Must-Do Yoga Poses For Runners

For a simple and inexpensive way to burn major calories, keep your heart healthy, and tone your lower body, running can't be beat. The problem is many people suffer from injuries that could be prevented if they spent a little time stretching their tight muscles regularly. If you're a runner, do these five yoga poses after a run to ease tension and prevent pains.

 

Tight hamstrings and shoulders are common complaints among runners, so here's a pose to stretch both those areas.

• Begin standing with your feet hip-distance apart. Bring your arms behind you and interlace your fingers, pressing the heels of the palms together in a double fist. Actively pull your hands away from your shoulders to increase the stretch in your chest.
• Take a breath in and as you exhale, lean your chest forward and lift your hands up overhead as you fold your torso toward your thighs. Make sure to lengthen through the spine by reaching the top of your head toward the floor.
• Stay like this for five breaths, and when you're ready to come out, actively press into your feet, engage your thighs, and slowly lift your torso back up to a standing position.