If You’re a Runner and Find Yoga Frustrating Here’s What You Need to Know

As a runner, you thrive on the thrill of the race, the rhythm of your feet hitting the pavement, and the rush of endorphins after a challenging run. Running is a physically demanding activity that requires a combination of balance, muscle strength, flexibility, correct posture, and core strength. However, when it comes to yoga, you might find yourself feeling frustrated, unsure of how it fits into your training regimen, or even struggling to find enjoyment in the practice. If this sounds like you, rest assured that you're not alone, and there are ways to make yoga a more fulfilling and beneficial part of your routine. While many runners focus solely on their running routine to improve performance, incorporating yoga into their regimen can significantly enhance their abilities and overall well-being. The practice of yoga offers a multitude of benefits that directly complement the needs of runners, making it a perfect companion to running.

Understanding the Disconnect

Many runners feel a bit puzzled when they try yoga. Running is all about speed and intensity, while yoga is slow and deliberate. This difference can make yoga seem strange or less important than running. Runners are often focused on getting faster and stronger, so they might think yoga isn't as tough or helpful as their usual workouts.

But here's the thing: yoga and running actually complement each other really well. Yoga helps improve flexibility, which can prevent injuries and help you move more efficiently when you run. It also strengthens muscles that you might not use as much while running, like your core and hip muscles. Plus, yoga can help you learn to control your breathing, which is super important for endurance when you're running long distances. So, even though it might feel a bit odd at first, adding yoga to your routine can make you a better, stronger runner in the long run.

The Benefits of Yoga for Runners

Integrating yoga into your routine can offer a range of benefits that can enhance your running performance and overall well-being. Yoga helps improve flexibility, which can prevent injuries and improve your range of motion, allowing for more efficient running mechanics. It also strengthens muscles that are often underutilized in running, such as the core, hip flexors, and stabilizing muscles, which can improve your overall strength and running efficiency. 

Here are some ways yoga can help runners -

● Diet: A Sattvic diet is recommended by yoga to increase running stamina. Sattvic diet, as opposed to Rajasic and Tamasic diets, consists of vegetarian, nutritious, light, and freshly cooked food. Sattva promotes the feelings of balance, clarity, happiness, calmness, and focus in the runner. Rajasic food isn’t recommended as too much Rajas will take away the focus and balance required, while Tamasic food will slow down all movement and promote weakness and laziness.

● Body Awareness: Yoga is mindfulness and awareness. When practiced daily, yoga helps an individual to understand his own body, its strengths, and weaknesses. As runners may come across various hurdles during their practice, such as muscle soreness, pain, or stress, yoga helps one realize when they are exceeding their mental and physical capacity. A range of interesting yoga poses such as Yogendra Sthitaprarthanasana (the Standing Prayer Pose), Yogendra Vajrasana (the Thunderbolt Pose), Nataprarthanasana, etc. can help us get back in touch with the wisdom of our body.

● Avoiding Injury: It is very common for runners to injure themselves due to unexpected cramps, muscle pulls, soreness, and body imbalance. Yoga helps to relax the muscles and also exercises them evenly. Most asanas provide exercise to all parts of the body, and even the slightest imbalance can be noticed.

● Balance, Posture, and Core Training: Yoga believes in the balance of the mind and the body. Hence, many yoga asanas, such as Yogendra Ekpadasana (the One-Legged Pose) and Yogendra Dhanurvakrasana (the Bow Pose) help balance our body as well as engage our core. This assists in feeling more grounded and focused. Yoga helps improve the spine alignment and posture through asanas such as Yogendra Talasana (the Palm Tree Pose), Yogendra Parvatasana (the Mountain Pose), or Yogendra Konasana (the Angle Pose) that relieve the tension between the bones and reduce discomfort or tension while running.

● Overall Strength and Flexibility: Yoga helps strengthen all the muscles through various movements that require extension and contraction. It targets all the muscle groups, including the ones often ignored in running. A variety of interesting yoga poses help free our body. Certain poses such as Yogendra Virasana (the Hero Pose), Yogendra Ustrasana (the Camel Pose). and Yogendra Paryankasana (the Seat Posture) increase the range of leg motion and can assist in running effectively.

● Muscle Relaxation: Relaxation is just as important as a training and exercise regime. Relaxing sufficiently just before running is very beneficial. Asanas such as Yogendra Shavasana (the Corpse Pose), Yogendra Matsyasana (the Fish Pose), and Yogendra Makarasana (the Crocodile Pose) help greatly in relaxing the body.

Along with so many Interesting Yoga Poses for Runners, as discussed in the above sections, Pranayama practice is also very important for Runners. 

Yogendra Pranayama Anulom Vilom is recommended by Yoga to increase stamina. This pranayama is practiced to regulate the natural way of breathing that brings balance between the positive and the negative effects of breathing on both the body and mind. With regular practice of this daily practice, one can increase their breathing capacity that would not allow the runner to get tired very easily. Below is the methodology to practice this pranayama - 

Starting Position:

Sit in any comfortable meditative posture of your choice. Keep the body above the waist, straight and the spine erect. Eyes to be kept closed.

Sequence of Steps:

1. Do a few rounds of inhalation and exhalation.

2. Hold the right finger to the nostrils – the little and ring finger resting on the left nostril and the thumb on the right one; the forefinger and the middle finger bent (Pranav Mudra).

3. After exhalation, close both the nostrils and suspend the breath (Shunyaka).

4. Now, releasing the thumb, inhale smoothly from the right nostril (Puraka).

5. Close both the nostrils and retain the breath for double the time of inhalation (Kumbhaka).

6. Releasing the left nostril, exhale smoothly from the left nostril, time equal to inhalation (Rechaka).

7. Close both the nostrils and suspend the breath (Shunyaka).

8. Now close the right nostril and inhale from the left one.

9. Do Kumbhaka and exhale from the left one.

10. Do Shunyaka to complete 1 round.

11. After Shunyaka, take a few normal breaths and relax.

Recommended Practice

Practice daily 5 rounds/day, starting with a count of 2:4 secs (2:4:2:2).

Gradually increase it by 1 sec/every week, when practiced daily – to achieve a maximum ratio of 8:16:8:8

Incorporating yoga into your running routine can offer a range of benefits that enhance your performance and overall well-being. Yoga improves flexibility, preventing injuries and enhancing your range of motion for more efficient running. It also strengthens muscles often underutilized in running, like the core and hip flexors, improving overall strength and running efficiency.

To make yoga more enjoyable, focus on your breath to stay present and centered, similar to running. Set realistic expectations, understanding yoga progresses differently from running. View yoga as cross-training to enhance running performance and prevent burnout. Use yoga for mindfulness and recovery, tuning into your body's needs to prevent overtraining.

Remember, yoga and running can go hand in hand, making you a stronger, more balanced athlete. Yoga is not only complementary but essential for runners, providing underlying strength and protection, allowing you to enjoy running without damage or burnout, whether you're running for exercise or training for a marathon.