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Yoga For Runners Click Here To Read Yoga For Athletes by Carolyn Weatherson
Yoga and running may seem like a marriage of opposites... because it is. One complements the other. Cross training with yoga is a wonderful way to stay in balance, prevent injury and keep yourself agile. If you love to run, as wonderful as it is, you know that running can be hard on the body. Without opposing movements, there is too much pounding, tightening and shortening of the muscles. As a result the body will compensate to avoid injury, which puts stress on muscles, joints and the entire skeletal system. Tight muscles become brittle, hard, and are less effective as shock absorbers and more likely to tear. Some runners have a balanced physical structure and can run for years with minimal discomfort. Many others are sidelined by injury or chronic pain from the imbalances that running introduces. Without proper stretching, tight muscles get tighter, causing joints to painfully rub and grind, making them vulnerable to a host of conditions and injuries. Any sport that involves repetitive movement, such as running, needs to be balanced with opposing movements. I often see this done incorrectly and for too short a period of time. A stretch must be held for a minimum of 30 seconds, without impatient bouncing, for it to take hold and do your body any good at all. All the joints must be properly aligned and stacked, or new problems will be created. Weakness or misalignment in one area of the body will create problems elsewhere. For example: 1. Shin splints are the result of a minor misstep, causing an uneven distribution of weight. Each time the foot strikes the ground unevenly, a lateral torque travels up the leg, causing muscle chafing and pain up and down the tibia. 2. If your ankles are weak or your hips are not aligned, that can put strain on the anterior knee ligaments. A knee thrown off balance is like a train waiting to derail-with possible chronic pain as a result. 3. Constant forward motion creates tight hips which in turn causes hyperextension in the lower back. Result-back pain and less hamstring fluidity, resulting in more back pain. Tight muscles can also lead to piriformis syndrome, a painful condition that can cause pain to shoot down the backs of your legs. 4. Heel pain from plantar fasciitis is a result of inflammation in the fascia because of walking or running on hard surfaces, general overuse, tension and tightness in the calf muscles and can result in small painful tears. This can be prevented and cured by easy stretches. Left unattended other areas of the body will compensate and develop problems. So, you get the idea... the foot bone's connected to the ankle bone etc. etc. This causes that. Then that makes this worse, the combination creates a new this and on and on. But, runners need more than just a good stretch! Repetitive movements, while running, strengthen some muscles, while others remain mostly dormant. This creates more imbalances and weakness leaving your back and other areas of the body vulnerable. Yoga will cultivate body wisdom, especially important for runners. This is because running produces "feel good" endorphins, that double as temporary pain killers. Without a well-developed body intuition it's easy to ignore your body's signals. Most running injuries are not as the result of a fall but, the cumulative effects of a lack of balance, symmetry and alignment created by over-used tight muscles and weak under-used muscles. A well-structured yoga class will stretch and strengthen every muscle from your toes all the way up. Many of my first time students are astonished at how strengthening my yoga classes can be. It is a deep workout for men and women. You will tone, strengthen and stretch your body while profoundly relaxing your mind. No flexibility is required- even the stiffest individual can be good at yoga! TOP 10 REASONS FOR RUNNERS TO PRACTICE YOGA 1. Prevent injury. 2. Develop more co-ordination, stability and poise. 3. Strengthen your whole body, including your core, and increase your metabolism. 4. Stretch tight muscles and keep them supple and resilient. 5. Reduce performance anxiety during marathons ( and all aspects of your life). 6. Breath awareness to improve VO2 Max (maximum oxygen intake) . 7. Fix imbalances. 8. Prevent piriformis syndrome. 9. Improve concentration and focus. 10. Stress reduction and the endless benefits that come with that, both emotional and physical- stress hormones (such as cortisol) create belly fat, can cause panic attacks, and so many other unpleasant problems. I would be honoured to help you stay strong and healthy so that you can enjoy your sport for years to come.
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