You won’t find Maroon 5’s frontman, Adam Levine, pumping iron in a weightlifting class or sweating it out at the gym. This Emmy Award-winning judge on The Voice, former “Sexiest Man Alive” cover model for People magazine, and a new dad chooses to work on his physique in a different way – through the practice of yoga.
Essential Gear for the Road Adam Levine is a dedicated yogi who turned to this ancient discipline when traditional fitness regimens left him feeling too muscular and fatigued from his demanding touring schedule. Unhappy with bulging muscles and a thickened neck, he needed a way to find inner peace and balance amidst the chaos of his high-energy, public life on the road. Conventional strength training workouts failed to alleviate his lower back discomfort and tight hips and hamstrings. Enter yoga, with poses like downward-facing dog, big toe pose, and revolved triangle.
Through yoga, Levine not only learned calming and revitalizing breathing techniques but also embraced meditation. Somewhere between challenging poses like sirsasana (headstand) and the relaxation of savasana (corpse pose), he discovered a sense of nirvana. Today, whenever Maroon 5 is on tour, there’s always a dedicated yoga room backstage where Levine devotes an hour to his customized yoga practice, often with a personal coach, to prepare both physically and mentally for his performances.
A Variety of Yoga Styles The sequences devised for Adam Levine by his yoga instructors encompass a wide range of styles, from the serene to the invigorating. He embraces the classic Ashtanga routine, a fast-paced, aerobic series that begins with sun salutations and progresses through eight increasingly challenging sequences, enhancing flexibility, strength, and endurance. The Ashtanga Primary Series comprises 41 poses, performed in sequence alongside ujjayi breathing – a rhythmic and calming pranayama.
Levine takes it up a notch with a faster Vinyasa routine, where breath and asanas are meticulously coordinated. This dynamic practice not only makes you break a sweat but also effectively eliminates toxins from your body while sharpening your mental focus. Jivamukti yoga offers flowing stress-reducing stretches and incorporates spiritual practices and meditation into hatha yoga routines. The “spiritual warrior” class within Jivamukti combines warm-up poses, chanting, sun salutations, standing poses, backbends, forward bends, twists, inversions, and meditation relaxation. Iyengar yoga places a premium on precision, utilizing props to deepen poses and attain perfect alignment, with an emphasis on holding poses to attain stability and inner stillness.
Favourite Yoga Poses Adam Levine has a few go-to yoga poses that can benefit anyone seeking both physical and spiritual well-being.
- Tadasana with an Extra Stretch: Begin with Tadasana (mountain pose) by lacing your hands firmly behind your back, both feet grounded on the mat. As you inhale, elongate your spine to relieve tension and allow for deeper breaths. Raise your hands overhead, clasping them extended, stretching your legs and torso while maintaining deep, even breathing.
- Sirsasana – When Your World Turns Upside Down: Sirsasana (headstand) offers numerous benefits, from strengthening the body to improving blood flow to the brain, relieving stress and anxiety, and promoting mental clarity. It’s crucial to learn the proper form from a certified instructor to avoid injury.
- Uttanasana – Hinged at the Hips: Levine enhances his uttanasana (standing forward bend) by gripping each elbow with the opposite palm, promoting hamstring flexibility and relief from anxiety. Relax your knees as needed to increase flexibility in the backs of your thighs.
- Cobra – the Snake Up the Spine: Bhujangasana (cobra pose) counters the effects of hunching over screens or microphones. It offers an arching spine to release upper and mid-back tension, while also strengthening the shoulders and increasing circulation.
Mindful Practice For Adam Levine, yoga is not just a remedy for muscle tightness or the rigors of life on the road; it’s also a deep spiritual practice that prepares the mind for meditation. His yoga sessions, particularly the hour before going on stage, serve as a warm-up that enables him to center his thoughts and perform with a calm, focused mind amidst the chaos of concerts and touring.
