The benefits of Yoga for running can be enjoyed in many ways.  The immediate result can be found in maintaining flexibility, gaining strength and a creating a more equal physical balance.  The greater benefits for running are found in a regular practice allows you to develop a more mindful physical and mental experience on your mat that you can then bring out onto the road for running.

 

The Physical Practice for runners

 

The ability to incorporate any sequence of yoga poses into your sport will provide growth for your physically.  Each poses acts on the body allowing certain muscles to lengthen while at the same time others are engaged.  Through this action we are strengthening and stretching  simultaneously. The overall result of these repeated actions in a fluid manner also requires a mental awareness in order to maintain physical balance.  As well, like the sport of running, we must move rhythmically with our breath in order to be able to continue to move deeper into our practice.

This very simplified description gives an idea of how a regular practice on our mat can help us grow as runners.   If we practice regularly our mental, physical and self awareness develops allowing us to go deeper and farther into ourselves.  Through this awareness and resulting discipline we can then find a new edge, or push to a new limit in other sports that we practice.

 

Where to begin

 

A simple 10 minute commitment to a practice can begin to reveal the benefits.  Here are some poses that can be beneficial.

 

Childs Pose – Balasana (Child’s Pose)

 

Legs up the Wall pose   – Viparita Karani (Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose)

 

Downward Dog – Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog)

 

Wide Leg Foward Bend – Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Forward Bend)

 

High Lunge – High Lunge

 

These poses and many others can be found at www.yogajournal.com.

 

Although benefit can be found in practicing these poses individually, a sequenced practice builds the physical, mental and spiritual benefits exponentially faster. An experience that can be truly be taken from a yoga studio onto the road for new PB’s and bigger goals than ever previously thought!

 

NAMASTE and Happy Running