We all know the positive effects that physical activity has on us, but running, cycling and hiking can invite stress into joints, ligaments and muscles. This small yoga sequence will help you begin your recovery process after activity. – Post by yoga instructor and Prana Ambassador Steve Krojniewski
How can we continue to enjoy our active lifestyles without all of the pain that tends to accompany it? One solution: incorporate yoga at the end of our training sessions to help jumpstart the recovery process physically, mentally, and even emotionally.
Yoga will help speed along the process of rebooting the body, recharging the mind, and recovering from the emotional experience of fitness activity. When you start to practice yoga, it’s inevitable that you’ll increase your core strength. A stronger core invites your torso to stay upright and encourages better posture, which eliminates slumping when you tire.
A dedicated yoga practice will also increase hamstring and iliotibial band flexibility. This can cut down on injuries on the back muscles of the legs. Another area of the legs that’s easy to overlook when stretching is the quadriceps. Sure, they may feel strong and stable from our exercise, but if you ignore them, they’ll continue to tighten their grip on the hip flexors. This can begin to pull your pelvis forward out of alignment and increase tightness, discomfort, and possible injury to the hamstrings and IT bands. Whether I’m working with professional athletes or weekend warriors, I’ll always incorporate specific stretches that will increase and maintain flexibility in the quadriceps and hips to avoid injury.
Other benefits from a yoga practice include adding physical balance and increasing mental focus. Active enthusiasts will also gain faster recovery times by decreasing the delayed onset of muscle stiffness (DOMS) effect that comes along with training or activity.
Yoga Warm Down Sequence
- Start in downward facing dog and begin to pedal your feet from side to side.
- Step your right foot forward. On an inhalation, begin to pulse your left knee toward the ground. On your exhalation, lengthen your left leg and press the heel towards the earth.
- Be careful not to hyper-extend the left knee or to lengthen too far, which can overstretch the hamstring. Do this at least five times and then bring the left knee to the earth.Lift your torso, bring your hands on your thigh, and straighten your spine. Reach the crown of your head toward the sky and maintain a soft gaze. Stay in this lunge for 5 deep breaths. Then bring the hands on the inside of your right leg and roll to the outside of the right foot. Hold for five deep breaths and release.
- Come back to down dog and bring your right knee forward between your hands to come into pigeon pose. Hold for five to ten breaths to ease tension in your IT band, hips and glutes.
- Slide your hands under your shoulders and lift your torso up. If you’d like to add a deep quadricep stretch, bend your left knee so the foot is lifted toward the ceiling or sky. Reach around with your left hand and take hold of your left foot (use a strap or towel if needed to assist you with the stretch). Then take the foot into the glutes to get a deep, rich quadriceps stretch. Hold for five to ten deep breaths and release back to down dog.
Change sides and repeat the whole sequence.
- When finished, stand tall, close your eyes and pause for a moment. Be aware of your breath, your thoughts and how your body feels. Notice any changes you’re experiencing, whether they’re physical, mental, or emotional. Take note of them and mentally file them away. Then set an intention to continue practicing awareness and respect for yourself as you recover from the run, ride or whatever activity you were doing.
By adding this small sequence at the end of your activity, you’ll invite a quicker recovery time by decreasing muscle and joint stiffness in the body. You’ll also receive the mental and emotional benefits of yoga by improving focus, concentration, and reducing sleep disturbance. So whether you’re an elite athlete or a beginner, this sequence help you keep pace with the training of your next race and the challenges of everyday life.
Steve Krojniewski is the owner of True Balance Yoga. He’s a certified Kripalu Yoga instructor, a certified instructor from Sage Rountree’s Yoga for Athletes school, and is a part of the Yoga Alliance.
Photo credit: Mary Strebinger
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