by Nadia Sinclair

Running is an incredibly effective workout for torching calories and supercharging fitness. Nonetheless, any stiffness or muscle soreness can bring discomfort and limitations. Yoga, in many forms, emerges as an excellent routine to compliment running, improving overall body fitness, and enhancing performance.
Running puts an impressive amount of stress on your body. Each footfall sends shocks through your feet and ankles absorbing at least thrice of your body weight. Growing demands of your running regimen, like a sudden increase in distance covered, piles on more stress. Yoga, however, betters your balance, improving the shock absorption, and hence, reducing injury risks. Postures that stretch your arches, like the Hero pose, for instance, make your feet more flexible and protect against plantar fasciitis.

Alleviate Knee Pain with Yoga

Embracing yoga brings added benefits to your knees. Common issues among runners such as runner’s knee often stem from tight glutes—a side effect of strenuously ascending hills or sprinting. However, post-run yoga can mitigate the risk of knee pain. Routines like Bound angle pose and wide-legged seated forward fold elongate hip adductors playing a crucial role in pelvic stability and the forward propulsion during a run.

Hip Flexors & Yoga

Yoga also proves beneficial for hip flexors, a group of muscles put to work with every knee lift. Flexors that remain unchecked may result in shorter, unbalanced strides and elevate the injury risk. Yoga, in its wisdom, provides poses like Crescent and Lizard that stretch and lengthen them. All in all, deep breathing promotes better concentration and mindfulness, making yoga a valuable asset in your running arsenal.
Yoga classes, both online or in-person, offer a systematic approach that encompasses different poses to balance your body and maximize the benefits. But the question is, what form of yoga should you start with? Let’s delve into what’s best suited for runners.

Yin Yoga: For Enhanced Flexibility and Muscle Rehabilitation

Yin yoga is slow-paced, making it perfect if you’re recovering from an injury, working on your flexibility, or if you’ve overdone your running routine. The postures, predominantly seated or lying on your mat, are held for prolonged intervals to increase your joint mobility and unwind tight muscles and fascia.

Iyengar Yoga: Building Muscle Tone with Focus and Alignment

Develop your muscle tone, focus, and concentration with Iyengar Yoga. The regime, comprising various standing, seated and supine poses, emphasizes alignment. Props aid those lacking in flexibility to experience and reap the full benefits of the pose.

Vinyasa Flow: Up the Pace for Greater Strength & Stamina

If you are inclined towards high-intensity workouts, Vinyasa Flow is a match made in heaven. As a form of yoga that seamlessly transitions from one pose to the next without taking a breather in between, it feels like a workout in itself. The routine heats up your body, ramps up your energy levels and core stability, and bolsters your endurance.
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