Yoga’s Benefits To A Runner’s Body
Yoga is popularly identified with muscle relaxation, slow movements, deep breathing. While running is, well, not any of those. What is not known to most people is that integrating these two exercise forms can bring a balance to our bodies.
These two forms have the same important elements, which aren’t that obvious except to one who has done both.
Just take note of the similarities between Running and Yoga. Both forms of exercise have:
-Flexibility
-Breathing Techniques
-Discipline
-Concentration
-Practice
Yoga improves a runner’s functioning, and more. It adds an important dimension to the athletes’ training programs. From among Yoga’s numerous benefits to the body, runners gain improved accuracy and precision. These benefits aid them immensely, keeping the damaging effects of running from their bodies.
There have been several reports of the gains to a runner’s body from Yoga practice. Running one mile, according to health experts, is tantamount to one of your feet hitting the ground a thousand times. Furthermore, three to four times the runners’ weight gets absorbed by the hips and lower limbs. This can become the source of body stiffness, injury and pain, commonly experienced by many runners.
However, these damaging effects to the body are not usual consequences to running. Wellness advisers state that intense running disrupts the body’s natural balance which then cause these incidence of pain or injury. Which will be prevented if runners incorporate Yoga into their training because Yoga corrects the body posture which then will provide balance to the body.
Research has shown that long-term intense running develops a tightening and reduction of the athletes’ muscles. That is a natural consequence to the muscles applied to the same moves day in and day out. Soon, the energy expended by the muscles on the same moves develop into pain and possibly, injury, as well. The rest of the body reacts and tries to compensate for the imbalance by stressing on the other joints and muscles.
It must be remembered that all the systems in the body are interrelated. An unusual action of some parts results in pain or injury to other parts. Shin splints, a usual injury experienced by runners, for instance, results from the improper distribution of weight on the legs during the running activity.
This is where Yoga comes in to provide its benefits to runners. Yoga moves focus on muscle stretching and relaxation which decreases the occurrence of these injuries or pains.
Presently a program is being popularized for runners which integrates Yoga to the usual runners’ training. The new series entails relaxing and strengthening the muscles applied to running and meditation and relaxation as well. This trend transforms the pace of runners’ training from never-ending pounding of their muscles to breathing exercises, muscle stretching and loosening and stress-relieving exercises and moves.
It is created to stretch hamstrings and calf muscles and minimize aches and injuries resulting from running. At the same time, it toughens the back, core and arm muscles and helps in correcting postural misalignments. Thus, optimal running performance is developed.