A guest article by Lisa Amenda
Yoga is considered an ideal complement to numerous outdoor sports, including running. Swapping your running shoes for a yoga mat every now and then can prevent one-sided movement patterns and even improve your running performance. I'll show you here which specific asanas are truly suitable.
According to Statista, around 22.8 million Germans participated in running at least occasionally in 2021. This represents roughly a third of the population aged 14 and over. Running is thus truly a "national sport," if you want to use that term. This is no surprise, since the human body is designed precisely for this movement pattern.
However, this is rarely evident in our everyday lives these days: We spend the majority of our time indoors. Offices, conference rooms, co-working spaces. If we then want to do something good for our bodies in the evening, it can have the opposite effect: Even a run around the block or through the woods can quickly become too much for the body. It then reacts with shortened muscles and reduced mobility – if we don't bring it back into balance after a run. This is where yoga can help. Just a handful of asanas after a jog can counteract one-sided movement patterns and support the positive effects of running on our bodies.
These asanas create the ideal balance for the backs of the legs and co.
Yoga pose for runners #1:
Active child pose
For Child's Pose, first come into heel-on pose. Open your knees more than hip-width apart—mat-width apart if you like. Your big toes should still touch. Now move your hands far forward and, as you exhale, push your buttocks back toward your heels. Rest your forehead on the mat, keeping your stomach between your thighs. Spread your fingers and point your fingertips to further open your chest muscles and comfortably stretch your back.
Duration: Stay in the pose for about 20 breaths.
Effect: Gently stretches the back, hips, thighs and ankles and has a calming effect on the body.
Yoga pose for runners #2:
Toe seat
The toe seat is a variation of the heel seat. It promotes ankle mobility and strength and improves the mobility of the sole of the foot and toes. This pose also opens the hips.
To do this, first get into a quadruped position. Then bring your knees and feet together and point your toes. Remember to point your little toe! Then, as you exhale, slowly sit back on your heels. If the stretch feels too intense, lift your buttocks as needed, or don't lower them all the way to your heels. Then slowly release the pose by returning to the quadruped position. Gently tap your toes on the mat.
Duration: Hold the position for 15 breaths.
Effect: Stretches muscles and fascia in the sole of the foot, strengthens the toe muscles and stretches the front of the thigh.
Yoga pose for runners #3:
High lunge
Another asana that is ideal for runners is this variation of Virabhadrasana I.
To do this, stand at the front of your mat with your feet hip-width apart. Place your hands on your hips and, on your next inhalation, take a large step back with your right foot. Then bend your front knee to about 90 degrees so that it is directly over your ankle. Make sure your knee does not fall inward. Align your hips as parallel as possible to the front edge of the mat: push your tailbone down and your pubic bone up. This will prevent you from arching your back and keep your lower back long. Raise your arms up along your body. Point your fingertips toward the ceiling. If your neck feels good, you can look up; otherwise, look straight ahead. Finally, lower your hips further, engage your leg and abdominal muscles, and pull your shoulders away from your ears. To release the pose, straighten your front leg, place your hands back on your hips, and step back to the front of your mat. Repeat the lunge with the other leg.
Duration: Stay for 5-10 breaths on each side.
Effect: Opens the chest and shoulders, stretches the front of the body, keeps the spine flexible, stretches the thigh muscle, groin and psoas, strengthens the legs and gluteal muscles and supports breathing.
Yoga pose for runners #4:
Wide standing forward bend with additional arm stretch
Running primarily stresses the back of the legs. One asana that can counteract this is the Wide Standing Forward Bend (Prasarita Padottanasana). I love the variation with the additional arm stretch, as it not only works the back of the legs but also opens and stretches the shoulders and chest muscles.
To do this, come to the beginning of your mat and stand with your feet hip-width apart. Start by keeping your hands on your hips. With your next inhalation, step back with your left foot and turn your toes towards the long edge of the mat. Both outer edges of your feet are parallel to the short edge of the mat. Your knees are slightly bent so they don't sag backward and overextend. Your heels are in line with each other. Release your hands and clasp them behind your back. Then, with your next exhalation, bend forward over your legs. Pull your outstretched arms away from your buttocks, push the outer edges of your feet into the mat, and let your head sink down. Only go as low as is comfortable for you. To release the pose, release your fingers, bring your hands back to your hips, bend your knees, and slowly rise back up.
Duration: Stay in the pose for 15 breaths.
Effect: Stretches the back of the body, including the hamstrings, the inner thighs, the gluteus maximus, and the dorsum. This pose also calms the mind and nervous system and aids sleep.
Yoga pose for runners #5:
Trikonasana
Another yoga classic that is particularly beneficial for runners is Trikonasana – the triangle.
To do this, start again at the beginning of your mat in a hip-width stance. Place both hands on your hips and step back with your left foot into a wide straddle stance. Your front foot points forward; the back foot is aligned parallel to the short edge of the mat. Now turn your back toes slightly and activate your leg muscles. Actively press the outer edge of your back foot into the floor. Spread both arms out parallel to the floor and, with the next exhalation, pull yourself over your front leg with a long torso. Place your right hand on your shin, a block, or on the mat. It is important that you have a stable surface. Your left hand points towards the ceiling. Actively push yourself out from your right hand and, if your neck feels good doing so, look towards your left fingertips. Your front knee has a micro-bend so that it is not overextended. Gently pull your shoulder blades away from your ears.
Duration: Stay here for 10 to 15 breaths and then switch sides.
Effect: Stretches the inner thighs, opens the chest, the flanks and the intercostal muscles, thus helping to promote deeper breathing and having a vitalizing effect.
Yoga pose for runners #6:
shoulder bridge
Running primarily trains the hip flexors, as well as the glutes and thigh muscles. The shoulder bridge pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana) provides a wonderful balance.
To do this, lie on your back on your mat. Feet hip-width apart. Place your arms along your body with your palms facing down; ideally, your middle fingers should touch your heels. As you inhale, lift your pelvis off the mat. Make sure your thighs stay parallel and your knees don't collapse. Activate your glutes, hamstrings, and abdominal muscles to protect your lower back. Your neck doesn't collapse, but remains long for the entire duration of the pose. If you want to open your shoulders and chest muscles even further, bring your shoulders further together beneath your body, keep your arms stretched on the floor, and bring your hands together. Then push yourself up even further. To come out of the pose, release your hands and then roll down vertebra by vertebra. Place your feet mat-width apart and let your knees fall together.
Duration: Stay here for 10 - 15 breaths.
Effect: Opens the chest, pectoral muscles and shoulders, stretches the front of the body, strengthens the back, thighs and buttocks and keeps the spine flexible.
Yoga pose for runners #7:
Lying butterfly
Finally, we treat ourselves to some active relaxation in the lying butterfly pose.
To do this, lie on your back and raise your legs. Let your knees fall apart and bring the soles of your feet together. The closer your feet are to your buttocks, the more intense the pose: find the distance that's right for you. Then place your arms at your sides or, if you like, place your hands on your stomach. Keep your neck long and stretched out. Feel free to close your eyes and breathe deeply into your belly. If your knees aren't touching the floor and this feels awkward, you can place a blanket or pillow under them.
Duration: Stay here for at least 20 breaths.
Effect: Opens hips and groin, has a calming effect and helps reduce stress and anxiety.
Photo credits: Jürgen Amenda & Julian Rohn 
Lisa Amenda
Lisa is a yoga teacher and Kneipp coach. Her goal is to bring outdoor athletes, mountaineers, and, of course, everyone else into contact with yoga and Kneipp – but above all, to reconnect with their own bodies. She works with asanas, meditation, pranayama, and Kneipp (water) treatments. It's important to her that we find a healthy balance in today's world from our predominantly sedentary activities, our one-sided sports, and our time in front of screens. Furthermore, she wants to not only help cure illnesses and ailments, but also prevent them in a timely manner.
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