Yoga for Runners — Release the Tightness

As a yoga teacher in New York City, I teach a cross-section of people at various levels of fitness, yoga and other sports. However, a majority of my New York yogis are also runners. New York has a lot of runners: maybe it’s Central Park, maybe it’s the high level of stress in this city, maybe - like yoga - you don’t need a lot of money or stuff to do it — just grab your running shoes and hit the pavement. But all that running and hitting the pavement has taken a toll on a lot of my students who run and do yoga. Chief and often serious complaints are: tight hamstrings and tight hip flexors. So I’ve come up with a series of super quick poses geared to the runner, but that anyone can do to release tension in the hamstrings, hip flexors and glutes.

I feel runners need a warm up before a run and after — especially in the city. What I see often is folks leaping out of bed, going for a 30 minute to an hour run, racing home, jumping in the shower, then sitting at a desk for 8 hours. Hmmm, wonder why you’re stiff and your muscles feel shortened and crampy? If you can’t do a series of warm up stretches before and after you run — it defeats the purpose if you can’t move the next day. I developed this series so that it will just take a few moments pre- and post-run to keep your legs loose, limber and healthy.

1. Paschimottanasana (Seated forward bend) - most runners have tight hamstrings. This is a great way to keep them limber. Make sure feet are flexed taking deep breaths as you fold over grabbing your ankles or outside of your feet if you can. Breathe deeply for 30 seconds.

2. Agnistambhasana (Fire log pose) - this pose is a great hip opening, hip flexor pose. Folks with tight groins benefit greatly from taking this pose. The key to really getting the greatest benefit of this pose it to have the shins completely stacked on top of each other. Take a full forward bend here and hold for 30 seconds.

3. Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose) - this is a less intense hip opener than agnistambhasana, if you keep the feet further away from the body. While keeping the soles of the feet together, sit up really tall, then take a full forward bend here, holding for 30 seconds.

4. Ardha Mandalasana (Lunge) - finish your quick series with a few lunges on each leg.

Again, this is not a yoga workout, but a few quick poses you can do before and after your run to keep your glide smooth and hopefully your body pain free.

Happy trails.