Many of my clients are participating in some sort of race (i.e 5k, 10k, 1/2 marathon, spartan etc ..)
Mobility and stretching is the key to keeping you feeling great doing what you love …
What if you could run more efficiently, be pain free, and actual feel better in your sport?
Wouldn’t you want to take 5 minutes a day to add to your routine?
Here are my top 5 favorite poses to keep you feeling great while you run!
#1 Down Dog –
Runners experience shin splints, knee pain, foot problems, and tight IT bands. Down Dog helps lengthen and stretch your hamstrings, shoulders, and hips. Also it opens up the mid and low back which tend to get tight especially on longer runs. Lift your hip bones straight toward the ceiling and push your heels into the ground for the best overall stretch.
#2. Pigeon
This popular yoga move helps maintain flexibility in your glutes by stretching the extensors and external rotators of the hip, say Baptiste. And loose hips are happy hips—they help take stress off the knees and lower back, making everyday movements effortless.
Do it:
- Begin in high plank (pushup position). Drive your right knee to your elbows and swing your right ankle toward your left wrist. Set the outside of your right foot down behind your left wrist and rest your right shin and knee on the floor. The closer you can get your ankle to your wrist, the deeper your stretch will be.
- Keep both hips parallel to the ground to help maintain a neutral spine position. Using your hands for balance, sink your pelvis down and lift your chest to enhance the stretch. Hold for 3 to 5 seconds and repeat on the opposite leg. Perform 5 to 10 reps on each side.
#3 Runner’s Lunge – Has many benefits (hence the name) to offer before and after running.
- Increases strength of hamstrings, quads and legs.
- Stretches hips and glutes.
- Provides instant energy and relaxation.
- Calms the mind by relieving from tension, anxiety and depression.
For new runners this is beneficial in improving the strength of the legs and their muscles. Runner’s Lunge helps increase speed and endurance when you open your hips up more and more. You may deepen the pose by staying at every point more than the suggested duration. Also make sure that the transition from one movement to the other should is deliberate and with repetition, exudes grace and ease.
#4 Triangle Pose will stretch the hips, groins, hamstrings, the muscles surrounding the knee, calves, ankle joints, shoulders, chest, and spine. It also strengthens the abdominal muscles, obliques, back, legs, knees, and ankles. This pose includes a light spine strengthening twist. This pose is great for runners because it helps to open the groins and hamstrings and improves balance by strengthening and stretching the ankles allowing for more efficient smooth running technique.
#5 Standing Forward Fold – This pose is a great opener for the calves, hips and hamstrings and helps to strengthen the quadriceps and knees. It’s important for runners to have loose and flexible hamstrings. Tight hamstrings are likely the culprit of back pain and tension which can then transfer to problems with the knees and hips even running down to the knee and shin.
Happy Running …
Fit Chic