Whether you are a marathon runner or casual jogger, you must know your body\u2019s limitations. Running is great for your health and if you enjoy running, you probably like to set new goals before you put on your sport shoes.\u00a0Running faster than before or covering more distance may be some of those goals. But being a regular runner also means knowing your own limitations. You may complain about flexibility issues or having tight quadriceps and calves or being out of breath. These limitations can come in the way of your fitness goals. One solution-perform yoga before running. Since yoga for runners is essential, include these poses in your fitness routine.<\/p>\n
Yoga for runners: Know why it is important<\/h2>\n
This ancient mind and body practice can help runners in various ways!<\/p>\n
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- It may improve your body\u2019s ability to use oxygen to produce energy, as yoga may improve aerobic fitness, as per research published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine<\/a> journal in 2013.<\/li>\n
- When you run, your core as well as the muscles of your quadriceps, hips, glutes, hamstrings, and calves get engaged. \u201cYoga can help to strengthen these muscles,\u201d says yoga expert Yogesh Chavan<\/a>.<\/li>\n
- Yoga improves lung power, which can help improve stamina and improve running speed. During a 2015 study published in the International Journal Of Yoga<\/a>, researchers found that lung function improved in the participants who did yoga for three months.<\/li>\n
- If you want to perform better as a runner, you need to focus. \u201cYoga can help to improve focus<\/a> and concentrate on goals,\u201d says the expert.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/images.healthshots.com\/healthshots\/en\/uploads\/2024\/05\/21135009\/GIRL-YOGA.jpeg\")
Yoga can help people who love running. Image courtesy: Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Yoga for runners: Poses to do<\/h2>\n
Start with warm up<\/h3>\n
Before you move on to do poses as part of yoga for runners, do Dirga Pranayama or Three-Part Breath. \u201cIt helps to increase the lungs\u2019 power, which is vital to boost stamina<\/a> for running,\u201d says Chavan.<\/p>\n
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- To do Dirga Pranayama, lie down on your back, close your eyes, and relax your body.<\/li>\n
- Use your nose to deeply inhale and exhale.<\/li>\n
- Whenever you inhale, fill up your belly with your breath, and let it expland.<\/li>\n
- As you exhale, expel the air out from your belly with the help of your nose, and draw your navel back towards your spine.<\/li>\n
- Repeat the deep breathing (part one of Dirga Pranayama) for five breaths.<\/li>\n
- When you are done, inhale, and fill up your belly with air.<\/li>\n
- When it gets full of air, draw in more breath. Let that air expand into your rib cage.<\/li>\n
- Exhale, as you let the air go from your rib cage, and then from your belly.<\/li>\n
- Do this deep breathing into your belly and rib cage (part two) for about five breaths.<\/li>\n
- Inhale, and fill up your belly as well as rib cage with air.<\/li>\n
- Take in just slightly more air so that it can reach your upper chest, and collarbone. This will make the area around your heart expand and rise.<\/li>\n
- Exhale, and let the air go from your upper chest, then from your rib cage, and finally, from your belly.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
This will improve the outcome of practising the yoga poses that are good for runners. Here are some of the best yoga poses that can help you if you love to run:<\/p>\n
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<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n1. Bhujangasana or Cobra Pose<\/h3>\n
- When you run, your core as well as the muscles of your quadriceps, hips, glutes, hamstrings, and calves get engaged. \u201cYoga can help to strengthen these muscles,\u201d says yoga expert Yogesh Chavan<\/a>.<\/li>\n
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