But how, you already made me do yoga before the race, and now you’re giving it to me afterwards? Yes. But I assure you, you will not regret it.
And not because I say so, but because it has to do with the anatomy of our body.
Our body is like a rubber band
Imagine pulling a rubber band and keeping it taut. Then pull it some more, then some more and then some more…. sooner or later it will break, right?
Imagine instead pulling it and then releasing it until it returns to its natural shape.
Then pull it again, then release it–unless something traumatic happens, you can go on like this almost indefinitely.
The same thing happens with our bodies.
Our bodies were born to be flexible. And Yoga is undoubtedly the perfect discipline to preserve this flexibility, and compensate for the muscle work done in the course of sports activity. What are the benefits of yoga in running, how to do yoga, and the best postures to do before running I told you about in the previous article: the benefits of yoga in running. Instead, in this article, we take a look at the best positions to compensate for the activity performed.
After the run, I just feel like taking a shower and throwing myself on the couch!
I can understand that; after running we feel in a sense entitled to do nothing more.
We have already given. We burned calories, exercised our hearts and lungs, relaxed and emptied our minds. Long or short the distance we traveled, the hard part, that of leaving the house, of facing the cold-or the heat-we overcame it, and we feel fulfilled.
With yoga, the same principle applies: the hardest part is getting off the couch and onto the mat.
Once you get over this hurdle, I can assure you that you will be repaid by the benefit of it.
Post-running yoga mini-practice
This is a short sequence to do after running that at most takes you 6 minutes but is very useful for relaxing all the muscles in the body, especially the fateful hamstring and other muscles at the back of the thigh.
The video is actually 6 minutes in length, and is intended to show you the positions, but when you have learned how to do them, you decide how much time to devote to the practice. Consider that every single asana has a lot of benefits, so the longer you keep it the more benefits you will have.
In any case, always try to respect your body’s limits, and adapt asanas to your needs.
Remember that the No. 1 rule of yoga is to never force the postures.
If you would like to learn more about how yoga works, I suggest you read the post What is Yoga, how it is done, and why it works. If you already have a habit of stretching at the end of your run, you can safely supplement it with these asanas.
POSITION OF THE BABY
This position is very useful for relaxing the hips and massaging the spine. It is so relaxing that you will see that you will naturally maintain it for a long time as well.
POSITION OF THE HERO
If it is called that, there must be a reason! It is a fairly intense asana, but done after running it is great for stretching the quadriceps (rectus femoris, vastus intermedius, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis). Important note, make sure the position is comfortable, there is no need to force yourself to get to do the final position, it is still effective even in its simplest variation, that is, remaining seated.
FORWARD BEND FROM A SEATED CROSS-LEGGED POSITION
This asana is perfect for stretching the hip muscles. Even if you can’t reach the floor with your head, it doesn’t matter, yoga works at your limit point, no matter what it is.
POSITION OF THE FISH LORD (MATSYENDRA)
Don’t let the name scare you, we can also call it column twisting. This asana focuses on twisting the torso. It is very helpful in increasing the body’s flexibility and facilitates the elimination of toxins.
CLAMP POSITION
The rapier, or Pashimottanasana in Sanskrit, is perhaps one of the most important postures in yoga. It is used to stretch the shoulders, spine and hamstrings.
If you also want to use it to de-stress you can hold it for a long time, remember to exit the position by lifting your torso very slowly.
SHAVASANA
Although it may not seem like it, Shavasana is the most difficult posture in yoga, as it involves no physical movement, and absurdly, it is much easier to stay in motion than to be completely still.
In Shavasana you don’t have to do anything except keep your attention on your body and try to relax it deeply. It is super important to end the yoga practice with this pose, which serves to internalize the work done and to slow the production of lactic acid.
If during practice you feel that a position is particularly pleasant for you, hold it longer. How much? As long as you feel like it!
Remember that what I am giving you are general directions, but no one in the world will ever know your body better than you do, and if you learn to listen to it you become your own best coach!
One last thing…if you’d like, you can save the infographic to your smartphone…I know you have it anyway…so you’ll have no more excuses not to do some yoga.
Keep riding!
Laura Visinoni
www.yoganride.com
