Recovery Yoga for Runners

Sore or tired legs? Recovery yoga for runners is the perfect way to soothe tight muscles and help improve running recovery. It’s also great for anyone who needs to chill out and relax.

While yoga is great for lengthening your muscles, building strength and addressing muscular imbalances, it’s really great for helping us to unwind and relax. That’s what we’re going to talk about today – recovery yoga for runners.

Recovery Yoga for Runners to Soothe Sore Muscles #runchat #fitfluential
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Recovery yoga for runners is very different from high energy types of yoga like hot yoga, vinyasa or power yoga – aka the types of yoga practices that runners and other Type-A folks may naturally be drawn to. The point of recovery yoga for runners is to let your body chill out and relax.

For these poses, you’ll use props including two yoga blocks and a strap. The props help to make the poses more passive than active which is what your body needs in order to relax.

Disclaimer: I am a certified yoga instructor but I am not your yoga instructor. Please exercise caution and be mindful of your own body. These views are mine alone, based on my own experiences. Please use props such as blankets, a yoga block (or 2!) and/or a yoga strap as needed. Always consult a certified yoga instructor for additional guidance and assistance.

Supta Padangusthasana or Reclined Hand-to-Big Toe Pose

This pose is a great way to lengthen your hamstrings and, since you’re lying on your back, there’s less strain on your lower back. If you don’t have a strap, you can use a scarf or a belt. Plus, with your legs lifted up towards the sky, you reverse the blood flow like an inversion or taking your legs up the wall.

Lie down on your back, both legs extended on the mat.
Place the strap around the ball of your right foot and extend your right foot towards the sky. Flex your foot and extend your right heel towards the sky. Flex your left foot and extend your left heel forward.
Keep both feet flexed and active.
You should feel a stretch in your right hamstring. Don’t draw your leg towards you in an effort to deepen the hamstring stretch.
Breathe and stay here for 8-10 breaths.
Switch sides.

Sphinx Pose

This is a gentle backbend which helps to open up the chest which helps to improve your posture so you can run tall.

Lie on your belly with the tops of the feet flat on the mat.
Place your forearms and palms flat on the mat with your elbows stacked under your shoulders. Your upper arm bones and forearms should make a 90 degree angle.
Firmly press your palms and forearms into the mat and energetically draw your hands back towards your hips. Your hands won’t actually move but it should create a bit of traction in your spine to help lengthen your spine.
Begin to draw your sternum forward and up slightly.
Keep your neck loose.
Breathe and stay here for 8-10 breaths.

Quad Stretch

From sphinx pose, keep your left hand and forearm on the mat.
Place the strap around the top of your right foot and take the ends of the straps in your right hand. Draw the strap over your right shoulder.
Flex your right foot and start to draw your right heel towards your right sitting bone. You can start to walk your hands up the strap.
Breathe and stay here for 8-10 breaths.
Switch sides.

Supported Malasana

Squats help to increase hip mobility. While squats can be pretty intense, placing blocks under your sitting bones can give you a little extra support.

Take your feet slightly wider than hips-width distance apart. Toes should be turned out slightly.
Bend your knees and lower your hips into a squat. Place a block (or 2!) under your sitting bones. Let your sitting bones sink down into the block while you lift the crown of your head up towards the sky.
Bring your hands together in front of your chest. Press your elbows against your knees/inner thighs to help encourage the opening in your legs and chest.
Hold for 8-10 breaths.

Supported Fish Pose

I love this pose. I know that it may seem odd to include this posture as part of a post on recovery yoga for runners. However, this pose opens up your chest to counter-act the hunched over posture that many runners have and is a great way to let your body relax.

Sit down on your mat. Take one of your blocks on its medium height and place it at the base of your shoulder blades — for women, at your bra line. Gently recline over the block.
Take another block on its highest height and place it on your mat to support your head.
Rest your arms alongside your body.
You have a couple of options for your legs: 1) Extend your legs out in front of you, 2) Take the soles of your feet together for baddha konasana legs, or 3) Bend your knees and place the soles of your feet on the outer edges of the mat and let your knees knock in towards each other.
Rest here for 1-2 minutes.
If you don’t have blocks, you can use a blanket. Roll up the blanket. Place it on the mat right at the base of your spine so that it’s parallel to the long-edge of the mat. Gently lie down on the blanket so that the blanket supports your spine and your head rests on the blanket. You can take any leg variation described above.

Supported Child’s Pose

Oh supported child’s pose is seriously delicious. Since it’s a forward fold, it helps soothe the nervous system and helps your body chillax. It also feels like a very protective posture, a place to retreat when you need a few extra moments to yourself.

Take several blankets and fold them so that they support the length of your torso. You can also use a combination of blocks and blankets to prop yourself up comfortable.
Rest the top of your feet on the mat and sit back towards your heels. Take your knees wide, towards the outer edges of the mat. Place the blankets/blocks between your knees and close to your pelvis.
Gently come to rest on the blankets/blocks, turning your cheek to one side.
You can extend your arms out in front of you or take them alongside your body towards your heels.
Let your hips sink back towards your heels. Draw your breath to your lower back and feel a broadening in the space there.
Rest here for 1-2 minutes (or longer!)

Calf Stretch

Chronically tight calves seem to be the root of many of my running injuries (Hello Plantar Fasciitis!) so I stretching my calves are a big part of my recovery plan.

Place one block on the ground. Place the ball of your right foot on top of the block with your heel resting on the ground.
You have a couple of options for the placement of your left foot. 1) You can keep your left foot on the ground next to your right foot, 2) Place your left foot on top of the block (to help prevent the block from flipping over), or 3) Step your left foot in front of the block (which will challenge your balance!).
Hold for 8-10 breaths.
Switch sides.

Do you have a favorite recovery yoga pose or post-run stretch?

The Perfect Recovery Yoga Routine to Soothe Sore Muscles #runchat #fitfluential
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This post is part of the Ask a Yogini series. Each month, I’ll answer a question about yoga – anything that you’re curious about. Chances are, if you have the question, someone else does too! Leave any questions you may have in the comments below!

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