7 Essential Yoga Poses for Runners

Yoga and running couldn’t be more different types of exercise. Running is fast, high-impact, and gets the heart pumping. Yoga is slow, measured, and low-impact. Someone drawn to running as a sport might find it difficult to slow down and do yoga, but they should. 

Practicing yoga can help anyone get more flexible and build muscle strength. For runners, yoga as a cross-training exercise can improve performance, aid recovery, and prevent injury. Certain poses are best for runners and their particular needs. Give them a try on your next recovery day. 

Why Should a Runner Do Yoga? 

Yoga has been proven time and again to be beneficial in so many ways. It improves flexibility, mobility, strength, and balance. It’s even good for mental health. 

While it’s good for just about anyone, yoga has some particular benefits for runners: 

• Runners tend to develop short, tight muscles, especially in the legs and hips. Yoga can help combat this by improving flexibility in specific muscles. 

• Runners benefit from cross-training because it helps build fitness without taxing the same muscles over and over again. Yoga is a form of cross-training. 

• Cross-training in general and yoga in particular helps runners reduce the risk of running injuries, including acute and repetitive motion injuries. 

• Yoga is a great aid to recovery. The stretching movements help increase blood flow to the joints and muscles used during running. 

• Regular yoga practice improves running performance by building overall strength and developing better breathing techniques. 

Strong glutes are a must for good form while powering through a run. Try these yoga poses that build glute strength. 

When Should Runners Do Yoga? 

The best times to do yoga are after a run or on an off day from running. Do gentle yoga during periods of intense training for running. If you have an off season, dive into more vigorous yoga classes. Always listen to your body, though. If a yoga session doesn’t feel right, save it for another day. 

Good posture is important for running form but is often overlooked. These yoga poses will help you improve your posture. 

The Best Yoga Poses for Runners

Any regular yoga practice will help runners get more flexible, stronger, and improve their overall running performance. Some poses, though, are better than others. They target the muscles runners use and that often get short and tight. They also target muscles, like the glutes, that are so important for good running form and injury prevention. 

1. Downward Facing Dog

This is one of the best stretches for runners. It feels particularly good right after a run and loosens up the ankles, feet, calves, hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. To do downward dog, start on your hands and knees on a mat. Push up to straighten the arms and legs, curling the toes under so the feet are flat against the mat. 

Lift your hips up until your body is shaped like an upside down ‘V.’ Keep your arms and legs straight and press your quads toward your chest to feel the stretch. Let your head hang down, relaxed. 

2. Forward Fold

This very simple yoga pose is a great basic stretch of the hamstrings that many runners find get very tight and even sore. Stand with legs straight and feet hip-width apart. Bend at the hips, not the waist, and lower down, keeping your back flat and strong. 

Bend your arms at the elbows and grasp each elbow with the opposite arm, letting your arms and head hang as you lower down. As you breathe, try to sink down lower with each exhale. If you need to, start this pose with legs bent a little. As you get more flexible, you can straighten them. 

3. Crescent Lunge

Any lunging pose provides a good stretch of the hip flexors and quads. The crescent lunge also involves the arms to help you stretch and open up the chest. This is important for improving posture. Runners don’t always have the best posture and tend to round their shoulders forward. You’ll run and breathe more efficiently and with less back pain and tension if you improve your running posture. 

To do crescent lunge, start in tabletop position on your hands and knees. Step your right foot forward between your hands. Raise your arms up so the elbows are next to your ears. Lift your arms and spine upward as you push forward with your hips. Feel the stretch across your hip flexors and chest. Switch sides and repeat. 

4. Pigeon 

Tight hips? While lunging poses stretch the hip flexors at the front of the joint, pigeon pose gets to the side of the hips, the glutes, IT band and the lower back. It’s a great overall hip-opening pose that feels great for many tight runners. 

To do pigeon pose, start in downward-facing dog. Bring your right foot forward to your hands. Lower your body down and place your right lower leg on the floor between your hands. It should be parallel to the front of the mat. Let the left leg stretch straight behind you with your knee and the top of your foot on the floor. 

Lower your chest and arms down to the floor. You’ll feel the stretch across your right hip and glutes. You might not be able to lower yourself very much initially, but as you get more flexible, you should be able to bring your chest close to the floor.

Yoga blocks, a yoga strap, and other props are a great way to expand your practice, for both beginner and advanced students. Grab a yoga block and flip it onto its largest flat side. If your right leg is forward, slide the block under your right hip. This can help you begin to slowly increase your flexibility. Pigeon pose is also a great restorative yoga pose. 

5. Plank 

Plank doesn’t provide much of a stretch, but it is an excellent strengthening pose. For runners, it’s a good way to strengthen the core muscles. Often overlooked, a strong core is essential to good running form. Plank pose also strengthens the arms, shoulders, and upper back. 

To do a plank with good form, place your hands or forearms on the mat and lift up onto your toes. Your hands (or elbows in a low plank) should be right under your shoulders. Your body should be a straight line from heels to head. Don’t let your hips go up too high or sink too low. Hold the position for 15 seconds to begin and progress to longer times. 

6. Twisted Dragon

This move is a little more advanced, so work up to it if you have very limited flexibility. If you can do twisted dragon, you’ll get an amazing quad, hip flexor, and chest stretch. 

From a tabletop position, step your right foot forward and place it between your hands. Let your left leg extend behind you with the top of the foot against the floor. Reach your left hand out to the left of your body and place it flat on the mat. Reach your right arm up and grasp your left foot. Hold your left foot as you twist the trunk and open the chest up toward the ceiling. 

7. Waterfall

Waterfall is a simple but effective yoga pose. Try this as an easy and relaxing way to wind down and recover immediately after a run. It will stretch out the hamstring muscles and help drain fluid from your feet and lower legs.

Position a yoga mat with the short end right up against a bare wall. Lie on your side with your hips against the wall. Gently roll over onto your back and swing your legs up against the wall. In a full stretch, your lower back and the backs of your legs will be pressed to the wall. If you’re not flexible enough for this, start with your hip a little further from the wall. Hang out here for a few minutes for an excellent recovery position.

Yoga for Runners: Improving Performance 

Running tightens muscles, while yoga stretches and loosens them. It’s a perfect pairing that improves flexibility, strength, mobility, and running performance. Add these poses to your recovery routine for the best results. 

Here are a few additional yoga poses to consider:

• Warrior II

• Reclining spinal twist

• Bridge pose

• Tree pose

• Bound angle pose

Education and Yoga Teacher Training

The ISSA Yoga & Wellness Academy’s 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training course is a great option for becoming a yoga instructor. It’s also a rewarding course to take if you simply want to deepen your own personal yoga practice. The course is Yoga Alliance approved and, upon completion, you can sign up to be a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT).