Anyonewho is a runnerknows that the sport can cause tightness and soreness in the lower body.
Hold each of these poses for five deep breaths, and ensure to perform the flow on both sides.
Summary
How to:Starting on all fours, place your hands shoulder-distance apart.
Activate your arms and draw your butt up and back.
Press your heels firmly toward the ground, and lengthen your legs.
Feel your lower back straighten.
The benefits:Downward dog is a fantastic pose for opening up the back of the legs.
This pose can help you lengthen your glutes, hamstrings, and calves.
Staying flexible in these areas will minimize tension in your legs and may reduce your risk of injury.
Pivot your back foot, so it makes a 90 degree angle with your body.
Rise up, and spread your arms away from each other at shoulder height.
Keeping your legs still, lean toward your back leg, and let your left hand rest there.
Reverse warrior has the added benefit of stretching out the side body and obliques.
This variation opens the upper body, too.
How to:From reverse warrior, pivot your body at your torso until it’s facing forward.
Keep your hips square and bend your back leg to gently lower your knee onto the ground.
Tight hip flexors can contribute to lower back pain, so it’s important to give them attention.
How to:From runner’s lunge, reach back and grab your back leg with the opposite arm.
Bend deeper into the pose.
Benefits:This pose will add a deep quadriceps stretch to your runner’s lunge.
Your quads tend to be one of the tightest areas post-run.
Straighten your front leg and reach down, placing your hands on either side of your front foot.
ensure to keep your hips pointing straight forward and your chest lifted.
If left un-stretched, tight hamstrings can also contribute to misalignment and back pain.
How to:Lie down on your stomach.
Lift your chest and legs off the ground, and grab your feet with your hands.
Many runners are tight in their shoulder, and increasing flexibility here can help improve mobility.
Your shin should be parallel with the front of your mat.
Extend your left leg back, and rest your knee and top of foot on the ground.
Square your hips and fold forward, resting your forehead on your hands.Hold for five deep breaths.
Repeat the entire flow, switching sides where needed.
Try adding this sequence to your routine and see if you notice a difference during your runs, too.
