Ohhhhhh that rush of endorphin after a long run is soooo AMAZING! Pounding the pavement aka running is a great way to stay in shape, however, also puts you at risk for decreased flexibility, sore muscles, tight hips and overuse injuries.
Do you stretch before or after a run?
Get more from your running workouts with Yoga. Yoga is an excellent cross-training activity that promotes strength building, improves flexibility, and aids in recovery after a run. Yoga is great for runners because it counteracts the pounding, tightening and shortening of muscles.
Enjoy this sequence of yoga poses that target areas of the body that are problematic for runners, like the hamstrings, the IT band, hip flexors, psoas, and shoulders after a run to help strengthen and lengthen your muscles to prevent injury.
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Standing Forward Bend with Crossed Ankle – Sanskrit: Uttanasana
Instructions
Cross legs at ankle making sure to align toes.
Square hips forward
Inhale lengthen Spine, Exhale hinge forward at hips
Option to bring hand to ground, Option to soften head down
Option to use a yoga block
* Hold for 5-10 breaths or 30-60 seconds
* Repeat opposite side
Primary Focus
- Stretches the hamstrings, calves, and hips
- Strengthens the thighs and knees
Benefits
- Calms the brain and helps relieve stress & mild depression
- Stimulates the liver and kidneys
- Improves digestion
- Reduces fatigue & anxiety
- Relieves headache & insomnia
- Therapeutic for asthma, high blood pressure, infertility, osteoporosis & sinusitis
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Standing IT Band Stretch
Bend forward, taking your fingertips to the mat (right side)
Bend same side knee (right side), reach the opposite arm (left) up towards the sky
Gaze can be straight forward or up
* Hold for 5-10 breaths or 30-60 seconds
* Repeat opposite side
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Pyramid- Sanskrit - Parsvottanasana
Begin standing with feet together
Step one foot back 2-3 feet allowing back toes to point forward or at a 45-degree angle.
Square hips forward
Inhale lengthen Spine, Exhale hinge forward at hips
Front leg remains straight (soft bend in knee is ok)
Flex front foot toes upward
Option to bring hands to ground, Option to soften head to knee
* Hold for 5-10 breaths or 30-60 seconds
* Repeat opposite side
Primary Focus
- Stretches the spine, shoulders, hips & hamstrings
- Strengthens the legs
Benefits
- Calms the brain
- Stimulates the abdominal organs
- Improves posture and sense of balance
- Improves digestion
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Triangle – Sanskrit: Trikonasana
Begin Standing with toes together pointing forward
Step back 3-5 feet turning back foot 90 degrees (parallel to back of yoga mat)
Extend arms out long to opposite side of yoga mat
Keep gaze forward
Front leg remains straight (no bend in knee)
Inhale lengthen through Spine, bump back hip towards back of yoga mat
Exhale torso (upper body) forward
Bring bottom palm to shin, top palm extends towards the sky
Find lift while engaging the core & glutes
* Hold for 5-10 breaths or 30-60 seconds
* Repeat opposite side
Primary Focus
- Stretches and strengthens the thighs, knees & ankles
- Stretches the hips, groins, hamstrings, calves; shoulders, chest & spine
Benefits
- Stimulates the abdominal organs
- Helps relieve stress
- Improves digestion
- Relieves backache, especially through second trimester of pregnancy
- Therapeutic for anxiety, flat feet, infertility, neck pain, osteoporosis & sciatica
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Downward Facing Dog – Sanskrit: Adho Mukha Svanasana
Begin in Table Top – Palms under shoulder, knees under hip on ground
Tuck Toes, Left Knees & Press Hips to the Sky
Fingers spread wide, finger pads press into yoga mat
Feet are hips distance apart, heels relax towards the ground
Shoulders draw away from ears down the back
Head & Neck hang heavy
Elbow spiral in towards the ground
Inhale, Exhale chest toward thighs
Gaze between feet or legs
Primary Focus
- Stretches the shoulders, hamstrings, calves, arches & hands
- Strengthens the arms & legs
Benefits
- Calms the brain and helps relieve stress & mild depression
- Energizes the body
- Helps prevent osteoporosis
- Improves digestion
- Relieves headache, insomnia, back pain & fatigue
- Therapeutic for high blood pressure, asthma, flat feet, sciatica, sinusitis
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Runners Lunge or Lizard Pose – Sanskrit: Utthan Pristhasana
Begin in Low Lunge with back knee on the ground
Toe heel front foot to edge of yoga mat
Walk front foot up slightly so that the ankle is in front of the knee
Inhale lengthen spine
Exhale press hips downward toward the ground
Option to lower chest coming to forearms
Option to tuck back toes & lift knee off the ground
* Hold for 5-10 breaths or 30-60 seconds
* Repeat opposite side
Primary Focus
- Opens/Stretches hips, hamstrings, groins & hip flexors
- Strengthens the inner thigh muscles on the front leg
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Half Splits – Sanskrit: Ardha Hanumanasana
Begin in Low Lunge with back knee on ground
Extend one leg forward, flex toes upward to the sky
Hips remain over back knee
Inhale lengthen Spine, Exhale hinge at the hips allowing finger tips or palms to rest on ground
Upper body folds forward over thigh
Option to soften head towards knee
* Hold for 5-10 breaths or 30-60 seconds
* Repeat opposite side
Primary Focus
- Stretches/Lengthen the hamstrings & gluteus maximus in the front leg
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Lizard Pose or Low Lunge with Quad Stretch – Sanskrit: Parivrtta Anjaneyasana (variation)
Begin in Low Lunge with back knee on the ground
Toe heel front foot (right side) to edge of yoga mat
Walk front foot up slightly so that the ankle is in front of the knee
Press Hips forward leaning into the lunge
Bring left palm to ground
Press chest forward while dropping right shoulder back, send gaze up to the sky
Bend through back knee (left side)
Reach back with opposite side palm (right side), grab heel or ankle
Option to allow right knee to fall open to the right
* Hold for 5-10 breaths or 30-60 seconds
* Repeat opposite side
Primary Focus
- Stretches the ankles, quads, hip flexors, glutes, groin, chest, shoulders & neck
- Opens/Stretches the hips
Benefits
- Increases rotational spinal mobility
- Improves balance
- Can help to alleviate lower back pain
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Seated Figure 4 – Eka Pada Utkatasana (variation)
Begin seated with both knees bent & feet flat on the ground
Bring palms to the ground next to hips
Cross one foot over opposite thigh, keeping the foot flexed
Keep shoulders back & chest forward
Lengthen through the Spine
Option to draw foot on the ground closer to glutes
Option to press chest closer to flexed foot
Option to do this pose on your back
* Hold for 5-10 breaths or 30-60 seconds
* Repeat opposite side
Primary Focus
- Strengthen quadriceps, ankle & foot muscles
- Stretch the outer hip and glute muscles
Benefits
- Tones the core
- Relieve lower back tension
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Bridge – Sanskrit: Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
Begin lying on back
Bend through knees bring feet to the ground hips distance apart
Palms face down by your side (at hips)
Make sure you can touch your heels
Inhale Hips up toward the sky lifting through the chest
Shoulders remain on the ground, chin is tuck towards chest
Soften glutes, engage core & thighs
Option to squeezed shoulder blades together interlocking palms
Option to place a yoga block or bolster (pillow) under low back (sacrum) for a restorative
Option to lift one leg up, then the other
* Hold for 5 or 20-30 seconds
* Gentle release bind (or remove prop) & lower on vertebrae at a time, hugging knees into chest for a counter stretch
Primary Focus
- Stretches the chest, neck & spine
Benefits
- Calms the brain and helps alleviate stress & mild depression
- Stimulates abdominal organs, lungs, and thyroid
- Rejuvenates tired legs
- Improves digestion
- Reduces anxiety, fatigue, backache, headache & insomnia
- Therapeutic for asthma, high blood pressure, osteoporosis & sinusitis
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Bonus Pose: SAVASANA!!!
Final resting asana.
Allow your body to surrender to gravity & the earth underneath you. Legs long, arm to your side.
Savasana allows us to just be, to just be present in the moment;
the only place life is happening, with each inhale & each exhale.
View FULL Sequence Flow: Yoga for Runners (link: https://youtu.be/G-e5jnYRUuU)
No matter if you are new to yoga or an advanced yogi, it is key to remember no “body” is designed the same. Yoga is unique to you. Allow your breath to guide you into each yoga pose (asana) and remember your breath is just as important as the yoga pose and/or stretch. Focus on lengthening and evening out your inhales and exhales through the nose allowing you to transfer to smoother, calmer breathing while you run.
Remember to LIVE each Day with…
Wisdom in Your Mind
Kindness on Your Breath
And Love in Your Heart
Namaste!
Author Bio: Jennifer Butler is a Yoga Instructor, Yoga Therapist and Health Coach who focuses on the principle concept “Art of Living Yoga”; whole and complete in mind, body and spirit. Do Yoga with Jennifer Anytime, Anywhere via Yoga Fits Me’s YouTube Channel (link: YouTube.com/c/YogaFitsMe). Connect with Jennifer on YogaFitsMe.com and Follow @YogaFitsMe on Facebook (link: facebook.com/yogafitsme), Twitter (link: twitter/yogafitsme) and Instagram (Instagram.com/yogafitsme).
