Yoga For Runners
If you are a runner whether you run a marathon or half marathon, 10k or a 5K run, stretching after a run is very crucial. Not only will these stretches help you recover faster but it will also increase the range of motion which will in turn improve your running performance.
4 Poses that will help you open up and stabilize key muscles required for improving your running performance.
1) Half Front Split (Ardha Hanuman Asana)
This stretch works on your hamstrings and calves, stregthening the back of your leg which tightens up due to running regularly.
2) Low Lunge (Anjaney Asana)
Anjaney Asana works on the hip flexors which are made of three different muscles – Rectus Femoris, Psoas Major and Illiacus. These three muscles jointly work to help flex the hip and to provide stability to the hip movement. Hip flexor pain or pull is common among runners which is caused when they break into a sudden sprint. Tight muscles and poor flexibility is the main cause of hip flexor injury.
3) Low lunge with quad stretch
This asana stretches the front of your thigh and the hip flexor.
Variation of Anjaney Asana: From the low lunge place your right knee is 90 degree such that your shin bone is perpendicular to the floor. Now grab your left ankle with your right hand and pull it towards your left hip. Extend your left hand in the air and bring it down and place next to your right foot. Twist your chest and and face to your right allowing your head to tilt back so that you can see the roof.
4) Revolved triangle pose (Parivritta Trikonasana)
Revolved triangle pose works on the abductors (outer hip) to prevent the runners knee.
Remember to do every pose on the other side so that your body is balanced and fully stretched.