Yoga for Runners -Soothing Stretches for Mischievous Muscles

Nearly a year ago, I posted a Yoga for Runners entry on the Flyers Blog that I'm quite certain was critically acclaimed, plus read (and re-read) in rapture and awe by each and every Flyer.

No? Well, even still, as we’re approaching the fall marathon season I'm thinking it's a good time follow-up with some additional info. The focus here is on how to prevent and patch up misbehaving muscles that tend to be sore spots for runners.

This summer, Flyer Deirdre M. and I have been participating in a fantastic class at New York Yoga led by experienced yoga instructor and accomplished runner Tanya Namad. The class is on-going up until the NYC Marathon, and we'd love other Flyers to keep us company.

Specifically, Tanya recommends the following as among the essentials for runners.

Hamstrings, Calves, Achilles and Plantar Fascia

Downward Facing Dog stretches all of the muscles of the back of the legs, as well as the feet. This is the first stretch that I do after nearly every run even though I don’t look nearly as graceful and flexible as Tanya does in the photo below!

To get into the correct alignment for this yoga basic, start first in a plank position (as if you are about to do a push up) with your hips and shoulders and ankles in a straight line. Then keep your hands and feet where they are as you pull your hips up towards the ceiling. Relax the shoulders away from the ears, let the head and neck dangle (no tension) and gaze towards your navel. Focus on pulling your heels down towards the floor while you pull the hips up towards the ceiling and tilt the pelvis forward. You can lift the toes up to strengthen the arch of the foot to help relieve/prevent plantar fasciitis. Hold for one minute.

Back and Spinal Alignment

When we run, all the pounding, plus gravity, compresses the spine. It's important to re-lengthen our spines in order to improve our alignment. Also stretching the spine helps to prevent back issues for those runners who are prone to backaches.

Seated spinal twists are good for lengthening the spine and creating more space between the vertebrae. As you inhale, don't just turn but also allow yourself to "grow taller," and as you exhale try to twist a bit further into the pose. Repeat this breathing cycle 3-4 times and then take a counter-twist before switching and doing the other side.

Since I’m not comfortable keeping both legs bent in this position, a recommended variation that Tanya has me do is to straighten the bottom leg (in this photo, it would mean Tanya straightening her right leg).

IT Band Stretch

IT Band injuries can be painful and debilitating, and tight IT bands also put stress on runners' knees.

For a good IT stretch, fold over as far as you can, then bend one leg. Turn toward the side of the straight leg. If you can't touch the floor you can rest the left hand on a block or a prop of some sort (shoe box, foam roller stood up on its side etc.). You’ll feel this stretch on the outside of the straight leg. Hold for 30 seconds and then do the other side.

Hip Openers

Hip openers provide runners with improved range of motion, which is especially important for not losing stride length as we age.

Pigeon Pose is a great hip opener, including for stretching the outer hip muscles and glutes. If using a mat, try to get the front leg's shin as close to parallel with the front edge of the mat as possible. You want the hips to be even, so push the right hip down towards the ground. You may need to adjust the angle of the front knee to do this. Then lower the upper body down over the front leg. You will feel this in the left outer hip. Breathe to relax into it. Make sure to push the hip forward (the right one in this picture). Hold for 30 seconds then switch sides.

Piriformis &Outer Hip Stretch

A recent thread on the Flyers Forum highlights that piriformis pain (i.e., glutes) can shut a runner down. Piriformis syndrome is a condition in which the piriformis muscle becomes tight or spasms, and irritates the sciatic nerve. This causes pain in the buttocks region (my wife says I generate a similar impact for her with my mood swings) and may even result in pain in the lower back and thigh.

For a piriformis and outer hip stretch, stack the shins on top of each other, lining up the knees and ankles (if doable for you, don't tuck them "Indian style"). Then fold forward as far as you can go. Try to relax the hips as you breathe deeply and concentrate on relaxing. Hold for 1 minute and then switch sides.

Hip Flexors

Hip flexors get worked hard, especially when doing speed work, so it's important to stretch them afterwards so they don't tighten up. Lunges are very effective for stretching the hip flexors. Get into a lunge position, then push your hips forward and lean back. In this picture, leaning back towards the right leg really gets into the hip flexor. It also works the calves and achilles, which is helpful for preventing and alleviating plantar fasciitis. Hold for 30 seconds on each side.

Thanks, Tanya!

Thanks to Tanya for sharing all of her great information, which she put together specifically for this blog posting, and thanks also for Tanya kindly allowing me to photograph her in yogi-action to illustrate the poses. For those who'd like to know more about Tanya (no, I don’t mean if you want to know if she’s single!), her personal yoga website is www.yogitanya.com.
- Dave K.