Runners of all levels can benefit from adding yoga to their exercise routine. Why? The physical and mental components of yoga help you increase muscle, prevent injuries, and enhance your focus. When it comes to running, yoga can help anyone from seasoned marathon runners to beginners training for their first 5K. Some of the many benefits of introducing yoga to your running regime include:
Regular Yoga Practice Strengthens Your Heart
Hot yoga and power yoga can help improve overall fitness by consistently getting your heart rate up and building muscle. This allows your heart to work better under stress and keeps you from getting winded during high-intensity activities. What does that mean for you? Speedwork and long runs will start to get easier.
Yoga Makes You Stronger
Yoga strengthens both the key supporting muscles used in running and the underused muscles. Strengthening your lower body, upper body, and core through yoga helps you gain more power on your runs and may help prevent injury, too. Talk about a win-win!
Stretching Consistently Prevents Injury
In addition to building strength, yoga increases flexibility. Many yoga flows focus on lengthening and stretching, which are key components of preventing injuries. Stretching increases blood flow to your muscles and improves the range of motion in your joints.
Yoga Helps Regulate Breathing
Conscious breathing is one of the most important parts of yoga. How does that help you run? When sprinting or on a long distance run, focusing your breath can bring about a more relaxed mental state, while allowing you to feel alert and focused. Over time, breath work can increase oxygen intake and allow you to run further with less perceived effort.
Here are the three best yoga poses you should practice to support your running
Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
- This pose stretches the calves, hamstrings, and shoulders. It helps to relieve tightness in the legs and lower back, promoting flexibility and reducing the risk of injury .
Low Lunge (Anjaneyasana)
- This pose targets the hip flexors and quadriceps, increasing flexibility and strength. It also opens up the chest and improves balance, which is crucial for runners .
Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)
- Warrior II strengthens the legs, glutes, and core while improving balance and stability. It also stretches the hips and groin, aiding in the prevention of injuries related to tight muscles .