Yoga Asanas for Walkers and Runners

We all do a little (or a lot!) of walking or running in our everyday lives to get from point A to point B. Sometimes that point B is somewhere we want to physically move our bodies. Other times, it’s a place we need to move our minds.

Yoga Asanas

Some yoga asanas may be helpful as a stretch to help loosen your body before and after running or walking. Hold stretches for a minimum of 30 seconds; one minute is even better to allow the muscles to relax and stretch. To put that in context, one minute is relatively short compared to your yoga practice, where holding for at least few minutes is best.

It may seem logical to focus on stretching the areas which were worked the most during exercise, but yoga is about balance. Here are a few yoga stretches that will feel great after running or walking.

Mmmmm for your Lower Body

Padahastasana (Forward Bend) and Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) are great for releasing tension in the backs of the legs and will feel great. These two asanas deeply target the hamstrings where much of the power for running and walking are generated.

To deepen the stretch, flex the feet, if you’re in Padahastasana, or bring your body weight on to your toes, if you’re in Uttanasana, to stretch the calves and Achilles tendon.

Kapotasana (Pigeon) is another a great stretch for the hips and buttocks and can provide relief and feel amazing.

Release Your Back

Running can put a lot of pressure on your joints, including your spine. Slow gentle walking, on the other hand, can help to release tension in the back muscles. Both activities keep the back relatively straight, but your spine needs movement to stay flexible and strong!

Trikonasana (Triangle) can help ease the sides of the body, which can get a bit tense with the swinging action of the arms and hips. If you have tightness in the outside of your legs, you may feel this being stretched as well.

Ardha Matsendrasena (Half Spinal Twist) is a great way to get some rotation in the back. Be extra careful to be gentle as your back may not be ready for a sudden, deep twist.

Loosen the Whole Body

For a whole body release, nothing beats Savasana (Corpse). It’s a passive release that’s a wonderful opposition to the rush of blood and energy from exercise.

Resist the temptation to drop into Savasana right after vigorous exercise. Allow your body to return to a nearly normal state before resting in Savasana to actively release all of your muscles. Don’t forget to let your mind rest and relax as well!

With any exercise, it’s best to take time between any vigorous activity before or after yoga practice so that you can get the most out of each activity. Even if you just do a few yoga asanas to stretch out the body, choose a range of stretches or asanas to keep the body in balance.

Running and walking are a great complement to your yoga practice both mentally and physically, so keep it up yogi!