Yoga for Runners

An increasing number of running events — road races, trail runs, triathlons — are starting to feature a free yoga session following the event for any participants wishing to stretch out after their run. As a yoga enthusiast, I was thrilled to see these offerings. As a runner, I was left sorely disappointed... literally. Running takes its toll on very specific muscles, and a series of Sun Salutations ending in Savasana simply doesn't target my aching body correctly. It may be that the yogis leading these sessions are keeping their instruction gentle in order to include not just the runners but also the walking participants and spectators. The vast majority of us hanging around a race venue immediately after the event, however, have pushed our quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calf muscles to the limit of their endurance (and beyond!), and the gentle yoga being offered afterward is about as effective in stretching out our legs, hips, and buttocks as a pillow and blanket.

To assist my fellow runners and to commemorate today's 2014 Boston Marathon, I am sharing part of my post-run yoga routine. Call them "13 Yoga Poses for Runners." I used to go by the rule of thumb of "two minutes of stretching for every mile run," but now I go by "stretch until you're done." Which might be an hour, since I enjoy it so.

1. Mountain Pose (Tadasana): Runners often lean forward, their backs curved, their shoulders hunched. Standing in Tadasana, feet parallel, arms overhead directly over the shoulders, palms facing in, helps realign posture by stacking the head, shoulders, hips, and feet. Firmly press your feet into the ground, activate the glutes and hams, and stretch your arms upward, lengthening your spine. Be careful not to raise your shoulders; instead, draw them back down away from your ears. Eyes can look upward or straight ahead. Hold this position for five to eight cycles of breath.

2. Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana): From Mountain Pose, swoop your arms down, hinge your body forward from your hips, and fold yourself so that your chest meets your legs. Depending on your level of flexibility and how much of a calf and hamstring stretch you'd like, your hands may reach your shins, the tops of your ankles, or the floor. If you are very flexible, wrap your arms around your calves and draw your torso closer to your legs. If not, let gravity assist you by allowing your head and torso to hang downward heavily. Folding your arms in so that your hands cup the opposite elbows will help deepen the stretch without adding stress to your hamstrings. If your legs have tightened up after your run, do your best to stretch your fingertips towards the ground. Your eyes should be on your shins. Hold this position for five to eight cycles of breath.

3. Wide Angle Standing Forward Bend (Prasarita Padottanasana): From Standing Forward Bend, return to Mountain Pose (Tadasana) by swooping your arms upward at your sides and gently lifting your torso back up. Next, step your legs approximately three to four feet apart, feet pointing forward. The farther apart your legs are from each other, the more intense the stretch. Inhale and lift your arms out to your sides in a letter T, palms facing down. Lengthen your spine upward, keeping your shoulders down. Exhale, then hinge your body forward from your hips as you did in Uttanasana, placing your hands on the ground in line with your feet if you can. If not, cup your elbows and let gravity draw your head and torso downward into the stretch. If you are flexible, heel-toe walk your feet a little further apart and place the back of your head on the ground, either cupped by your interlaced fingers or with your hands on either side. Again, the depth of this calf and hamstring stretch will depend on what position you choose for your arms and head. Your eyes should look back, through the inverted V of your legs. Hold this position for five to eight cycles of breath.

4. Easy Dancer Pose (Sukha Natarajasana): From Wide Angle Standing Forward Bend (Prasarita Padottanasana), heel-toe walk your feet closer together. If your head is on the ground, gently push up on your hands to straighten your arms and lift your head up. Exhale and place your hands on your hips, flattening your back as if it were a table, and look forward. Inhale and, shifting your hips slightly forward, raise your head and torso back to an upright position. Exhale and jump or walk your feet back to Mountain Pose (Tadasana), lengthening your spine up to the sky. Ground your feet firmly so that the entire ball and heel are pressing into the floor, then shift your weight over to the left leg. Bend your right leg so that the knee points to the ground, the thigh is parallel with your left leg, and your lower leg raises upward towards your buttocks. Reach your right hand down to clasp your right ankle. Gently draw your right heel towards your buttocks; the closer your draw your foot in, the deeper the quadriceps stretch. Keep your torso upright and centered over your hips, which are squared forward. Your spine lengthens upward and your shoulders draw back downward. Activate your left leg more by pressing more firmly into the ground. To add balance to this position, slowly lift your left arm skyward. If your flexibility allows, and for a deeper quad stretch, rotate your right leg backward so that the thigh is parallel to the ground. Push your right foot into your hand to straighten the right leg, if possible. Be sure to maintain your hips in a forward aspect; do not open your hips to the right. Your eyes are forward or look upward at your raised hand. Hold this position for five to eight cycles of breath. Release back to Mountain Pose (Tadasana), then repeat on the other side.

5. Triangle Pose (Utthita Trikonasana): From Mountain Pose, step your feet so that they are
approximately three feet apart and pointing forward. Turn your right foot 90 degrees so that it points to the right. Turn your left foot 45 degrees so that it slightly angles to the right. Raise your arms out to the sides, palms down, so that they form a T. Lengthen your spine skyward. Inhale, then shift your hips slightly sideways to the left while leaning your right arm and torso slightly to the right. Exhale and, from the hips, bend laterally to your right as if you are trying to touch your right outer thigh with the right side of your ribs. Depending on your level of flexibility and how deep a glute and hamstring stretch you want, reach the right arm down so that your hand rests either on your shin, ankle, or the ground beside your right foot. Ground your right hand against its surface to activate the arm. Root your left foot firmly into the ground to activate your left leg's muscles. Keep your hips squared forward; do not rotate your hips to the right as this will compromise the pose. You want to be tilted sideway, as this will also help release and stretch your left obliques. To open up your chest and add a shoulder stretch, raise your left arm skyward until it is vertically stacked above the right arm, forming a single line. Reach with the left arm as you ground the right arm. Your gaze is either on your grounded right hand, directly in front of you, or up at your left hand. Hold this position for five to eight cycles of breath. To release, lower your left arm, stretching it to the left, firmly ground your left leg, then raise your torso back upright. Repeat on the other side.

6. Lightning (or Thunderbolt) Pose (Bhujrasana): From Mountain Pose (Tadasana), gently lower yourself to kneeling, then sit back on your heels, feet flat against the ground, legs parallel. Place your hands on your thighs and press down, lengthening your spine. Pull your shoulder blades down and back, and lift your chin. Your gaze is forward. Lightning Pose is a wonderful resting pose that allows you to gently stretch your quadriceps. Rest here for five to eight cycles of breath. Lightning Pose is often mistakenly called Hero Pose (Virasana), which is a similar posture except that the lower legs rotate outwardly so that the feet are positioned on either side of their corresponding hips and the pelvic girdle lowers so the buttocks rest on the ground in the space between the feet. Hero Pose is a more intense quadriceps stretch; it is not recommended for those who have knee issues.

7. Cobbler's Pose (Baddha Konasana): From Lightning Pose (Bhujrasana), cross your ankles and carefully roll your buttocks backwards over your feet to come to Simple Cross-Legged Pose (Sukhasana). Place the soles of your feet together, positioning your heels as close to your groin as possible. Slowly lower your knees towards the ground. Do not force your knees down as this can cause muscle and ligament damage. Outwardly rotate your hips to assist with the grounding of your knees. This position will stretch your adductor muscles as well as work on your hip joints. Hold onto your ankles and raise your rib cage upwards, lengthening your spine. Lift your chin and gaze forward. Hold this position for five to eight cycles of breath.

8. Cobbler's Pose Forward Bend (Adho Mukha Baddha Konasana): From Cobbler's Pose (Baddha Konasana), inhale, and lengthen your spine skyward. Exhale and, hinging from your hips, fold forward towards your feet. Try to keep from rounding your back. Depending on your flexibility or how deeply you wish to stretch your adductors and your glutes, you may hover your face over your feet, touch your forehead lightly to your feet, or fold deeply enough that your forehead rests on the ground in front of your feet. Your arms can remain on your ankles, if this is comfortable. If not, slide your arms forward along the ground to help deepen the stretch. Keep your hips rotated outwardly and your knees and thighs grounded. If this pose is uncomfortable or causes too much strain, slide your feet forward approximately 12 inches into Star Pose (Tarasana) and rest your head in the arches of your feet. Your gaze is downward or keep your eyes closed. Hold for five to eight cycles of breath, then return to Cobbler's Pose.

9. Wide Angle Forward Bend (Upavistha Konasana): From Cobbler's Pose (Baddha Konasana), straighten your legs into Staff Pose (Dandasana), hands grounded by your hips, fingers facing forward. Spread your legs into a wide V; do not force the width of your V! Inhale, then press your hands into the ground, lifting your torso and your spine towards the sky. Exhale, then hinge forward from your hips, lowering your torso towards the ground. Try to maintain a straight versus rounded spine. Do not force your torso down, as this can injure your back and hips. Depending on your flexibility and how deeply you wish to stretch your hamstrings and calves, you may place your hands on the ground in front of you, directly under your hips, to support your torso; fold your arms so that the forearms are stacked and place them on the ground, resting your forehead on them like a pillow; or hold onto the outside edges of your feet or onto your big toes and lower your torso all the way down to the ground. Flex your feet and keep them active, pressing the heels forward. Activate your legs and press downward into the ground with them. Your eyes gaze downward or remain closed. Hold this position for five to eight cycles of breath, then slowly raise your torso up to seated and return to Staff Pose (Dandasana).


10. One-Legged Seated Forward Bend (Janusirsasana): From Staff Pose (Dandasana), draw your right knee towards your chest, keeping the right foot flat on the ground. Outwardly rotate the right knee so that it and the right thigh rest on the ground. Firm your right foot against your inner left thigh as close to the groin as possible. Ground your extended left leg, making sure both the knee and the foot point skyward. Inhale and lengthen your spine skyward. Exhale and, hinging from the hip, lower your torso towards your left leg, maintaining a straight back. Resist the urge to round your back. Depending on your flexibility and how deeply you wish to stretch your calves, hamstrings, and glutes, you may place your hands to either side of your left shin, grasp the outer edges of your left foot, or reach past your foot, clasping your hands around it. Your gaze is downward. Press into the ground with your right hip, thigh, and knee. Maintain this position for five to eight cycles of breath, then return to seated position and repeat on the other side, then return to Dandasana.


11. Heron Pose (Krounchasana): From Staff Pose (Dandasana), bend your knees into your chest, keeping the feet flat and as close to your groin as possible. Grasp your right foot so that your thumbs encircle the top of your foot and the fingers grasp the underside. Raise your right knee towards your right shoulder, then unfold your lower right leg, lifting it upward as you straighten your arms. Hold your leg in this position with your right arm. With your left hand, grasp your left ankle and gently rotate it and your lower left leg outwardly, so that your left foot is grounded alongside your left hip, foot flat, in a half Hero Pose (Virasana Pose). Return your left hand to grasping your extended right foot. Drop your shoulders down, press your buttocks, lower left leg, and left foot firmly into the ground, and look up at your foot. For a deeper calf stretch, draw your right leg as close to your torso and head as possible. Hold for five to eight breaths, then release your legs back to Staff Pose (Dandasana). Breathe for a few cycles, then repeat on the other side. Note: Heron Pose should not be attempted by those with weak or injured knees.

12. Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottadasana): From Staff Pose (Dandasana), inhale and lengthen your spine and arms skyward as you ground your glutes firmly.  Exhale and, hinging from your hips, lower your torso down towards your legs. Depending on your flexibility and how deeply you wish to stretch your calves, hamstrings, and glutes, you may place your hands to either side of your shins, grasp the outer edges of your feet, or reach past your feet, clasping your hands around them. Try to maintain a straight spine. Your gaze is downward. Activate the stretch further by pushing forward with your heels and pressing down with your legs. Hold for five to eight cycles of breath.

13. Cow Pose (Bitilasana): From Staff Pose (Dandasana), fold your legs back to Simple Cross-Legged Pose (Sukhasana), then lean your torso slightly forward and rotate your lower legs into Lightning Pose (Bhujrasana). Place your hands on the ground in front of you and lean forward to come up to your knees. Adjust your limbs so that your hands are directly beneath your shoulders and your knees are hip distance apart, your neck and head aligned with your spine, your gaze downward. This is Table Pose (Svanasana, not to be confused with Adho Mukha Svanasana, Downward Facing Dog Pose). Inhale and tilt your pelvic floor down and back, lifting your glutes upwards while dropping your belly down. Continue this gentle backbend by lifting your head upward and slightly tipping it backward. Draw your shoulder blades down and look up. Hold this position for five to eight cycles of breath, then return to Table Pose.

Follow up with your own favorite stretches and yoga poses to allow your body to fully recover and relax after your run ... and be sure to hydrate! Namaste.