Yoga Recovery for Runners

Do you love running but often find yourself feeling sore and achy post-workout? Many runners experience tightness and discomfort in their muscles and joints, which can hinder their performance and frustrate them. However, there's a solution that can help alleviate these symptoms and improve your overall running experience: recovery yoga for runners. That's right, yoga isn't just for the zen-loving crowd - it's also a powerful tool for recovery and injury prevention.

With some of the best yoga poses and sequences specifically designed for runners in this blog, you will uncover the benefits of incorporating recovery yoga for runners into your running routine, including increased flexibility, improved balance, and reduced risk of injury. Keep reading to discover how yoga can help you recover faster, run stronger, and feel your best.

 

1. 6464 Breath Work

Begin in an upright sitting position on the floor with your legs crossed, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Place your hands on your knees with mudra fingers. Inhale for 6 counts, hold your breath for 4 counts, then exhale for another 6 counts and hold for 4 counts. Repeat the breathing sequence. Complete 5 repetitions pf this recovery yoga for runners breathing exercise.

6464 Breath Work

2. Reclined Goddess Pose

Additionally,ie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your hands either on your thighs or hands on opposite elbows overhead. Bring the soles of your feet together, tighten your core, and open your knees out to the sides. Take a couple of deep belly breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth, or apply the 6464 Breath Work, specifically for recovery yoga for runners. Relax and return to the starting position and repeat the movement.

Reclined Goddess Pose

Variation Exercise - Reclined Goddess Pose

Lie on your back on the floor with your feet considerably wider than shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing outward as far as they can comfortably go. Engage your core and gently drop your knees close together until the inner edges of your feet are planted on the floor. Then bring your hands overhead or hands on your hips, relaxing your upper body. Moreover, hold this recovery yoga for runners position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Relax and return to the starting position.

Variation Exercise - Reclined Goddess Pose

To make the exercise easier, you can put something underneath each knee, like yoga blocks or pillows for support.

• Counter Stretch:

Windshield Wipers

Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, relaxing your upper body. Then engage your core. Rotate your lower body to drop your knees to one side. Moreover, relax and return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side.

Windshield Wipers

3. Supported Bridge Pose

For this exercise, use a yoga block, a pillow, or a blanket for support.

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, relaxing your upper body. Then place your hands on top of your hips. Put a block under your hips, incorporating recovery yoga poses for runners while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and knees. Hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth.

Supported Bridge Pose

Variation Exercise - Supported Bridge Pose

For this practice, use a yoga block and utilize the wall if needed.

Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Then place the yoga block under your hips for added support. Extend your arms overhead, relaxing your upper body. Tighten your core and raise both legs upward. Afterwards, hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth, or apply the 6464 Breath Work. Relax and return to the starting position.

Variation Exercise - Supported Bridge Pose

If you want more release of the tension in your lower back, extend your feet in front and turn your inner legs side.  the sky, allowing your upper body to feel heavy.

4. Supported Single Knee To Chest

Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Then place a yoga block under your hips for support. Tighten your abdominal area and use your hands to pull your left knee towards your chest, looking for a light stretch in the hips and lower back. Hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Relax and return to the starting position. Repeat the movement on the opposite side.

Supported Single Knee To Chest

To intensify the stretch, extend the right leg forward and flex or point your toes, and hold the position for several deep belly breaths.

• For the counter stretch, repeat Windshield Wipers.

5. Figure Four

Begin in an upright sitting position on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Then lean back and place your hands at the sides for support and cross your right ankle over your left knee, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Relax and return to the starting position. Repeat the movement on the opposite side.

Figure Four

To intensify the stretch, pull your legs towards your chest, flex your toes, and push your right leg away from you. Hold the position for several deep belly breaths.

6. Half Lord of the Fishes Pose

From the Figure Four position, lower your knees, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Then bring your right knee and plant your foot over your opposite knee, placing your right hand at the side. Engage your core. Exhale and bring your left elbow on the outside of your right knee, look back over your right shoulder. Hold the position for several deep breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Relax and return to the starting position. Repeat the movement on the opposite side.

Half Lord of the Fishes Pose

7. Seated Windshield Wipers

Begin in an upright sitting position on the floor with your legs extended in front of your body, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulder, and hip. Engage your core. Rotate your lower body to drop your knees to one side. Relax and return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side.

 Seated Windshield Wipers

8. Plank with Toes Tuck

Begin in a 4-point position with your hands beneath your shoulders and your knees under your hips, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Inhale, extend your right leg at the back, tuck your foot, and press your toes on the floor, gazing at your big toe while extending your hands forward. Hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Relax and return to the starting position.

Plank with Toes Tuck

9. Lunge

For this exercise, use yoga blocks for support.

From the Plank with Toes Tuck, step your right leg between your hands. Then place the yoga blocks at the sides with your fingers on top and straighten your upper body, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Hold the position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Relax and repeat the movement on the opposite side.

Lunge

To intensify the stretch, bring the yoga blocks to the sides of your feet and shift your hips forward, planting your hands on the blocks. Hold this position for several deep belly breaths.

10. Lizard Lunge

From the Lunge position, release the blocks, and move into a low lunge position. Plant your foot on the outside of your hand to widen your hips. Keep your toes pointing straight ahead and tighten your abdominal area. Palms are pressed firmly on the floor for support, then push your front foot back to straighten your leg. Hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth.

Lizard Lunge

To make the stretch easier, place your hands on the yoga blocks.

Variation Exercise - Lizard Pose

From the Lizard Lunge position, bend your elbows down to the floor to lower your upper with your head facing down. Hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Relax and return to the starting position. Repeat the movement on the opposite side.

Variation Exercise – Lizard Pose

To intensify the stretch, tuck the toes of your back foot and rock your body back and forth.

11. Lizard Lunge with Twist

From the Variation Exercise  – Lizard Pose, raise back up to return to the Lizard Lunge. Then tighten your abdominal muscles and reach back with your right hand, gazing at your thumb to rotate your upper body to one side. Afterwards, hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Relax and return to the starting position. Repeat the movement on the opposite side.

Lizard Lunge with Twist

To deepen the stretch, slowly bring your left hand and shoulder to the side, keeping a good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs.

12. Extended One-Legged Plank to Cow-Face Fold

At this point, move to a 4-point position with your hands beneath your shoulders and your knees under your hips, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Engage your core. Inhale, extend your right leg behind your body. Exhale, bend the right knee, stack it over your left knee, widen your feet. Then crawl your hands backward to land your hips back and take several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Relax and return to the starting position. Repeat the movement on the opposite side.

 Extended One-Legged Plank to Cow-Face Fold

To make the exercise more comfortable, sit on a yoga block or pace the yoga block under your back knee.

13. Cow-Face Pose with Forward Fold

From the end position of the Extended One-Legged Plank to Cow-Face Fold, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Engage your core. Then hinge through your hips to bend your upper body forward. Crawl forward with your fingers on the floor for support. Tuck your chin toward your chest and hold this position for 5 deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your nose. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side.

Cow-Face Pose with Forward Fold

To intensify the stretch, plant your hands on the floor and lower your upper body.

14. Hip Tap

From the Cow-Face Pose with Forward Fold, move to a 4-point position with your hands beneath your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Then contract your core and rotate your hips to one side. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side.

 Hip Tap

15. Forward Fold

Move to a Downward Dog position with your feet hip-width apart, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Then tighten your core and hinge through your hips to lower your upper body downward. Place your hands on the floor and lower your head. Soften the knees and slightly bend your elbows, place the back of your hands at the edges of your feet, fingers are pointing at the back. Afterwards hold this position for 3 deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Relax and return to the starting position.

Forward Fold

16. Wide-Legged Squat

For this exercise, use a yoga block for support if needed.

From the end position of the Forward Fold, then bring your hands in front of your face with your feet shoulder-width apart, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Engage your core. Soften the knees and lower your seat into a squat position with your hands together in front of your body at chest height. Afterwards, hold this position for 4 deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth.

 Wide-Legged Squat

•  Counter Stretch:

Seated Forward Fold

Begin in an upright sitting position on the floor, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Then extend both legs in front of your body with your feet together and your toes pointing upward. Contract your core. Hinge through your hips to bend your upper body forward. Reach towards your toes with both hands. Afterwards, hold this position for 4 deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Relax and return to the starting position.

Seated Forward Fold

17. Reverse Plank

Begin in an upright sitting position on the floor with your legs extended in front of your body. Place your hands behind you for support. Then engage your core and push from your hands to lift your body, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and knees. Afterwards, hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Relax and return to the starting position.

Reverse Plank

Repeat 6464 Breath Work

18. Prayer Hands

For this exercise, use yoga blocks for support.

Begin in an upright sitting on the floor with your legs crossed in front of your body, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Then place a yoga block under each knee for support. Bring your hands together in front of your chest, and once you feel relaxed, hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth.

Prayer Hands

Yoga offers a sanctuary where you can recharge, reset, and rejuvenate. Recovery yoga for runners becomes a gentle yet powerful companion on your path to recovery, while allowing you to tune in to your body's needs and honor them with compassion and self-care. With each deep breath, you release tension and stress, creating space for healing and growth.

As a runner, you understand the significance of resilience and perseverance, and yoga becomes an ally that supports you in your quest for both physical and mental strength.

Yoga recovery for runners is not just about stretching and relaxing muscles; it's about nurturing your soul. It encourages you to slow down, connect with your breath, and be present in the moment. It's about embracing the stillness within the movement, finding peace amidst the challenges, and discovering a deep sense of gratitude for the incredible machine that is your body.