5 Ways for Runners to Get the Most Out of Yoga

5 Ways for Runners to Get the Most Out of Yoga

Achy hips. Tight hamstrings. Tired quadriceps. Knee pain. What do these phrases remind you of? All the symptoms of running and not recovering properly. Every year, 62 percent of runners get injured and overtraining is the leading cause. That’s why it’s important to look beyond the miles logged or runs tracked and get on your yoga mat.

Yoga makes us better runners in three ways: it allows our physical body to be stronger and more flexible, it helps us deal with obstacles of our minds, and it provides a framework for how we can be our best selves both on race day and in life.

To get you started, I have created the following Yoga for Runners video that can been done post-run or on a cross training day. I would recommend doing this video 2 or 3 times a week (for more videos, you can download my app for iPhone or AppleTV; search for Yoga with Cara Gilman).

As you watch the videos, keep these tips in mind:

Let go of the Ego

Be patient with yourself. You’re not doing yoga to win a race or earn a PR. You’re practicing yoga with the intention of taking care of yourself. Listen to your body and give your body what it needs even if that means taking a break for a moment.

Do not harm

If you experience pain, take a moment to come out of the pose and breathe. In yoga, it’s important to not “just push through it” like we commonly do in running. Remember, we’re not practicing yoga to achieve something, we’re moving through the practice to take better care of ourselves. The more we listen to ourselves, the better our body and mind will be both on our mat and off.

Breathe

When we breathe with intention (i.e. we pay attention to our breath), we automatically allow ourselves to relax. It’s so common to unnecessarily exert energy because of tension we’re experiencing. By breathing, we’re helping our running and yoga form tremendously and we’re also able to keep our mind focused and grounded.

Use props

Let the props support your practice and use them as much as possible. They will allow you to keep proper alignment.

Have an open mind

The more you let go of expectation and judgement, the more you will get out of the practice.

I look forward to practicing with you and would love to hear how it goes! High five and namaste!

Original article and pictures take 1dmkak43dtkvwxzekd5zqsgk8-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com site