Oh Boy! I just ran my first 5 km in forever.
How do I feel, you ask? Amazing. I'm going back out this morning. What are my top 5 stretches for a post run release, you wonder? Here you go: 1. Downward Facing Dog Why DFD? It stretches out the whole back side of your body. Take it easy. Bend your knees... a lot! Push your heels to the floor, alternating sides. Externally rotate your upper arms and create space for your ears by pulling your shoulder blades away from your neck. Do it. 2. Bent knee lunge... into a runner.s lunge Why BKL & RL? BKL helps to stretch the front of the back thigh (hip flexors); as well as the calf muscles on the front leg. Right? Can you feel that? RL gives the hamstrings on the front leg a stretch... try to keep your quadriceps contracted (pull up on your knee cap). Play with foot placement: pointing the foot stretches the front of the shin / top of the foot; while pulling the toes towards the knee, increases the calf stretch; pushing into the floor with the heel of the front foot and isometrically pulling it towards your hip will enhance the hamstring stretch. How's that?! 3. Wide-legged forward fold (hands clasped, arms over head) Why prasarita padottanasana? It's not just a fun thing to say, it's also a great way to stretch... and strengthen your legs! Make sure your feet are parallel to one another. Practice pulling your feet towards each other (isometrically) to strengthen your inner thighs (and core)... practice pushing your feet away from each other (isometrically) to strengthen your outer hips. You can also bend one knee and drag your hips over to that side of your mat (inner thigh stretch) and then bend the other knee. Hands clasped - arms over the head? Why not? It's an awesome way to stretch the shoulders and the pecks after a run, wherein the front of the body, arms and shoulder are in a contracted position. Open up your heart! 4. Pigeon Another fun one to say: eka pada rajakapotasana I mean, really, who doesn't love pigeon? I'm almost certain that it's our favourite pose, collectively. If you have a bum knee - stop running!!! - or a bum hip, you can do a variety of figure 4 options, lying on your back, standing at a wall, sitting in a chair. Pigeon is a pretty versatile stretch... do it in a way that's safe for your body. 5. Supine twist I'm all over windshield wiper twists... but I also enjoy a classic supine twist, where one leg is straight and the top knee is bent; one hand on your knee to support the twist and the other arm open to counter act the twist. You can also opt for a cross of the legs; an ankle over a knee; knees stacked... twists just feel good and they help stretch out the hips and low back. What's your favourite twist? H(om)e work: Doesn't matter if you run a little, or a lot... or not at all. Make sure you stretch after you exercise. Yoga makes everything you do better... but remember: everything you do, makes your yoga practice harder! Stay limber!
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Yoga Sophie
We all know there's more to Yoga than the poses. But how much more? And what more? And where do we get it? Do we really need more? Why? Archives
February 2021
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