my favorite post-running yoga pose.
(via myyogaon)
November 12th, 2011
November 11th, 2011
5 Ways to Warm Up Indoors Before Exercising Outside
- Mountain climbers: Increase the difficulty of a plank position by doing 30-60 seconds of mountain climbers, which are a quick way to warm up your whole body and increase your heart rate.
- Tabletop: If you are a runner, try completing tabletop lift to warm up your hamstrings and glute muscles.
- Stationary lunges: Complete 10 stationary reverse lunges on each side to warm up your back, abs, and legs.
- Hot rinse: Without getting your hair wet, take a five-minute shower to help get your blood pumping.
- Sun salutations: Roll out the yoga mat, and complete five to 10 sun salutations to propagate heat, loosen joints, and warm up the entire body.
(via myyogaon)
October 22nd, 2011
Flexible Warrior Pre Run Warm Up (by flexiblewarrioryoga)
Run Yoga Run (by TaraStilesYoga)
October 19th, 2011
5 Best Strengthening Exercises for Runners
5 strengthening excercises for runners taken directly from my Runner’s Yoga 90210. In case you missed last week’s class on these exercises or came to class and need a reminder notice, here are some of my top picks for strengthening exercises for runners. For more postings such as this click here to sign up for free workouts and updates.
DIRECTIONS:Perform these exercises back to back at 30 second to 1 minute intervals, performing as many as possible with the best form as possible. After the fifth exercise rest 2 minutes, take a swig of water then repeat the set x3.
1. Push ups – chest toward floor. Think low and push. Repeat 1 minute.
2. Single Leg Squat – Standing on right leg, bend left knee to 90 degrees. Begin exercise by bending the right leg into a single leg squat (right hip going back as if you are going to sit in a chair) and reaching left hand down to the floor, just under the shoulder at the same time. Push your left knee backwards slightly. Repeat for both sides for 1 minute each.
3. Plank rotations – Begin in forearm plank position except stack your forearms horizontally (think I dream of Jeannie arms). Rotate onto your right side, elbow under shoulder with left hand onto hip, stacking feet, ankles and knees pulling abs inward toward spine. Rotate back to center and then to your left side. Repeat 1 minute.
4. Single Leg Deadlift with chest expansion – Interlock fingers together with straight arms behind back pulling shoulder blades together. Keep arms close to your back. Keeping both legs straight, lift right leg behind you, ankle flexed, into a single leg deadlift (leg at hip height), hold 1 second and repeat this side for 1 minute gaining more balance and strength each rep. Repeat other side.
5. Marching Bridge – Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet hip width apart. LIft hips into a bridge position. Start “marching” your knees toward your chest one at a time concentrating on lifting and engaging the opposite glute during each lift. Repeat for 1 minute.
October 14th, 2011
Yin Yoga for Runners (by YOGAtoRUN)
October 9th, 2011
October 7th, 2011
RUNNERS YOGA @HOME ROUTINES - Try this after you run, spin, jump, hike…. you name it! Designed for total opening of quads, hips, hamstrings, calves, traps, and more!
awesome routine! thanks!
September 30th, 2011
MOTIVATION: the rise of runner yogis.
“For a long time I thought running was working against my yoga practice by re-tightening all of my muscles. But I learned how to optimize the relationship between running and yoga, and lately I’ve seen quite a few serious yoga practitioners make the leap, too.”
“I think both yogis and runners tend to be very disciplined people who ‘need’ their asana or their runs to stay centered,” says Taylor. “So they appeal to parallel personalities.”
READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE: via Running’s newest recruits? Yogis | Well Good NYC)
Very true. When I run I find a lot of similarities with my yoga practice, I think they combine great. Yoga taught me to pay attention to my breath which works wonder while running, then yoga also helped in listening to my body and how it feels, as well as being aware that thoughts can help a lot in going further into running longer like it does in going into a more difficult yoga pose.
(via moveyourbooty)
September 26th, 2011
RUNNING & YOGA - Yes, YOU can be a Runner & a Yogi at the same time. I was. And I still am at heart.
In fact, it was my love of sweat, endorphins, and a cardiovascular challenge that kept me away from yoga for years. But when I started practicing yoga on my own, ie inventing my own routines on my mat, and years after developing I.AM.YOU., this all naturally came to the forefront. An I.AM.YOU. class is athletically rigorous, anatomically accurate, and cardiovascularly challenging, all within the confines of a traditional yoga practice. It is a mere myth that yoga is not a workout – at least at I.AM.YOU. - as many of you know.
So? Yoga will be the most transformational aspect to your running if you, if you let it be. I.AM.YOU. in particular is a type of yoga that strengthens muscles, increases flexibility, and acts as cardio training.
How? Breath centered yoga, such as I.AM.YOU., builds endurance and stamina. It trains the body to work more efficiently by enhancing oxygen flow throughout the system and bettering communication between the various organs, muscles, and inner tissues that hold it all together. The ujjai breath of this yoga is invaluable for the Runner’s entire system, from the muscles to the brain.
The asanas, or poses, themselves increase flexibility while also building strength, which is critical for injury prevention and muscle function. These asanas lengthen the muscles and fascia that get tight, break up scar tissue and build up from overuse and old injuries. They also build strength in the complimentary muscles that often get ignored in a regular training system, the very muscles that are critical to an overall healthy, injury free body and stellar performance.
September 25th, 2011
(Source: , via yogaprivatelessons)
September 23rd, 2011
Expert Q and A: Yoga Tips for Running Performance Blog
Postures that I particularly recommend for runners: *seated One Leg Forward Bend (Janu Sirsasana) - great for isolating one set of hamstrings at a time
*Half Twist, Pigeon pose and Cow Face Pose - great for targeting the outer hip, gluteal, and external rotators
*Warrior 1 pose, Low lunge/crescent pose - gets right into the hip flexors especially when the abdominal muscles are locked
*Downward facing dog pose - ease into the calf muscles…feels great to walk the heels up and down one at a time to massage out tension from the calf and hamstring muscles
I also strongly recommend that you try some of the breathing meditations that will help improve tapping into your aerobic energy system and lung capacity.
September 20th, 2011
September 12th, 2011
Yoga after a run (or anytime really)
Happy National Yoga Month!! I thought I’d give you guys my favorite post running yoga sequence- in the effort to save you from rather long/tedious descriptions of all the poses, I haven’t included ALL the details for each. If something doesn’t feel right in your body don’t do it - no pose is worth injuring yourself over. That said, please don’t hesitate to inquire about modifications/details/variations. Ask me, another teacher, or even try google. Yoga Journal’s website actually has a fairly comprehensive index of asansas (poses) to get you started.
When I get back from a run, this is what I like to do:
-Come into downward facing dog and stay there for 5 deep, long breaths.
-Inhale as you send your right leg up towards the sky for Down dog split. Keep the foot flexed, pushing out through the heel. See if your left leg can straighten a bit.
-Keep the right leg lifted, but bend your leg at the knee and open your hips, stacking them on top of one another in a vertical line.
-Keep your right knee bent, and slowly bring it to your chest as you exhale. Hips stay high, shoulder blades move away from each other as you round your spine while pushing the floor away.
-Bring your right foot next to your right thumb - you should now be in a runner’s lunge.
-Tap the back knee down to the floor, make sure your right knee is over the ankle and lift your torso and arms up for anjaneyasana/low lunge on your inhale.
-In anjaneyasana, clasp your hands behind you (palms together) at your tailbone. If this feels good (don’t hesitate to use a strap or a towel if you have tight shoulders), begin to glide your knuckles down your back thigh and spread your collarbone wide. Try to hold here for 3-5 breaths.
-Release the clasp and let your hands come up high again on your inhale. Exhale and begin to straighten the front leg, sending your hips back above your back leg for ardha hanumanasana/ half splits. Curl your toes up and lean your torso forward with each exhale. Feel free to use a couple blocks/large books under your hands to bring the floor closer to you.
-Turn your toes out to the right side of the mat for a nice inner thigh stretch and hold for a few more breaths. Then bring your toes up to center and turn them to the left. Keep breathing!
-Bend through the front knee and walk your hands up to the inside of your right foot for lizard pose/utthan pristhasana. Unless you’ve been doing yoga for a while/have very open hips, keep your back knee down. Alternatively you can bring your forearms down to the mat or to a block. Hold for 5 breaths.
-Plant your hands on either side of the right foot, tuck your left toes under, and step to the top of your mat for a forward fold/uttanasana.
-Keep the knees bent as your role up to standing.
-Step back to downward facing dog and do the other side!
I also like to work in a few others when the mood strikes me- maybe a little pigeon/king pigeon, upward facing dog, or fallen triangle? The possibilities are endless.
Editor’s note: While this is indeed a running blog, it is important to open your mind, become, well, flexible to new ideas and approaches that could very well save your life. Or at least improve the running part of it.
(Source: therunningbostonian)
