Yoga can be a cure all – for all (yes, even for runners)
Posted December 7th, 2006 at 12:00 PM by Valerie Cerami
Section: Running & Training, Cross Training, Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab, Exercise
It can be done by anyone; anywhere. It involves mind, body and spirit. It strives to create balance; unison of physical and mental. It nurtures all areas touched upon in life; thorough in addressing all segments of one’s self and beyond. A learning experience. An art form. A must - for all athletes – and non.
Historically, yoga is almost as old as running. Running was actually the very first form of physical conditioning. I bet those cavemen didn’t even realize the health benefits they were developing while chasing prey – or being chased by an angrier or larger caveman!
Running has the distinction of being the original conditioning activity (always a winner in my book!), but the ancient tradition of yoga comes in a distant second; being discovered around 2,000 years ago.
More specifically, the word yoga (from the Sanskrit word yuj) literally means to bind and is interpreted as “union” or a method of discipline. The practice is defined as: a self-healing and self-realization that uses postures (asanas) and breathing that enhance health through physical strength and mental focus.
Considering the essential concept of well-roundedness, the symmetry of Yoga aids in: digestion, respiration, relaxation, rejuvenation, flexibility, strength, balance, grace, stress reduction, mindfulness, joint mobility, circulation, confidence, awareness, focus, discipline, healing, weight control, and much more (but I had to end the list somewhere!).
This litany is a great compliment to the practice of running. Adding yoga practice to your routine can add to your prowess on foot; making yoga an excellent cross-training tool. You need to get into a groove, but never fall into a rut.
A good approach is never to be one-sided – or blind sighted; thus introducing the idea of cross-training as useful to improve your primary activity (running) with another activity (yoga). One balances the other (and vice-versa!) to achieve maximum capabilities and function to all of your body’s muscle groups and systems. Also, yoga as a form of cross-training can relieve monotony, serve as a fill-in when injured, prevent future injuries, improve concentration and lead to wholly better performance. It can pay attention to the areas that running alone ignores. We’ve got to get off the beaten track sometimes…
So, swerve! Take the approach of a total body experience; become leveled and open. Balance is key and is one of yoga’s highest priorities. Integrating the approach of wholeness is one – and at one – of the main tenets of this practice. Applying the yin-yang/push-pull principle: Yoga can loosen the muscles; help deal with your stress before a big race; control the labored breathing of a sprinter; clear the focus of the mental cloud; improve balance to ensure proper alignment; and heal many weaknesses (wherever they accumulate).
Looking at each pose – and challenge - as a new experience to improve upon and learn from is a tenet of Yoga. The flexibility lies not only in the stretches, but also in the basic outlook of your routine. It can be done anytime you see fit- or can fit it into your schedule. As a warm-up, cool-down, cross-training workout, a replacement for an off-day in you training calendar or just a good addition to your daily routine. Anywhere from 15 to 90 minutes is considered the normal length of a practice session. What is it that makes “perfect?” (Oh, yeah… practice)
Additionally, healing is necessary after a particularly long and/or intense run – or race. The healing properties of yoga can aid in repairing your sore muscles. The concept is to rest the muscles abused in running through specific poses; and, also gain endurance in the muscle groups ignored in your main sport. Yoga practices can create a true harmony of your body’s systems: cardiovascular, muscular, and mental fitness.
For instance, muscle strains can accumulate due to lack of attentiveness. It is awareness that makes for a safe and intelligent yoga practice and running routine, too. Be mindful in all your activities. Do not practice yoga poses that hurt your knees. Pain is your body’s signal that something is wrong. Through yoga you can become fully cognizant of the difference between the sensation of stretching and actual pain. This saves your ligaments and joints from unnecessary and harmful tension. That is how you learn to stabilize, the essential way to bend, stretch and strengthen healthfully. Yoga teaches you about you, and knowing your body’s particular tight, weak, overbuilt or overlooked part. You must know your personal strengths – and weaknesses – in order to propel into a higher level – and standard – of total body conditioning.
In the same vein as variation and keeping the “whole you” in mind, yoga teaches modification of poses. That is the core of why yoga can work for you; you can tailor it to your own trouble spots. There are countless poses to chose from and you control the level of intensity. Again, moderation is key. Knowing your own unique ways of modifying can translate into your running. You make a pose your own; in the same way you make your daily run “your own”.
Listen to your body. Yoga’s inward focus reminds you of that essential guidance. You can make your yoga practice as challenging and vigorous – or as restorative and calming as you choose.
First, always make sure you understand the alignment of postures at any level. There are three ways to increase the intensity of your practice once basics are mastered:
- Hold postures for longer and longer periods of time
- Slowly build your practice up to more advanced and challenging postures
- Move quickly between poses.
Mix-n-match; do whatever feels good to you – because this practice is all about you. No competition with anyone else; the sole goal is for you to feel good. And, feeling good can change from day to day. That’s the beauty – yoga is what you make of it; you decide what’s right for you.
Overall, yoga and running are perfect partners for today’s athletes. Done in tandem, the benefits of both are enhanced; multiplied dually, physically and mentally. Our goal is to stay on course and yoga is a terrific tool to wield – for anyone, anytime, anywhere.
Sources: [Voga Works], [Yoga Journal], [About.com - Running], [Yoga Basic], [About.com - Yoga]
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Tags: balance, breathing, cardiovascular, cross training, fitness, flexibility, harmony, healing, improve performance, injury prevention, mental, mind body, moderation, muscle soreness, muscular, pain, poses, posture, push pull, respiration, routine, tight muscles, unison, wholeness, ying yang, yoga, yoga practice
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The Final Sprint
[…] Yoga is another alternative exercise that can aide a runner in achieving a stronger central core. Yoga’s emphasis on stretching, increasing mobility, practicing proper breathing patterns and overall awareness of one’s body can greatly benefit a runner’s workout and overall fitness level! (Check out: “Yoga can be a cure all – for all (yes, even for runners)”) […]
December 30th, 2006 at 6:27 pmI like reading posts and finding out what people think. I will keep an eye on the information you will add and see what you come up with. thank you
August 28th, 2008 at 8:34 am