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Why Runners Should Try Yoga

06.25.18

I am a huge proponent of yoga for runners. I started practicing yoga as a supplement to my running and it has completely changed my running and it has completely changed my life. In fact, I’d say that going to my first yoga class was one of the best things that I have done to improve my quality of life. And, my experience as a runner-yogi is what ultimately led me to become a yoga teacher, and eventually a running coach. Here, I compile the top reasons why runners should try yoga and how it will make them better runners.

Why Runners Should Try Yoga

A running coach and yoga teacher tells you why runners should try yoga, including how yoga will help you be a better runner both physically and mentally.

Benefit #1: Flexibility

I’ll start with the most obvious benefit, the one most people associate with yoga: flexibility. The #1 question I get from my students and followers is how they can become more flexible. They just feel their tight muscles from running in their bodies, and know that they’d feel more comfortable if they were a little looser. Even just a little can help you feel a lot better—no need to become a crazy pretzel or get into some of those insane poses you’ll see from yogis on Instagram.

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If you’re really tight, improving your flexibility can really increase your range of motion. That, in turn, can help you run more efficiently and easily. (If you’ve ever gone for a run with a muscle that’s really tight, especially if the tightness was just on one side of your body, you know what I’m talking about.) Making sure that muscles aren’t too tight ensures that an overly tight muscle isn’t pulling on surrounding muscles, tendons, and tissues, which could lead to injury.  Stretching sore muscles can just feel good, too. And that good feeling is a great reason why runners should try yoga.

Benefit #2: Strength

The second benefit and reason why runners should try yoga, strength, is so incredibly important, in my opinion.  Yoga will work your overall body strength, including core strength, which is really important to maintain proper running form.

I trained for but was unable to complete the Chicago Marathon in 2012 because I injured my hip flexor.  I was so busy between training and writing my dissertation that I gave up my yoga practice for a few months.  When I had to go through physical therapy to recover from the injury, I found out that a major cause of my injury was weak muscles in my hips that weren’t directly involved in running, muscles that I had been working when I was going to yoga classes.

When you’re holding crescent lunge or warrior II or many other poses, you’re working those stabilizing hip muscles.  The same goes for all of the joints of the body.  What’s great about yoga is that you’re able to work on flexibility, and strength, and your mental focus (Benefit #4) all at once.

Benefit #3: Overall Injury Prevention

The third reason why runners should try yoga? Keeping their bodies healthy.

Combine Benefit 1 and Benefit 2 and you’ll see that yoga really helps you prevent getting injured. I know that injuries are one of the biggest things that runners dread, right up there with coming across a mountain lion on their morning run. Yoga will help you reduce your injury risk by helping you get stronger, helping you keep good form as you run, and helping you to make sure that your muscles stay balanced.

Benefit #4: Mental Focus

I think a lot of runners forget how important having good mental focus is to having good running performance.  Having good mental focus is incredibly important to being a good runner and racer.  Learning the skills to breathe through discomfort and to push aside thoughts of doubt can help you whether you’re racing or just doing a hard workout.

These are the skills you’ll learn in a vigorous yoga class.  When your quads are burning and you want to come out of a pose but you stay because you know you can give a little more, you’re building more than physical strength, you’re building mental fortitude. You’re learning how you can stay focused in the last few miles of a half-marathon or full marathon, or during your last set in speedwork. (I’m so passionate about this benefit of yoga for runners that I wrote an entire book focusing on it, Mat to Pavement: Lessons from Yoga That Can Make You a Better Runner. – affiliate link)

Benefit #5: Learn to Listen to Your Body

Runners spend a lot of their time trying to block out signals from their bodies. And let’s be honest, to some extent you need to, especially if you’re trying to get a PR or run a distance race like a marathon. You’re going to be uncomfortable and you’re going to feel the burn in your muscles. To push through that discomfort, many runners teach themselves to ignore the signals their bodies send them.

The trouble comes from ignoring all of the signals your body sends you. For example, your body almost always sends you signals that it’s about to have a bigger injury. You’ll feel little twinges in a muscle or joint. Things will feel off, and the soon-to-be-injured part of your body just won’t feel right. But, if you’re so used to ignoring everything your body is telling you, you’ll miss those signals. You’ll wind up really injured, and sidelined for days, weeks, or even longer as your body heals.

Runners should try yoga because yoga teaches you how to listen to and interpret the signals from your body. You’ll learn what discomfort feels like that will make you stronger. When you’re simply pushing yourself a little further so you can be faster or stronger, that’s a totally different feeling from when you’re doing too much. That’s a difference you’ll learn to feel on your mat. Yoga teaches you how to dissociate yourself with the discomfort of getting better, and it teaches you how to pay attention to the twinges and pains that are signs you’re about to develop a big injury.

———–

Hopefully I’ve convinced you to try adding a little yoga into your routine.  Many yoga studios and running stores are beginning to offer yoga for athletes or yoga for runners classes, so look for those in your area if you’re looking for a class that’s suited to your needs as a runner, or just try a standard yoga class! If you prefer to practice from the comfort of your home, pick up a copy of my book, Yoga for Runners, or check out my extensive Yoga for Runners Program!

Have you tried adding yoga to your workout routine?
Did it help your running?

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Comments

  1. Amy says

    02.04.14 at 8:05 AM

    Yes! yoga helps me with all of these plus it helps with my breathing, which is key for me.

    • Beth @ Running with the Sunrise says

      02.04.14 at 8:51 AM

      That’s a good one! Totally forgot to include that, but that’s a very good point. Breath control can be really helpful, especially when running hard. Great point!

  2. Chels R. says

    02.04.14 at 9:18 AM

    I’m in love with yoga! I don’t do it enough but when I’m really good I go to the studio about twice a week. I wish I could be a skilled yogi like you. But I always, ALWAYS stretch my hips and do yoga on my own after a run.

    • Beth @ Running with the Sunrise says

      02.04.14 at 8:14 PM

      All you need to be a skilled yogi is a dedication to your practice! 🙂 But I get it, you can’t fit everything in. You’re taking care of your body with your stretching routine, which is totally fantastic.

  3. Anne says

    02.04.14 at 9:38 AM

    I was going to say the same thing as Amy – definitely breathing! I found once I started doing yoga regularly (I just take restorative classes, so I don’t necessarily get the strength benefit) I could control my breathing while running, even at hard paces, a lot better!

    • Beth @ Running with the Sunrise says

      02.04.14 at 8:03 PM

      Restorative yoga is a such a great compliment to running, in some ways it’s even better than something like power yoga. It’s like yin and yang–running is very yang, so it’s nice to balance it out with something more yin like restorative yoga.

  4. egb @ running on E says

    02.04.14 at 10:29 AM

    The mental focus part is key. I think it really helps me be patient esp on runs.

    • Beth @ Running with the Sunrise says

      02.04.14 at 8:02 PM

      That’s a really good point. Patience is so helpful to runners, especially when we’re doing hard efforts (go out easy, save some energy for later in the run, etc.).

  5. kristi@runkwrun.blogspot.com says

    02.04.14 at 2:36 PM

    Yoga has been great for me, especially now that I’m finally practicing on a regular basis. I remembered that I wasn’t running all that much, but going to yoga a great deal with this groupon package. I ran a 5k that I hadn’t really trained for and got a PR.

    I loved Yoga For Athletes and Runners. What a great class.

    • Beth @ Running with the Sunrise says

      02.04.14 at 8:01 PM

      I’m so glad yoga was able to help your running! Congrats on that PR!

  6. Britt @ Britt's RUnning Style says

    02.05.14 at 8:51 AM

    I’ve added yoga in, especially when training for longer distances. Doing poses that open my hips and stretch out my hip flexors are always a plus. I get so sore in that area.

    • Beth @ Running with the Sunrise says

      02.05.14 at 11:06 AM

      Hip openers are my absolute favorite, especially when I’m in heavy running training mode. I’m glad to hear yoga has helped your running!

  7. Stephanie@nowiun.com says

    02.05.14 at 10:35 PM

    Yoga is wonderful and I don’t make enough time for it at all. I’ve never left a yoga class unhappy with what happened ~ I always leave feeling like I worked hard and like I got a full body massage in the process. Thanks for the info!

    • Beth @ Running with the Sunrise says

      02.06.14 at 10:57 AM

      Ditto. Yoga brain after class is one of the best feelings in the world–calm and a sense of accomplishment.

  8. Victoria says

    02.06.14 at 7:57 AM

    Yoga is my savior when it comes to not getting injured while training. I try to go at least twice a week (I am lazy… Sometimes that definitely does not happen lol).

    • Beth @ Running with the Sunrise says

      02.06.14 at 10:58 AM

      Any yoga is better than no yoga! I’m glad it helps you prevent injuries, too!

Trackbacks

  1. Today! (and a little bit of controversy) | Now I Run says:
    02.05.14 at 11:24 PM

    […] at Running with the Sunrise talks about why you might try […]

  2. Pranayama for Runners says:
    09.09.15 at 3:34 PM

    […] has many, many benefits for runners, including things like increased flexibility and strength. One benefit is one that many runners may […]

  3. WHY RUNNERS SHOULD TRY YOGA | neoworkoutblog says:
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Hi, I'm Dr. Beth Brombosz! I'm a yoga teacher, running coach, and writer living in Oklahoma. I would love to help you create a healthier, more satisfying life. Join me on the journey!

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