11 Yoga Poses That Are Perfect For Runners

Running can be tough on your joints and muscles. What better way to recover than with yoga? Flowing through poses can give your body the low-impact activity it needs to stretch and strengthen sore legs. To help, trainers share the best yoga for runners to try after your next jog.

Low Lunge

Loosen up tight hip flexors and build hip mobility after a tiring run with a low lunge, says yoga instructor Elinor Cohen. She recommends holding this and other poses for at least 10 to 15 seconds to soak in all the benefits of the stretch.

Half Splits

Running tends to tighten your hamstrings, says Cohen. The go-to yoga pose to loosen them back up? Half splits. She recommends easing into the position and flexing your extended your foot to get the best stretch possible.

Legs Up The Wall Pose

After an intense run, your body needs a break, says solidcore instructor Laura Pachnos. Do just that with legs up the wall pose, which is exactly what it sounds like. Stretch out your gams and release your lower back while you recline and wind down.

Pigeon Pose

Give your tired outer hips some love with half or double pigeon pose, says Cohen. Bring one shin in line with the top of your mat, and extend the other leg behind you. Remember to breathe, and, if you can, melt further onto the mat as you exhale.

Figure 4 Pose

If that hip stretch felt good, double down on the sensation with figure 4 pose, says Pachnos. You can do it standing, seated, or lying on your back for a truly versatile post-run yoga session.

Wide-Legged Child’s Pose

Cool down after a jog with this modified child’s pose that will open your hip flexors, lengthen your back, and restore blood flow, says Pachnos. Simply open your knees to the width of your mat, and settle into the pose to soak in the recovery stretch.

Seated Forward Fold

An oldie but a goodie, a seated forward bend can stretch out the muscles along the back side of your body, says Cohen. It’s OK if you can’t touch your toes — try bending your knees to deepen the stretch in your lower back instead.

Wide-Legged Forward Fold

Take your forward folds to the next level with a wide-legged standing version to deepen the stretch in your hamstrings, says Pachnos. You can also do double duty and clasp your hands at the base of your back to add a chest expansion to the mix.

Horse Pose

Running requires strong glutes and inner thighs, and horse pose delivers on both fronts, says Pachnos. Holding or pulsing the pose tones and strengthens your lower body. Her pro tip? Keep your knees in the same plane as your ankles to avoid stressing out your joints.

Downward Dog

Give tight, sore hamstrings and calves TLC in one move with downward dog, says Cohen. If your hamstrings feel especially stiff, she says to bend your knees as needed. As your legs adjust to the pose, you can lower your heels to the ground to target your calves, too.

Tabletop Dancer

Running requires good balance and a strong core, quads, and ankles, and Pachnos says tabletop dancer is a great way to achieve all of those at once. Start in tabletop, then grab your foot. Kick it into your hand to deepen the stretch and challenge your balance.