Yoga is transforming the way athletes train and recover from injuries.

Being your best as a football player means constantly evolving your training. While spending hours in the gym lifting weights and running drills on the field has rewards, yoga offers a whole different set of advantages that have proven to be beneficial.

A football player’s daily routine is packed with activities. From training to studying film to reading the playbook, you may not think you have time for anything else.

Thanks to modern technology, you can now exercise anytime, anyplace.

One of the best ways to get started is to attend a local yoga studio. Class times typically range from early morning to late in the evening – accommodating most schedules.

Keep in mind that not all yoga classes are the same. There are beginner classes that will introduce you to proper breathing and some basic stretches. Then there are classes that range from hot yoga to aerial yoga to paddleboard yoga and so on.

No matter which class you choose, yoga is all about breathing – even more than stretching – and as you advance in your practice, you will begin to do more advanced stretches and breathing.

Yoga classes also are typically offered at a local gym or through private lessons. Thanks to modern technology, you can also do yoga classes at home on your TV through an gaming system, Roku, Amazon TV or other devise and do classes right on you big screen with apps such as Xbox Fitness and Daily Burn.

For those always on the go, there are phone and tablet apps such as Fitstar, Daily Yoga and Yoga Guru, among others. For laptops, there is Yogaformen.com.

No matter where you are, your age or your skill level, you can practice yoga anywhere to help with balance, flexibility and core strength. Practice lasts anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour.

For young athletes, starting a yoga practice at a young age helps in the gym and on the field, providing an edge that your opponents don’t have.

Peter Macias is a USA Football certified youth coach who writes about technology and sports. He also is a former member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers special events and gameday operations staff, a member of the NFL Alumni Association and an Heads Up Football Ambassador. Connect Peter on twitterand on LinkedIn.