MLB All-Star Yoga: Recovery, Performance, and Family at the 2022 All-Star Game

In 2022, I had the opportunity to bring recovery-based yoga directly to Major League Baseball’s biggest stage: the MLB All-Star Game in Los Angeles.

What made this experience especially meaningful wasn’t just the setting—it was the path that led there. I cold-pitched the idea directly to MLB, met with the Special Events Committee, navigated approval through the MLBPA, and ultimately was flown out to lead a series of yoga sessions designed specifically for All-Star players and their families.

This wasn’t a branded spectacle or a one-off wellness moment. It was intentional, athlete-centered, and rooted in recovery.

Yoga Designed for Athletes—During the Season

The MLB season is long, physically demanding, and relentless. By the time All-Star Week arrives, players are managing more than just fatigue—they’re navigating nagging injuries, asymmetries, tightness, and the mental load of a grueling travel schedule.

The sessions I led during All-Star Week were recovery-based athlete yoga, designed to:

• Support joint health and mobility

• Restore range of motion

• Reduce nervous system load

• Complement—not compete with—strength and conditioning work

  
  

These were not “stretch and sweat” classes. They were intelligent, accessible, and grounded in what professional athletes actually need mid-season.

An Inclusive Experience for Players and Their Families

One of the most powerful elements of this event was its inclusivity. The hotel where sessions were held was filled with players and their families, and the classes were open to everyone—players, partners, spouses, and family members. Multiple sessions were scheduled to accommodate varying schedules, making it easy for players to drop in without disrupting the demands of All-Star Week.

In a season where athletes are constantly on the road, these sessions created space not only for physical recovery, but for shared time with loved ones—something that’s often missing in professional sports.

Seeing players on the mat alongside their families reinforced something I deeply believe: recovery isn’t just physical. It’s relational, emotional, and human.

Working in High-Pressure Environments

I thrive in high-pressure environments. Professional athletes show up carrying physical issues they don’t always want publicized—tight hips, sore backs, limited shoulders, accumulated wear and tear. My role in these settings is to meet athletes exactly where they are, without spectacle, without exposure, and without ego.

Discretion matters. Trust matters. The ability to adapt in real time matters.

Teaching during MLB All-Star Week required all of that—along with clarity, confidence, and respect for the athlete’s existing performance ecosystem. These sessions weren’t about fixing anyone. They were about supporting recovery in a way that seamlessly fit into the larger picture of professional sport.

Why This Work Matters

This experience reaffirmed why I do what I do. Yoga, when applied intelligently, has a powerful place in professional athletics—not as a trend, not as a replacement for training, but as a strategic recovery and performance tool. When offered in the right environment, with the right tone and intention, it becomes something athletes actually use.

Being trusted by MLB to lead this work—especially through a process I initiated myself—was both humbling and affirming.

It’s a reminder that there is space in elite sport for thoughtful, evidence-informed yoga that respects the demands placed on athletes and honors the realities of their lives on and off the field.

This type of recovery-focused, performance-informed yoga continues through Yoga 42’s work with professional athletes, teams, and high-performing organizations.