What is the ruling on performing athletic exercises that resemble yoga, especially those needed by an athlete to avoid muscle spasms after sports?

Stretching exercises that lengthen muscles are permissible, even if they resemble yoga in some aspects. Yoga is not merely a physical exercise; it has a strong connection to polytheism (shirk) and the worship of others besides Allah. Stretching exercises differ from yoga in terms of duration and their effect on muscles. Not everything innovated by disbelievers is forbidden; rather, the prohibition is specific to that which is characteristic of them. However, what has become widespread among Muslims and is no longer distinctive of disbelievers does not constitute forbidden imitation.