10 Must Do Yoga Poses for Runners

Sure yoga is a stress buster. But it also packs serious perks for runners, like improving flexibility, easing aches and pains, and helping you recover from long runs and races faster. Here, 10 poses you can do to stay strong and balanced while you train.

[su_box title=”Downward-Facing Dog” style=”noise” box_color=”#fff” title_color=”#2e383f”]Downward Facing Dog

Instructions: Start on hands and knees. Place your palms a handprint’s distance in front of your shoulders. Tuck your toes under and lift knees off floor. Pull your hips up and back away from your hands. Keep knees bent and focus on lengthening your torso — press down into your hands, pull up on your arms — then shift your weight onto your legs. Without losing that sense of direction or length in your torso, begin to lift thighs up as you reach your heels back and down, which will straighten your knees. Engage your quads by pulling your kneecaps up. Hold for five to 10 breaths. Lightly lower both knees back to floor.

Benefits: Down Dog stretches the hamstrings and calves, and creates length in the spine.[/su_box]

[su_box title=”Upward-Facing Dog” style=”noise” box_color=”#fff” title_color=”#2e383f”]Yoga-Upward-Dog

Instructions: Lie on your abdomen, facing floor. Bend your elbows and place your hands on mat in line with your lower ribs, wrists aligned under your elbows. Reach legs back and press tops of your feet down into the floor. Press down into your hands and straighten arms, pulling your chest up toward ceiling and lifting fronts of your thighs and hips away from floor. Take a few breaths, and roll back down.

Modify this pose by keeping your toes tucked instead of pointed, which will help activate and lift your thighs. If your lower back feels tight, rest your knees on the mat, which will help lengthen your tailbone.

Benefits: Up Dog opens the hip flexors and stretches the whole front of the body. It’s also a chest and shoulder opener, which can help expand breathing.[/su_box]

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