The more you run, the tighter you get—that’s one of the drawbacks of a sport where you move in just one linear direction. That’s why lengthening, strengthening yoga serves as a perfect complement to running.
“One of the goals of yoga is to become more self-aware and integrated,” explains Krissy Jones, co-founder and yoga director at SKY TING YOGA in New York City and a Nike yoga instructor. “Through yoga practice, we see where we are misaligned, off-center, and imbalanced, and we can cultivate a greater sense of symmetry in the body.”
Nailing down—and course-correcting—those asymmetries is especially important for us runners. When our bodies are even minutely out of alignment, it can cause one side to overcompensate for the other; over time, that can lead to muscular imbalances and discomfort or pain. But “an alignment adjustment in your foot or knee, or even more mobility in the hips could gain you injury-free years of running,” says Jones.
Yoga is a healing art, she adds, so it’s something that you can practice daily. But it’s not limited to those familiar runner’s lunges and pigeon poses you can benefit from (after a while, that same old feel-good flow can get boring). “It’s important to switch up the postures you’re doing so you’re not just cleaning up the same areas in the body and ignoring other areas,” says Jones.
How to use this list: You might recognize some of the moves below, but these variations were specifically designed by Jones to target the exact areas that runners often feel tightness and tension and demonstrated. They are also all demonstrated by Jones so you can get the hang of the correct way to do them. Work this short routine in before or after your runs, or get in the habit of doing it every day, and you’ll be moving more freely in no time.
1. Ankle Strength Squat
How to do it: Start in a wide stance with toes slightly turned out. Bend knees to squat down so knees track over toes and stack directly over ankles. Bring hands together at heart center. Lift then lower the right heel slowly off the ground. Repeat on the left. Then try lifting both heels at the same time. Be sure to roll through the center of the foot each time to avoid pronation or supination. Repeat the whole sequence 8 times.
Why it helps: “This movement helps lubricate and strengthen the ankle joints, which is so important for runners,” says Jones. “It also helps activate the glutes and hamstrings, which you definitely want to do pre-run.”
2. Calf-Hamstring-Achilles Opener With Block
How to do it: Start standing and place the ball of your right foot on a block positioned at a 45-degree angle, keeping your heel on the floor. Step your left foot back a few feet and fold forward over your right leg. Hold for 60 seconds, then repeat on other leg.
Why it helps: “The back line of runners’ legs get very stagnant and tough from that linear motion, which decreases mobility,” says Jones. “This is a pose that releases the calf, Achilles, and hamstring all in one go, and gives you full access to your mobility when you run.”
3. Cat-Cow With Knees Crossed
How to do it: Start on all fours in a tabletop position, with shoulders over wrists and hips over knees. Cross your right knee in front of your left knee until knees are touching and feet are separated about hips-width distance from one another. Inhale, as you arch your back, drop your belly toward the mat, and look up to the ceiling for Cow pose. On the exhale, round your spine, draw belly button to spine, and roll the head forward to come toward the mat for Cat pose. Follow your breath to perform 20 to 30 repetitions and then switch your legs and repeat.
Why it helps: “This is a moving hip opener pose that helps with unlocking tension from the hips and lower back and creates fluidity in the spine,” explains Jones. “It loosens up our joints to be free, hydrated, and spacious,” which allows you to run more efficiently.
4. Child’s Pose on Toes
How to do it: Start in a seated kneeling position with back tall and spine long, palms resting on thighs. Tuck your toes as you reach hands forward to bring forehead and chest to mat, and let your belly drop between your knees. Stretch through the arms and press hips back as much as possible. Hold for several breaths.
Why it helps: “In order to run properly, you want to be able to roll through the entire foot— including the toes and ankles,” says Jones. “Tucking your toes in this pose unlocks space in the toe joints, and releases the fascia of the arch of the foot, where tension tends to build up for runners.”
5. Quad-Psoas Wall Stretch
How to do it: Start in a low lunge position with your right foot facing away from the wall and position your left knee where the floor meets the wall, so your left shin and top of left foot are flat against the wall. (You may want to place a folded blanket under your left knee for padding.) Place hands on your right knee and push your hips forward away from the wall. Then draw your hips back toward the wall. Slowly repeat 4 to 5 times on each leg.
Why it helps: “The psoas and the quads are some of the tightest muscle groups in the body,” says Jones. “The psoas is also the muscle that hikes your knee up to spring or run, so it tends to be especially tight in runners. Releasing it is important for recovery.”
6. Shoulder Opener
How to do it: Lie facedown on the mat with your right elbow to the side in a cactus position at a 90-degree angle. Look towards the left as you roll onto the right side of your body, stacking your hips and legs, and letting left foot come toward right hip if it is available to you. Breathe into your right pectoral muscles around the collar bone and lung. Stay for 5 to 10 breaths, then repeat on the other side.
Why it helps: “Runners need the most amount of oxygen possible, so releasing tension around the lungs allows them to experience a fuller breath—and this position is a great way to open the chest and pectoral muscles,” says Jones.
Unique Yoga Essentials
7. Tabletop Shin Self Massage Saw
How to do it: Start on all fours in a table top position with shoulders over wrists and hips over knees. Place your right shin over left calf muscle and “saw” it back and forth horizontally to massage the left calf muscle. Start at the back of the knee and work your way down towards the Achilles. Repeat 3 to 5 times on the right and then switch to the left side.
Why it helps: The explosive action of running is tough on your lower legs, and “this is another great tool to remove stagnation from runners’ tense calves,” says Jones. It’s especially useful when you don’t have access to a foam roller.
8. Yoga Toe Stretch
How to do it: Sit on the floor or a chair and cradle your right leg in the crook of left elbow. Interlace all five fingers of your left hand between all five toes of your right foot. Once your hands and feet are interlaced, roll the ankle clockwise and then counter-clockwise a few times on each side. Repeat on the left side.
Why it helps: “Toe articulation is important for runners, because you want to be covering the most amount of surface area in your shoe for stability when you strike the ground as you run,” says Jones. “This pose helps you stretch between the toes and lubricate the ankle joint.”
All images: Julia Hembree Smith
