If you are a frequent runner, you have glute stretches on your mind, and yoga is at the bottom of your list. If you are a big guy, it harder for you to practice yoga those due to lack of flexibility, which makes stretches much more painful to practice. But that was all in the past, you’ve taken your first step to boost your flexibility and elasticity with Yoga stretches before running.
These yoga poses before running could boost our body senses, relax our mind, muscles and help us increase oxygen intake for better breathing while running.
Why runners should do yoga before running?
For a good run, the runner has to prepare his mind and his body. If you are a frequent runner you’ve experienced tight /stiff leg muscles or sometimes you get tired of running.
Firstly, to avoid cramps/ stiff or tight leg muscles it is beneficial to perform yoga poses to stretch every muscle of your body. Yoga poses and stretches benefit the body to increases muscular strength, range of motion, flexibility. This creates a better environment for the body to go for a good run. Flexibility and range of motion are the key factors for every runner, these support leg muscles to prevent injury in quads, hamstrings, or hip flexors.
Secondly, running every day is a difficult task and our mind doesn’t help us in this area. Our body is pre-developed that we can’t perform the same task every day. To avoid this situation and maintain a better mindset to overcome your stress and unusual thoughts before running it’s best to do yoga poses.
Every runner certainly ignores this – but a healthy mindset removing thoughts before is the best way to boost your running. The additional benefits of personal yoga poses before running are that we can take control of our breathing. The better breathing performed throughout yoga could boost our body senses, relax our mind and help us maintain a proper breathing when we run.
How Yoga poses before running boost our performance?
When we perform yoga poses, the human body remains still for a few seconds and also our muscles are stretched mainly used by runners.
Practicing yoga poses before running release the muscle tension and increase elasticity, loosen up the joints, ligaments and muscle tissues. This boosts our running performance as our tight and still body muscles get relieved to prevent the risk of injury.
If you are about to run a marathon, it’s mandatory to practice yoga the day before and on the day of the marathon. This is all because the longer the distance, the more force and tension on leg muscles and a high risk of injury. To prevent all this, it’s better to perform yoga poses every day and mandatory on the day of your running.
The intake of oxygen is increased when we perform yoga and this later effects on the performance of runners. According to a study, the runner who performs yoga poses boost his oxygen take in the body and increases his performance while running.
Best Yoga Stretches before running
Yoga Stretches before running can boost the performance of runners and also decrease the risk of injury. Yoga poses act as a warmup before running as it ultimately increases the blood flow through every muscle.
This increases your blood flow through every muscle and increase flexibility and movement. Practice a good amount of time on yoga to increase range of motion, flexibility, and decrease stiffness/ tightness in your leg muscles.
Perform this sequence of yoga poses before a run to help loosen up your muscles and prevent injury.
It doesn’t matter if you run regularly or an occasional runner Yoga poses are mandatory for everyone. Here are some yoga Stretches before running, that increase elasticity and boost your running experience.
Downward Dog or Adho mukha svanasana
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Muscle Targets: Stretches hamstrings, calves, and Strengthens shoulders
How to perform?
● Stand straight with your feet hip-width apart.
● Don’t bend your knees with pushing your hips backward.
● Touch the floor with your handstand hold for 30 second
● Return to original position and Repeat.
Low Lunge or Anjaneyasana
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Muscle Targets: Stretches hip flexors and strengthens hamstrings
How to perform?
● From Downward Dog, step your right foot forward between your hands.
● Lower your left knee and push it backward.
● Lift your torso upright and put your arms overhead.
● Take your head back and look up and hold this position for 30 seconds.
Dancer or Natarajasana
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Muscle Targets: Stretches hip flexors and lower back
How to perform?
● Stand straight Put your weight into your right foot.
● Bend your left knee to lift your left foot off the floor.
● Lift your left leg backward and hold it with your left hand.
● Hold for 30-seconds and Switch legs.
Pigeon Pose or Kapotasana
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Muscle Targets: loosens tight glutes and hamstrings
How to perform?
● Start seated on the yoga mat with your left knee bent directly in front of your hip.
● Place your right knee bent behind your right hip.
● Rotate your torso and place your hands on either side of your left knee.
● Keep your right leg extend to kick and leg parallel to the floor.
● Bend your back and touch your head on the mat.
● Hold for 30-seconds and repeat 10 times.
Half Saddle or Virasana
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Muscle Targets: Stretches hamstrings and arches of the feet
How to perform?
● Start seated on the yoga mat with your knees together and underneath you.
● Place your heels outside of the hips always.
● Lean backward and touch the floor with both your hands.
● If you feel comfortable, lean back and place your head on the floor.
● Hold for 30-seconds and repeat 3 times.
Reclining Cow face
Muscle Targets: Stretches your glutes
How to perform?
● Start by lying on the yoga mat and cross your knees.
● Your knees should cross another.
● Hold on to your right foot with your left hand and your left foot with your right hand.
● Once you get hold of the position pull your heels in towards your body.
● Hold for 30-seconds and repeat 3 times.
Reclining Spinal Twist
Muscle Target: Relaxes the lower back and stretches the glutes
How to perform?
● Begin with lying on the yoga mat.
● After performing the Reclining Cow face, lower your legs.
● Twist to your right while holding the legs crossed.
● Place both your hands on the heel and lean backward.
● Keep your back straight and extend both arms out to your sides.
● Turn your head to the opposite direction of legs.
● Hold for 30-seconds and switch sides.
Camel Pose or Ustrasana
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Muscle Target: Stretches your glutes and strengthens your shoulders
How to perform?
● Start by kneeling on the yoga mat or floor.
● Kneel with body upright and hips stacked over the knees.
● Maintain your body still and back straight.
● Place both your hands on the heel and lean backward.
● Keep your head upward and gently engage your muscles
● Hold for 30-seconds and repeat 3 times.
Legs Up the Wall
Muscle Target: Relaxes the legs and stretches hamstrings and glutes
How to perform?
● Start by lying on the yoga mat or floor and close to a wall.
● Place your hips as close as the wall.
● Swing your legs up the wall and lie back
● Extend both arms out to your sides.
● Lie with your back straight gently engage your glute muscles.
● Hold this position as much as you like.
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