Yoga For Runners

Happy Friday. Continuing my yoga series with yoga for runners. As, an avid runner who has been running for 30+ years, yoga asana practice has been huge part of my routine. What I can do on my mat has definitely helped me stay injury free for many years. These poses below can help strengthen and create space to help you stay safe and strong during your running routine.

Strength – Yoga For RUnners

The strengthening section focuses on building quad and glute strength. Along, with core strength. These poses with help support your hips, knees, and back to keep your body feeling good while running.

CHair POse

Chair pose can really help to strengthen the quadriceps (front of the thigh) and if you add a block in between your legs you can add your interior part of the knee. Helping to support and stabilize the knee and hip. Options for upper body can also help to strengthen the upper back and core.

Bridge

Bridge pose has a strong focus on glute strength and hip flexor release. Glute strength will help to protect the hamstrings and low back.

Lying on your back slide your feet towards your buttocks with feet hip distance apart. Keeping your knees aligned over your ankles firmly press into your feet, engaging your glutes with a sensation that you are hugging from the outer hip in, and lift your hips. Arm position can vary. This pose can also be done with a block between the thighs.

CobrA

Cobra pose can help strengthen the lower back and support your core and spine on your running adventures. A strong low back can also support the hips. This is because several of the muscles that cross the hip joints, connect to the low back.

Lying on your belly with your forehead on the floor, engage your legs pressing all 10 toe nails into your mat, place your hands by your lower ribs with your elbows hugged in. Slowly start to lift your upper body, creating a little bit of traction under your palms like you are sliding them towards the back of the mat. Lengthen through the crown of the head and create length and space.

Plank

Continuing your core strength with a solid and strong plank pose. Your plank pose can be on your hands or on your forearms. Also, if you need more support you can also start with plank on your knees and build up. A couple key points, keep your hips in line with your shoulders and your body weight shifting forward. Your entire body should be engaged, front of the thighs abdominals, back and upper body.

Release – Yoga For Runners

The release poses focus on a release in the hips and hamstrings. Also, finding space along the front line of the body and a spinal twist with an opening along the outer hips with Ardha Matsyendrasana.

Runners Lunge

Runners lunge is one of my personal favorites. Such a great stretch for your hip flexors and works slightly into the hamstring of the front leg. It can also create a little space in the low back.

Starting in table top take your right foot step to the outside of your right hand. Firmly press the top of the left foot into the earth. You can stay on your palms or drop to your elbows, as long as you can maintain a neutral and long spine. I also, love placing my front foot onto a block, but this is a very deep hip stretch.

Half Splits

Ardha hanunmanasana is the perfect hamstring stretch, you can also find some variations to find an IT Band stretch and work into the foot.

From your runners lunge walk your foot to the inside of the hand and shift back so that your front leg is straight and you are bearing your weight on the back knee. Flex your toes towards your face and engage the front of the thigh. You can also turn your toes out as you flex them back towards your face to find a slightly outer hip low back stretch.

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana

Half pigeon pose is a great outer hip stretch working into the psoas, piriformis muscles and so much more.

To get into half pigeon start in table top. bring your right knee out wide outside of your right wrist and let the right ankle cross the body towards the left. Gently slide your left knee back and crawl your upper body to the earth.

Ardha Matsyendrasana

Half lord of the fish spinal twist is a great final pose to a yoga practice for runners. Spinal twists can clear out the digestive system and ring out any last toxins. It also can strengthen the spine and increase mobility in the back.

To practice half lord of the fish, find a seated position and bend your left leg so your heel is placed on the outer right hip. This leg can also extend forward. Then take your right leg cross it over the body with the foot to the floor. Lightly place your right hand at the base of your spine and twist towards the top bent knee. You can wrap your left arm around the knee or place your elbow on the outside of the knee.

Are you runner? What are your favorite yoga poses? Another key component to running is sleep. Check out this yoga for sleep article.