Yoga is an excellent way for you to improve your overall health; however, it can also provide specific benefits for runners and endurance athletes.
Countless people are trying to stay in shape. One of the best ways to keep in shape and lose weight is to run regularly. At the same time, running is stressful on the body. It can be stressful for the back, the hips, the knees, the ankles, and the hamstrings. Those looking to get the most out of their runs need to take care of their bodies. That is where yoga can be helpful. Yoga can go a long way toward helping your body recover following a stressful workout. There are a few specific poses that may be able to help your body recover more quickly. What are the best yoga poses for runners and endurance athletes?
1. The Fallen Warrior
If you are a runner, it is critically important for you to take care of your IT band. Your IT band is a set of tissue that runs along the side of your leg. If you do not take care of your IT band, you can develop chronic pain due to overuse. To perform the Fallen Warrior yoga pose, you simply need to form a triangle shape on the floor.
First, square your hips over the right foot. Then, slowly bring this pose to the ground with your left leg extending back behind you. When you reach the ground, shift your right leg so it is now perpendicular to the length of your yoga mat. Finally, lean forward it as far as you can. You should feel a stretch in your leg. Then, you can alternate this pose with your other leg.
2. The Hamstring Sequence
You also need to take care of your hamstrings if you are a runner. This includes your gluteus maximus, also known as your rear end. To complete this pose, you will also need a resistance band.
Lay flat on the floor and bend your left leg toward you. Then, extend your right leg to the sky. Wrap your resistance band around your right foot. Pull the resistance band toward you and keep your tailbone on the mat. Then, slowly shift your left leg to the right side. You should feel a good stretch in both legs. Finally, you can repeat this on the other side.
3. The Seal
Finally, you also have to stretch out your lower back. This stretch is called the seal stretch. First, fly on the ground. Then, bring your knees to your chest. Next, reach your hands in between your legs and grab your feet. Roll yourself into a ball as much as possible. Then, rock back and forth ten times. You should feel a stretch take place in your lower back. This will help you prevent back pain while you run.
When you are carrying out this post, you need to be careful about your neck. You don’t want to rock back too far. If your skull is bearing the brunt of your body weight, you could sprain your neck. Therefore, when you feel your head reach the ground, rock forward again. If you need to get a better stretch in your lower back, consider bringing your knees to your chest a little bit more. The more you do this stretch, the more you should ball yourself up, which will increase the stress you feel in your back.
Get the Most out of Your Runs with Recovery
If you want to maximize the benefit, you enjoy from your running routine. You need to allow your body time to recover. Yoga can help you do exactly that. Think about incorporating these yoga poses into your stretching routine. Your body will thank you.
