerstone of her training, helping her refine her technique, enhance her flexibility, and tackle mental challenges with poise.
We sat down with Alyssa to dive into how yoga has shaped her performance as a 55kg weightlifter and why it’s a powerful tool for athletes within her arena. Let’s dive in, yogis.
Why Olympic Weightlifters Are Turning to Yoga
Weightlifting requires more than raw power—it’s a blend of precision, control, and resilience. Each lift challenges the entire body to work in perfect harmony, and for many weightlifters, yoga has become a secret weapon to unlock their full potential.
For Alyssa, yoga bridges the gap between power and performance. With her background in gymnastics and cheerleading, she understands that mobility and stability are just as important as strength.
“Weightlifting isn’t just about how much weight you can lift,” Collins explains. “It’s about how well you can move under pressure.”
Yoga supports her training by enhancing flexibility, improving body awareness, and building the stability that heavy lifts demand. Beyond the physical aspects, it also sharpens the mind, giving athletes like Alyssa the focus and clarity they need to excel in high-pressure situations. By combining mindful movement with physical strength, yoga becomes an essential tool for weightlifters looking to perform at their peak.
Benefits of Yoga for Olympic Weightlifters
Weightlifting is a full-body as well as a mind-body challenge, and yoga supports every aspect of the sport. Let’s take a look at some of the other positive aspects of combining yoga with weight training:
Mobility and Flexibility
Olympic lifts require incredible mobility, particularly in the hips, shoulders, and ankles. Yoga is Alyssa’s go-to for unlocking tight areas and improving her range of motion. Poses like Pigeon and Low Lunge help her open up her hips and enhance her technique in movements like the snatch and clean-and-jerk.
“Yoga helps me stay flexible and strong,” she says. “That flexibility makes all the difference when I’m hitting deep squats or overhead positions.”
Core Strength
In weightlifting, stability is everything. Yoga’s balancing poses, like Flying Crow, challenge the stabilizing muscles Alyssa relies on to control heavy weights. This core strength translates directly to the platform, improving her ability to maintain precision and power during technical lifts.
Recovery and Injury Prevention
Yoga plays a critical role in helping Alyssa recover from the physical demands of weightlifting. Long-held restorative poses allow her muscles to release tension and recharge, reducing the risk of injury and overtraining. For Alyssa, yoga isn’t just recovery—it’s preparation for her next big lift.
A Mental Game-Changer
Yoga’s emphasis on mindfulness and breathwork has given Alyssa the tools to manage the mental demands of lifting. It helps her stay centered and composed, even when faced with heavy weights or high-stakes lifts. By training her mind alongside her body, Alyssa approaches this sport with clarity and confidence, mentally armed with the tools to conquer the challenges coming her way.
“Yoga has taught me how to handle fear and push through mental blocks, which is huge when you’re trying to throw heavy weight over your head.”
Yoga’s Role in the Mental Game
Weightlifting challenges not just the body but also the mind. The ability to stay focused, composed, and confident under pressure is what sets top athletes apart, and yoga helps Alyssa develop this mental edge. Through breathwork and mindfulness, yoga has become an essential tool for quieting the noise and staying present.
“Weightlifting can be really intimidating,” she admits. “Yoga helps me stay centered and trust myself, even when the weight feels scary.”
This mental clarity doesn’t just make Alyssa a better athlete—it makes her a stronger, more resilient person both on and off the platform.
Is Yoga as a Secret Weapon for Weightlifters?
For athletes like Alyssa Collins, the answer is clear: absolutely.
Yoga isn’t just a supplement to her training—it’s a cornerstone of her success. From improving mobility and core strength to fostering recovery and mental resilience, yoga has given her the tools to thrive.
“I’ve learned so much about movement, mindfulness, and how to trust my body through yoga,” Alyssa shares. “It’s helped me unlock strength I didn’t know I had—physically and mentally.”
The truth is, yoga isn’t just for yogis. Whether you’re chasing PRs in the gym or striving for better balance in life, incorporating yoga into your routine can make a lasting impact.
Yoga is Alyssa’s secret weapon. Ready to make it yours?
