Yoga has more going for it than just the comfy pants. Here’s why, if you’re a runner, you should be doing yoga:- You’ll build flexibility. This one’s kind of obvious, but your goal isn’t to look like a pretzel. Yoga can alleviate excessive tightness that affects your gait or range of motion and increases injury risk, especially if it’s more pronounced on one side of your body.
- You’ll breathe better. In yoga, you learn to breathe from your diaphragm, which oxygenates your blood better than shallow breaths. Carry that over to running for an extra boost with every inhalation.
- You’ll train your brain. The ability to remain present and avoid dwelling on discomfort can help you avoid panicking or tensing up when a run gets tough.
- You’ll learn about your body. Doing every pose on both sides helps you reveal potential injury-causing imbalances in strength or flexibility you might not have noticed while running.
- You’ll get strong all over. Yoga requires upper-body strength that running does not. Additionally, poses that require balance strengthen hip and core muscles that protect the lower body from misalignment and injury.
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