Earth Yoga Blog

I started running again, (since high school), at the beginning of this year.  I would have thought, being a yogini, that I would instinctively incorporate a stretching routine before and after my run.  I have to be honest…I hate to run.  I put on my shoes, my earphones and music, grab a dog, the baby in the stroller, or go solo, and hit the road; no stretching before or after.  I just want to finish, get it over with, check it off the list for the day.  This has led to pulled muscles, tight muscles pulling on other muscles, and general discomfort just waking up in the morning waiting for everything to warm up so I can move with ease.  I finally started a practice to help alleviate the stress running puts on  my body.  Doing so has helped me run longer and faster, and feel strong instead of in pain the next day.  I recommend stretching before and after, and making sure you cool down with walking after your run.  A regiment of sit ups are great for keeping your core strength.  Here are some poses to help with those muscles affected most by running;  hips, low back, thighs, calves, feet.  When running, there is a tendency to lift the shoulders up to the ears or round them forward as you get tired.  Although the poses are focused on the lower body, maintaining the integrity of good posture will allow the poses to facilitate keeping the heart lifted and the body light.  Happy running!   Deviasana/Goddess; Virabhadrasana I/Hero I; Parsvottanasana/Separate Leg Head to Knee; Parivritta Trikonasana/ Rotated Triange; Adho Mukha Svanasana/Downward Dog; Gomukhasana/Cow’s Head; Kapotasana/Pigeon; Vajrasana/Thunderbolt; Ardha Matsyendrasana/Seated Spinal Twist; Parivritta Marichyasana/Marichi Twist; Triang Mukha Ekapada Paschimottanasana/Three Faced Foward Bend.