Running is a brilliant way to burn calories, improve our cardio health and get outdoors. Equally, yoga is great for improving our posture, flexibility and overall fitness. You might not think that an intense exercise like running and a slow and controlled yoga session go hand-in-hand, but they do.
Whether you've always been a regular runner or it's a hobby you've picked up in later life, it's normal to feel the usual aches, stiffness and soreness in your body after running, and it can wreak havoc on your joints. When paired with running, the right form of yoga can help enhance your performance while aiding your recovery in the process.
You don't have to know your Yin Yoga from your aerial yoga to make the most of your post-run yoga session. Even a very simple beginner yoga routinecan help ease those tight spots and sore joints and make you less injury-prone on your next run.
We caught up with lead yoga instructor Holly Cooper from Rockwater, the idyllic beachside lifestyle hub in Hove.
Why is yoga beneficial for runners?
Yoga is all about increasing flexibility and strengthening muscles, meaning your body won't take such a battering when running. Your muscles will be better equipped to deal with the impact of running and you'll be less likely to get an injury like a pulled muscle.
Holly says, 'mixing up your training and complimenting your running with other disciplines, like yoga, can help to prevent injury and varying what you do is always a good thing. The body thrives on repetition for growth but also variety keeps us interested and engaged.'
It's also great for improving your overall posture and balance to help your stability when running. This is a great reason to try yoga if you've been feeling a little unsteady on your feet recently, and want to improve your balance.
'Yoga can make you more aware of your running technique and posture, as the practice teaches you to become more intuitive to sensations, feelings and discomfort. A well-rounded yoga practice will help to lengthen and strengthen muscles - simply just stretching isn’t enough, we need to build strength too', says Holly.
Not only are there physical benefits to yoga, it can also help create a healthy running body as well as a healthy mind.
'Ever wondered how to manage the time when you ‘hit the wall'? Our mind wants to give up before our body does, so it takes a huge amount of mental focus to master our reactions and keep going. Yoga teaches us to steady our breathing, to witness what’s going on with that mental chatter and to control our reaction calmy. I think most of us can benefit from that.' Says Holly.
What yoga poses are best for runners?
There are certain yoga poses which can help target specific areas of the body. For example, a simple downward dog can really help stretch out tight hamstrings after a run, making it a great pose to try if this is an area of concern.
If you want to start off with some simple poses, then these should help get you used to yoga positions while helping you to start to feel the benefits. All of these poses can be done in the comfort of your own home on your yoga mat. You may even want to add a resistance band into your routine too.
Downward dog
Helps with: Stretching out hamstrings, strengthening shoulders, stretching calves and foot arch.
Holly says: 'Downward dog is an all-round great pose for stretching out the whole body. The back of the legs, the hamstrings and the calves often get the biggest stretch. If there’s tightness in the shoulders try taking the hands wider on the mat.'
Pigeon pose
Helps with: Releasing tension from the hips.
Holly says: 'Pigeon pose is great for targeting the front of the hips, the hip flexors, which in runners move between a lot of flexing and extending. The back leg in pigeon can benefit from a passive stretch. The front leg, however, is in deep rotation and adduction which for some may feel great but can feel like there’s so much torque on the front knee. For some runners with knee issues then a 90/90 sit can be a good alternative.'
Reclining spinal twist
Helps with: Relaxing the lower back and stretching out glute muscles.
Holly says: 'Reclining spinal twist is wonderful to stretch out the chest with the support of the ground beneath the body. The twist will also stretch through the outer hips, and the glutes, the large muscles of the buttocks which ideally for runners are strong. But if the glutes are strong but tight this twist will work wonders.'
Low lunge
Helps with: Stretching out quads and hips
Holly says: 'Low lunge targets the front of the hip flexors on the extended back leg. It’s important to not collapse, go low and lean too far forward otherwise we put too much tensile stress on the front of the socket structure of the hip flexor. Try to tilt the rim of the pelvis forward and press the back shin and foot into the ground, don’t go so deep and then feel a greater spread of sensation around the hip. The pressing down action helps to strengthen the hip flexor in its lengthened position.'
Reclining hand to toe pose
Helps with: Stretching out hamstrings
Holly says: 'Reclining hand-to-toe pose is a great pose to stretch the back of the legs, hamstrings and calves. Also in this pose, we can pay a bit of attention to the ankle, which often gets overlooked when stretching. Try pointing, flexing and rotating the ankle to mobilise the joint. The feet absorb a lot of stress from running, they need to adapt to the terrain beneath and any imbalance of the body above. Ensuring the muscles of the foot are strong and stable will have a great impact on the leg muscles.'
Simple yoga routine for runners
If you're looking for more of a yoga routine made specifically for runners to try post run rather than individual poses, then this simple 10-minute stretch routine from Cat Meffan on YouTube could be just what you need to stretch you out.
Can yoga for runners improve running speed?
Not only can yoga help your body feel more flexible and recover quicker, but it may also improve your performance.
Physically, improving your balance, muscle strength and flexibility can help boost your speed while running. As well as these physical benefits, yoga can boost your mental wellbeing too and help relieve stress. Boosting your mental strength can help you reach your fitness goals and any speed targets you might set yourself as a runner.
According to Holly, it's all about consistency, 'Like anything, improvements happen with consistency and practice, so if you’re running regularly alongside a regular yoga practice then you could improve your speed. No matter whether you are a sprinter or long-distance runner your recovery time is important. In order to improve your performance such as your speed, adequate rest through either gentle yoga or sleep is essential to give your body enough time to replenish your energy (glycogen) stores and allow muscles to recover.'
How many times per week should runners do yoga?
The amount of time you dedicate to yoga each week may vary depending on your own fitness and but we would recommend at least three times a week to get you started. Ideally, it's a good idea to stretch out with some yoga poses after each running session, as you would when warming down after your workout.
Holly says, 'consistency is key to reaping the benefits and if you don’t have hours each day to hit a yoga studio, don’t worry, even if you manage 15 minutes 3/4 times a week it’s better than nothing. If there’s time in your week try to fit in an hour yoga class with a teacher to help you practice safely, if you can, a 90 minute class will mean you will get to enjoy a long relaxation which taps into the para-sympathetic nervous system and will work wonders for your recovery time.'
Holly will be hosting yoga classes in the lodge at Rockwater throughout the month of January. Revive and reset your body through a flow of moves, designed to leave you feeling stronger, leaner and more flexible. Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 7.30 am - 8.30 am. Book your spot here.