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Tuesday, June 28, 2011

6 Yoga Poses to Improve Your Running

Strung together, these six yoga poses form a routine that builds the abdominals, back, quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and upper body while also improving balance.

Targeting these areas will give you a strong foundation—which means more power, less chance of injury. Two days a week, cut your runs just a mile short to fit in this 10-minute sequence.
Do the first three poses twice (one side, then the other). Then do the second three poses in the same manner.

You can also try these eight tips from a master yoga teacher to help make your practice flawless.

Chair 

Builds: core, legs, glutes, arms  

With your feet, knees, thighs touching, sit into a squat. Extend your arms.


Twisting Chair

Builds: core, legs, glutes, arms
While in chair, press your palms together, and rotate to the right.

Twisting Lunge

Builds: core, legs, glutes, arms
Step your left foot back while holding the twist. Keep your knee over your ankle.

Warrior III

Builds: balance and overall strength
Balance on your left foot. Fold forward, lifting your right leg. Extend your arms.

Arrow Lunge

Builds: core, legs, glutes, arms
Step your right leg back into a lunge, keeping arms extended.

Extended-Leg Balance

Builds: posture, balance, legs
Swing your right leg up and hold it extended in front of you.

Sage Rountree, author of The Athlete's Guide to Yoga, developed this routine. Watch her demonstrate it at runnerworld.com/bodyshop. You can also order her strength plan (designed to be paired with marathon training) at runnersworld.com/trainingplans.

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