Why Yoga Is So Important for Runners (Plus 8 Easy Poses to Try)
A simple routine loosens tight spots, strengthens weak areas, and makes you a better, less injury-prone athlete.
A simple yoga routine loosens tight spots, strengthens weak areas, and makes you a better, less injury-prone runner. For Rebecca Pacheco, yoga and running have always been intertwined. “I started running when I was 14 and doing yoga when I was 16, so I really don’t know one without the other,” she says. Recognizing the benefits the ancient practice can have on both the runner’s body (improved flexibility, range of motion, muscular strength) and mind (more focus, less stress), Pacheco, author of Do Your Om Thing: Bending Yoga Tradition to Fit Your Modern Life, developed Om Athlete, a class to help runners improve performance and prevent injury.
“Yoga is the perfect recovery activity for runners,” Pacheco says. “It relieves soreness and tension in your hardworking muscles and restores range of motion so you can run better the next time you hit the road.”
Pacheco recommends doing these eight moves following a run or on a rest day (or both), but she cautions that they might feel a little uncomfortable at first, especially if you are new to yoga and have been running with tight muscles for a long time. Ease into each position, and never push to the point of pain. As you continue to do this routine, you’ll notice improvement—on and off the mat.
Watch Rebecca Pacheco demonstrate each move.
Downward Dog
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Benefits: Stretches hamstrings, calves, and foot arches; strengthens shoulders.
How to Do It: Begin on your hands and knees. Align wrists under shoulders and knees under hips. Spread fingers and press into palms. Tuck toes and lift knees off the floor. Gently try to straighten legs and raise hips into an inverted V. Breathe deeply for 10 breaths. As your muscles relax, try to straighten legs more and sink heels toward the mat.
Low Lunge
Anjaneyasana
Benefits: Stretches hip flexors; strengthens hamstrings and quads.
How to Do It: From Downward Dog, step your right foot forward between your hands. Lower your left knee and, keeping the right knee over right ankle, slide the left knee back. Turn the top of your left foot to the floor and lift your torso upright. Then sweep your arms out to the sides and up overhead. Drop your tailbone toward the floor and look up. Hold for 10 breaths, release, and repeat on the other side.
Toes Squat Pose to Ankle Stretch Pose
Prapadasana to Vajrasana
Benefits: Helps prevent plantar fasciitis by stretching the shins and arches of the feet.
How to Do It: Kneel on your mat with toes curled under. Sit back on heels (you can place a yoga block or pillow between heels and glutes if you like). Breathe deeply for 10 counts. Then, point toes, place your hands on the mat behind you, and lean back as you attempt to lift knees off the mat. If knees don’t come far up, don’t worry. You’ll still feel a nice stretch in shins and arches. Hold for a few breaths, then release.
Reclining Hand to Big Toe
Supta Padangusthasana
Benefits: Stretches hamstrings.
How to Do It: Lie on your back with both legs extended. Bend right knee, loop a yoga strap (or dog leash or belt) around the arch of the right foot, and hold both ends of the strap with right hand. Try to straighten right leg. As hamstring relaxes, try to gently pull it toward you. But don’t strain—you should feel a good stretch down the back of the thigh. Hold for 10 breaths and repeat on the other leg.
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Reclining Pigeon
Supta Kapotasana
Benefits: Releases tension and tightness in the hips.
How to Do It: Lie on your back with knees bent and thighs parallel and hip-distance apart. Cross left ankle over right thigh. Reach left arm through the space between thighs and reach right arm around the outside of right thigh. Clasp hands below right knee and flex left foot. If your head comes off your mat, place a pillow or block behind head. Hold for 10 breaths and repeat on the other leg.
[Crush all your goals in your 40s, 50s, and 60s with our new, comprehensive Run Strong Training Guides.]
Reclining Cow Face
Supta Gomukhasana
Benefits: Improves range of motion in the hips; loosens tight glutes and hamstrings.
How to Do It: Lie on your back and cross knees, sending feet out to sides. Hold onto right foot with left hand and left foot with right hand. Or if it’s more comfortable, hold shins. Pull heels in toward body, then out to the sides and slightly up. Hold for 10 breaths, then reverse leg position and repeat.
Reclining Spinal Twist
Supta Matsyendrasana
Benefits: Relaxes the lower back and stretches the glutes.
How to Do It: From Reclining Cow Face, lower your legs and twist to left while keeping legs intertwined. Extend both arms out to sides. Turn your head to the right and relax for 10 breaths. Switch sides.
Legs Up the Wall
Viparita Karani
Benefits: Relieves tension in legs, feet, and back; stretches hamstrings and glutes.
How to Do It: Sidle up beside an open wall space, with your hips as close to the base of the wall as is comfortable. Swing legs up the wall and lie back. Rest here anywhere from 10 breaths to 10 minutes. Some people even nod off—sleep is the most essential recovery pose.
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