Distance running is a great exercise for many of the muscles in the body. Certain leg and core muscles are especially toned and strengthened through the miles of training. However, because running is such a repetitive activity, many muscles do not get any kind of workout. Unfortunately, the result of the process of strengthening some muscles at the expense of others is usually injury.
Many of the muscles that running strengthens are the large muscles that enable movement (quadriceps, hamstrings, etc.), and the muscles that running ignores are those that support joints or control the running muscles (hip muscles, glutes, etc.). When the stability muscles go underused, the body will suffer from limited movement, which can change your running gait. Additionally, running muscles will be forced to take on much of the work of the stability muscles, which can lead to overuse injuries. How can a runner ensure that all of the muscles in his or her body are properly trained? One answer is Yoga.
Yoga, which means “union” in Sanskrit, focuses on conditioning the body through a series of poses. These poses not only stretch and lengthen muscles that running generally does not touch, but the muscles are also strengthened when the poses are held for an extended period. If you want to get started with Yoga, there are literally thousands of web sites about all of the possible poses. I like this video on YouTube, but keep in mind that there are so many instructional videos out there.
Although Yoga can certainly be a “do-it-yourself” activity, I highly recommend joining a Yoga class at your local gym if you have the time. Some of the poses are complex and having a skilled teacher can really help you perform them properly. Also, try to sick with Yoga even if it is hard at first. The first time I tried Yoga was a real eye opening experience – it’s much harder than it looks – but I am definitely reaping the rewards of increased flexibility and stronger stability muscles because I didn’t give up.
