Yoga to Compliment…Running.
Whether you’re a marathon runner, 10k fanatic, 5k pacer or a casual jogger, setting aside some time for a low impact exercise such as yoga, will benefit you and your performance immensely.
I love running, it’s a great form of exercise, it costs nothing, you decide on your pace and it really helps clear the mind. However due to it’s high impact status, runners often suffer from tight hips, hamstrings and calves.
One of the reasons this might occur is that running is predominately fixed in one plane of movement (sagittal) where we are using the strength of our muscles to move parts of the body forward or backward. Extension and flexion happen along the sagittal plane. This is fine, however for peak performance it’s important that we don’t neglect the other movement planes, e.g. frontal (side to side) and transverse (twisting/rotation).
As yoga moves through all three movements, it helps to strengthens all the muscles you need for an efficient and effective gait which is perfect for runners. It will not only help you to develop flexibility by lengthening out those muscles tightened by running, but will develop your leg, core and upper body strength, areas that are often neglected during a run and finally helping to improve posture and performance, while reducing your risk of injury.
Benefits:
Strengthens your muscles and keeps you stable
Aids in injury prevention
Help with breathing techniques
Improves focus and concentration
Helps with pacing
Yoga and running have a lot in common and work so well together, not only in a physical sense but also when it comes to breathing and mental focus. During a yoga class, there is a big emphasis on deepening, lengthening and extending the breath, which is then paired with movement. Sound familiar? Breath control in running, especially in competitive races, can make the difference between winning or losing so you can see how well they complement each other. Finally it improves mental focus, particularly during a race when mental endurance is as important as physical endurance.
Photo shoutout to my physio @cullyphysio who is the best runner I know! He’s a machine.
