1

A slightly different question about yoga (Read 156 times)

ohhayitskk


    I'm wondering if anyone here has managed to keep up a regular yoga practice (several times a week - daily) while training for a marathon? I'm not talking about a truly intense hot yoga or Bikram practice, but say, 20-30 minutes a day? If so, has it helped or hurt your training?

     

    When I had an abundance of time (and a slightly more expendable income) on my hands, I used to go to hot yoga four or five times a week and run three or four times a week as well. Now I'm more apt to run four+ times a week, and yoga has fallen by the wayside for me. I don't love the classes in the area where I live, as they're expensive and take place at inconvenient times. I have enough yoga experience that I feel comfortable practicing at home, and I've found that lately, I really miss the practice. I'm a very anxious person with a fairly stressful job, and while running helps immensely, yoga has also always been something in which I've found solace.

     

    I'd love to just do a podcast or DVD daily or several times a week, but I don't want it to interfere with my running. I've been using Pocket Yoga and the YogaDownload podcast when I practice at home, so if you have any other particular resources you use, I'd like to hear about those as well.

    BeeRunB


      Do it 2-3 times a week, after a run when I'm very warmed up. I avoid any position that stretches calves, and straight leg stretches. I run into injury problems when I do.  I've determined that, for me, all that is necessary is warming up properly when it comes to prep for running. I focus mainly on strength moves that balance out the core ( e.g. The Cobra). Also ones that develop balance. There are several positions that happen on one foot that are good for this.  Anything resembling a stretch is done easy, never pushing it, never inviting pain. For me, stretches are mostly in the core, never the legs if I can help it.  If I get away from yoga for too long, I run into lower back problems from all the running. Yoga balances it out quite nicely.

      L.Chang


        Because it sounds like yoga was more than an exercise and a stretch for you (it also seemed to improve your overall quality of life?), perhaps you can just incorporate still, breathing poses for about 15 minutes a day, on the days when you cannot commit to a longer session. I did Vinyasa yoga with an instructor for a long time and I always remember her saying that even if you are in child's pose and breathing calmly, it is still yoga : )

          Do it 2-3 times a week, after a run when I'm very warmed up. I avoid any position that stretches calves, and straight leg stretches. I run into injury problems when I do.  I've determined that, for me, all that is necessary is warming up properly when it comes to prep for running. I focus mainly on strength moves that balance out the core ( e.g. The Cobra). Also ones that develop balance. There are several positions that happen on one foot that are good for this.  Anything resembling a stretch is done easy, never pushing it, never inviting pain. For me, stretches are mostly in the core, never the legs if I can help it.  If I get away from yoga for too long, I run into lower back problems from all the running. Yoga balances it out quite nicely.

           

          Are you just doing this on your own? Because it seems awfully hard to do any yoga class without a LOT of straight leg stretches, e.g. forward fold & down dog. In any case, isn't stretching your calves & hamstrings good for running? Because I do them all the time, under that assumption.

          Dave

          BeeRunB


             

            Are you just doing this on your own? Because it seems awfully hard to do any yoga class without a LOT of straight leg stretches, e.g. forward fold & down dog. In any case, isn't stretching your calves & hamstrings good for running? Because I do them all the time, under that assumption.

             

            I took two yoga classes in different periods of my life, and studied it. I do it on my own now. And how I want to. You can take a class and not do all the moves. You don't lose your freedom when you step through the door of class. Though some teachers with guru issues might feel differently.

             

            Such stretches aren't good for my running, no. There are even some studies that stretching contributes to injuries. In my case, it's true. I've never had a calf problem, unless I stretch them (even gently). That's me. I believe that a proper warm-up is all that is necessary. Why does a muscle need to be stretched anyway? Start slow, and they loosen up quite nicely as they warm up.

               

              Such stretches aren't good for my running, no. There are even some studies that stretching contributes to injuries. In my case, it's true. I've never had a calf problem, unless I stretch them (even gently). That's me. I believe that a proper warm-up is all that is necessary. Why does a muscle need to be stretched anyway? Start slow, and they loosen up quite nicely as they warm up.

               

              Well this is a whole other discussion I guess; there are different schools of thought on stretching. There are certainly people who swear by it, and insist they get injured if they do not.

              Dave

              BeeRunB


                 

                Well this is a whole other discussion I guess; there are different schools of thought on stretching. There are certainly people who swear by it, and insist they get injured if they do not.

                 

                Very true. The maxim you should follow on your running journey is "do what works for you---until it doesn't."

                HappyFeat


                  I'm wondering if anyone here has managed to keep up a regular yoga practice (several times a week - daily) while training for a marathon? I'm not talking about a truly intense hot yoga or Bikram practice, but say, 20-30 minutes a day? If so, has it helped or hurt your training?

                   

                   

                  I do 45 minutes of yoga several mornings a week. I have only run one marathon, but did not halt my yoga because of it. In my experience, my long run always feels better if I've done yoga the night before than if I didn't.

                  Don't make excuses for why you can't get it done. 

                  Focus on all the reasons why you must make it happen.