Yoga for Eagles Fans: Yoga on the Field

Maria Pownall and her friend strike a yoga pose on the 50-yard line at Lincoln Financial Field.

Maria and Noelle doing planks at the 50-yard line.

I recently joined a group of Eagles fans at Lincoln Financial Field for Yoga on the Field. The event was sponsored by Independence Blue Cross and led by instructors from OMM Yoga Studio.

It was a sunny, cool evening — perfect weather to enjoy time on my yoga mat with my good friend, Noelle. And this was a perfect way to enjoy all the health benefits of yoga in a completely new and exciting setting!

Over the last 25 years, Noelle and I have practiced yoga in lots of non-traditional places, like college classrooms, community playgrounds, beaches, and even a few National Parks. As working moms, yoga helps keep us strong, physically and mentally. Practicing yoga regularly contributes to:

Improved flexibility
Better mental health
Reduced inflammation
Increased strength and cardiovascular function
Boosted immunity
Improved balance
Better sleep

Setting the Scene

As we came through the famous tunnel, we were welcomed on the field by the Eagles’ cheerleaders. To our right, people were in line, waiting for a photo op with Swoop, the Eagles’ well-loved mascot.

The crowd was a sea of green, white, and grey. A DJ played a mix of classic and current hits, so everyone was energized. People cheered and quickly took out their phones when they saw themselves on the Jumbotron.

After we got our pictures with Swoop, we set up our yoga mats at the 30-yard line. The instructor introduced herself and asked everyone to chant the Eagles’ fight song. As we sang, I looked up and saw the entire stadium above us. I turned left and right to take it in on all sides, — the seats, the banners, the lights, the goalposts.

Yoga participants pose with Swoop the Eagle.

It was such a fun experience to sing this song on the field, since my family and I have sung it in our house so many times during Eagles games.

Once we settled down to our mats, the instructor led us through an hour of yoga poses that mimicked the flow of a football season. They modeled variations for each pose, so you could have a more relaxed experience or a more intense workout.

The Play-By-Play

We started with a pre-season warmup of Cat-and-Cow poses, where we put our hands and knees on our mats, curved our backs to look up at the sky, and rounded our backs to look into our hearts.

Then came the regular season, with its intense, repetitive series of Chair, Eagle, Airplane, and Warrior 2 Poses.

The playoffs featured the Bridge pose. With flat backs, we put our feet and shoulders flat on the ground, and slowly lifted our chests to “Fly, Eagles, Fly”.

Yoga on the Field participants, as seen on the stadium's large screen

Our well-earned off-season took us to a restorative Savasana, where we lay on our yoga mats, closed our eyes, and sank into the ground.

Combining Our Love of Yoga With Our Love of Our Team

After the session was over, Noelle and I took pictures of ourselves doing some of our favorite yoga poses at landmarks around the field. We were so thankful that we could share this unique experience together.

Yoga on the Field let us get outside the yoga studio, feel sunshine on our faces, breathe in the fresh air, and cheer on our favorite football team. E-A-G-L-E-S, EAGLES!!!!