Love to run and only run? Well we’re here to tell you that you need to balance it out, girl! One way to counteract the tight quads, hamstrings, hip flexors and calves that often plague runners is through a brief daily yoga practice. Think of yoga as the “yin” to your running “yang” – the perfect combination to keep you hitting the pavement day after day. YogaWorks instructor Alex Crow offers up a short “yoga for runners” sequence that can be done every morning to stretch those muscles you work while pounding the pavement throughout the week. So, find a quiet place, grab your yoga mat, and get ready to stretch it out with these 11 yoga poses for runners!
1. Child’s Pose
- Come into child’s pose, sinking your hips back to your feet and stretching your arms out in front of you.
- Breathe deeply, inhaling and exhaling for 5 long breaths.
- Press into the palms of your hands and all 10 fingers, lift your hips up and back coming into downward-facing dog.
- Make sure your ears are in line with your upper arms and keep your arms straight. Look back at your feet, making sure that they are hips-width apart with your heels behind your 2nd and 3rd toe. Bend your knees to start if your hamstrings are extra tight and then slowly work toward straightening your legs while pressing your heels down toward the floor.
2. Downward-Facing Dog Calf Stretch
- From downward-facing dog, bend your left knee and press into your right heel, feeling the stretch in your right calf.
- Hold for 3-5 breaths.
- Bring your left heel back down to the floor and come back into downward-facing dog.
- Bend your right knee and press into your left heel, feeling the stretch in your left calf. Hold for 3-5 breaths, then release your right heel back down to the floor and come into downward-facing dog.
3. Uttanasana
- From downward-facing dog, walk your hands back toward your feet, bend your knees, and hang your upper body down toward the floor.
- Breathe deeply and straighten your legs only if it doesn’t strain your lower back. Hang here for 3-5 more breaths.
- Elongate through your spine, gazing slightly forward and bringing your fingertips to the floor by your feet.
- Plant your palms on the mat and either step or jump back, landing in chaturanga with your elbows bent to 90 degrees.
4. Cobra Pose
- From chaturanga, lower all the way down onto your belly and uncurl your toes. Keep your shoulders away from your ears and your elbows bent at 90 degrees, lifting your upper body slightly to feel the opening in your chest.
- Lower your head to the floor briefly then lift back up into downward-facing dog. Hold for 5 breaths pressing equally into your hands and feet.
5. High Lunge Hip Flexor Stretch
- Bring your right leg through between your hands, and then come up to a lunge (crescent pose) with your hands on your hips. Your left leg can be slightly bent so that you are able to keep your upper body tall.
- Bend your left knee down toward the floor and then straight your left leg again (back to crescent pose). Repeat this movement, bending and straightening your left leg, 10 times.
6. Low Lunge Quad Stretch
- From the high lunge (crescent) position, lower your left knee all the way to the floor, placing your hands alongside your right foot. Shift your weight slightly forward (but don’t let your right knee go beyond your right foot!) to feel the stretch in your left quad and hip flexor. Breathe here for 5 breaths.
- If this stretch is enough for you, stay here, or you can bend your left knee bringing your left heel toward your bottom, and reach back and grab your foot with your right hand. Press firmly through your entire left hand and gaze slightly toward the right, feeling the stretch deeper. Release the foot back behind you.
7. Low Lunge Hamstring Stretch
- From this low lunge position, shift your weight back so your hips are above your left knee (which is at a 90 degree bend) and your right leg is straight with your right foot flexed (toes toward the ceiling).
- Keep your spine long and your gaze slightly beyond your right foot. Breath here for 5 breaths, feeling the stretch in your right hamstring and calf.
8. High Lunge Hip Flexor Stretch
- Bring your left leg through between your hands, and then come up to a lunge (crescent pose) with your hands on your hips. Your right leg can be slightly bent so that you are able to keep your upper body tall.
- Bend your right knee down toward the floor and then straighten your right leg again (back to crescent pose). Repeat this movement, bending and straightening your left leg, 10 times.
9. Low Lunge Quad Stretch
- From the high lunge (crescent) position, lower your right knee all the way to the floor, placing your hands alongside your left foot. Shift your weight slightly forward (but don’t let your left knee go beyond your left foot!) to feel the stretch in your right quad and hip flexor. Breathe here for 5 breaths.
- If this stretch is enough for you, stay here, or you can bend your right knee bringing your right heel toward your bottom, and reach back and grab your foot with your left hand. Press firmly through your entire right hand and gaze slightly toward the left, feeling the stretch deeper. Release the foot back behind you.
10. Forward Fold
- From the low lunge position, come onto your right toes, bring your left foot back to meet your right and come into downward-facing dog, feeling the stretch again for 5 breaths.
- Walk your hands back to meet your feet and then come up to standing. Turn to the side and then step your feet wide, keeping your toes pointed straight ahead with your heels behind your 2nd and 3rd toes.
- Clasp your hands behind you, take a big inhale with your upper body long, and then exhale and fold forward at your hips bringing the crown of your head down toward the floor. Your knees can be slightly bent if your hamstrings are tight.
- With your hands still clasped behind your back, start to reach your arms out beyond your head, and then toward the floor, feeling the stretch across your chest and front of your shoulders.
- After 5 breaths, bend your knees slightly and bring your upper body back up so you’re standing tall. Release the clasp of your hands.
11. Thread the Needle Hip Flexor Stretch
- Come down to lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet planted on the floor.
- Lift your left leg with your knee still bent and bring your right ankle across your body so your right ankle lands above your left knee. Bring your bent left leg in toward your chest and clasp your hands behind your left thigh. Breathe deeply for 5 breaths.
- Keep both feet flexed to protect your knee joints. Keep your hips evenly on the floor. You should feel a stretch in your outer right hip.
- Release your feet back to the floor with your knees bent.
- Lift your right leg with your knee still bent and bring your left ankle across your body so your left ankle lands above your right knee. Bring your bent right leg in toward your chest, and clasp your hands behind your right thigh. Breathe deeply for 5 breaths.
- Keep both feet flexed to protect your knee joints. Keep your hips evenly on the floor. You should feel a stretch in your outer left hip. Release your feet back to the floor with your knees bent.
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Alexandria Crow is a Yoga Instructor at Yogaworks in Santa Monica, California and various cities around the country. Having been a gymnast for over 20 years, Alex is passionate about Active Living and teaching people around her the benefits of practicing yoga.
When she is not teaching classes, you can find her walking up Venice beach with her bestie, or working out amongst the Californian beach setting.
For more info on Alex, visit her website or take one of her MyYogaworks online yoga classes.