Yoga and running are really a match made in heaven. Any time you do a sport that involves repetitive motion and stress on the body (hello running!), you are at risk for imbalance in the body. Repeated use of the same muscles and the pounding that accompanies running results in tightening and shortening of muscles.
Here is where yoga comes in. Yoga is the perfect complement to this tightening and shortening– it loosens and elongates muscles. After practicing yoga, many people say that they actually feel taller (because they are standing straighter). This is a result of the loosening and stretching that occurs during a yoga session.
The advantages of adding yoga to your running regimen are too numerous to mention, though I will highlight a few. Yoga can help you:
- increase your range of motion
- balance strength
- increase flexibility
- strengthen the mind/body connection
- injury prevention
I love running and I love yoga (especially Bikram yoga)–I just wish I could fit them both neatly into my jam-packed schedule! I typically take two rest days during the week, and I often find it hard to motivate to do any other physical activity on these days.
It is sometimes frustrating, since I can take yoga classes free as a member of the local YMCA. I know how much better I would feel after a class–I think I just need a swift kick in the pants to get there!
Do you incorporate yoga into your weekly training schedule?
I want to! I just work retail so I don’t have time to sign up for a class. Are there any yoga DVDs that you’ve tried and like?
Katherine, I do like Yoga for Athletes (I got mine on Amazon). it has 20, 40, and 60 minute routines for all different sports including running. I like that you can choose the length of the routine depending on how much time you have. 🙂
We have free classes at our Y, too! I really want to…like you, it’s so hard for me to get motivated to put in that extra hour, even though I know it would be beneficial. I’ve only ever gone to one yoga class, but it was beginner level and I think I would enjoy it more if it was more challenging. Maybe if I aim for one class every other week, I’d be more likely to get it in!
I am headed to class tomorrow! I am going to make a good faith effort to try and go at least once a week–you can keep me accountable! 😉
I love love love yoga! It does wonders for my body, mind and spirit in much the same way that running does. When I am able to do it consistently (even just 1x per week) I notice a huge difference in the way my body feels and in my patience as a mother. But like you I have a hard time fitting it in with my already packed schedule. I also truly love and believe in the benefits of Pilates and am a Pilates teacher. I try to fit in even just a few exercises/poses a day, but of course it’s not the same as an entire class!