Yoga For Runners?
Are you a runner who does not do yoga?
Are you wondering if you SHOULD do some yoga?
Me too.
During my decade-long professional running career I was aware of a growing trend: “yoga for runners.” I wasn’t interested in yoga, but I was definitely interested in any training that would make me a better runner. However, I worked with some of the best running coaches, trainers and therapists in the world and not one of those experts ever recommended I do yoga.
So I never tried it.
Fast forward to today. I’m now retired from professional running and coaching runners full time. Many of my running clients do yoga and many of the others ask me if they SHOULD be doing it.
I needed a better answer than “I’ve never tried it,” so I asked two therapists who specialize in runner injury rehabilitation, and a very, very fast runner who actually does yoga herself! Here’s what they said:
Jonathan Pierce is a former professional runner and founder/owner of Kinetik Performance in San Diego. As a therapist he regularly treats runners of all levels, from recreational athletes to Olympic Medalists and World-Record holders. When asked what are the most common things he sees athletes doing wrong in their training, Jonathan discusses yoga:
“People think yoga is going to fix everything and I just don’t think so. I think yoga can be helpful — but yoga isn’t specific and it’s a practice that [began] to help people meditate and sit in full lotus, and that has nothing to do with elite, moderate or recreational sport, or running or cycling.
“The hip needs to function differently [doing yoga vs. in running]. The general public’s idea of mobility, or even pro athletes will say “I’m in the off season, should I do some yoga now?” But I’m not really sure a pigeon stretch is going to help [you reach your goals.] Doing the appropriate types of mobility is something many people don’t do.” (emphasis is my own.)
It’s important to understand your areas of weakness, your injury history and your areas of greatest potential, and then address those issues specifically in order to improve your running rather than just hoping yoga will help. If your goal is to progress as a runner, consider the purpose behind the activities you’re doing.
Garrett McLaughin, ACT, CSCS, ART specializes in rehabbing and training competitive and recreational runners. When I asked him about yoga, he said,
“Runners would benefit far more from strength training than yoga. Plus, gaining some stiffness and tension will really help with running economy and elasticity but yoga quickly works against that.
“I think runners like [yoga] because they feel "tight." But that's usually from a lack of strength, poor movement and compensation, or just fatigue from running. Yoga is not something I typically recommend but I support it for those already doing it and needing some stability.” (emphasis is my own.)
The priority McLaughlin places on strength training is shared by Pierce, who notes that another error he often encounters as a therapist is that
“Endurance athletes, generally speaking, don’t invest in strength training. They think of strength training as something they don’t need to do. They forget that strength training is also mobility and it [builds] usable strength through an increasing range of motion, especially by utilizing the eccentric work phase.”
So what if you’re already doing yoga?
Professional runner and marathoner Molly Huddle is an American Record Holder, 2-time Olympian and elite marathoner who includes yoga in her training routine. Huddle says “I do use yoga in my training routine but never at the expense of the energy needed to run more.
“I definitely am the least flexible person in class due to all the mileage so I have to modify a lot of the poses. When I am deep into the season [of training] and too tired, yoga is the first thing to get cut out of the program.”
Huddle shares the opinion of both McLaughlin and Pierce that while yoga can be helpful in some instances for some runners, it is not high on the list of priorities. “I would recommend it to older runners or anyone looking for wider ranges of motion than the constant run shuffle, if all they do is run and don’t lift or do drills or do any other sports — but if I had to pick between yoga and plyos or gym work [strength & conditioning] I would put it below those.” (emphasis my own.)
Closest I’ve ever come to doing yoga.
When your priority is to become a better runner, the most important thing to consider when adding anything to your training is this: how will it help you become a better runner? And, is there a more appropriate or effective way to achieve your goals?
What Runners Actually Need
Remember that runners do not require a lot of flexibility, we only need range of motion, symmetry and mobility to the extent the we can run smoothly. Runners do not need to do static stretching or long holds while stretching. Static stretching was never part of my training throughout my 10 year professional running career and now as a coach I discourage all my clients from static stretching. I teach dynamic mobility to anyone who will listen. As mentioned by McLaughlin, runners need some tension in the muscles to perform well!
Remember Your WHY
If you are currently a goal-driven runner doing yoga, take some time to consider if your practice is actually helping you, and whether you should modify it or drop it entirely. If you choose to continue doing yoga, it’s important to constantly evaluate what is appropriate for your running goals rather than being tempted to go deeper in poses or challenged to progress to more advanced levels. Consider following Huddle’s example by eliminating yoga if your body needs more rest, and making modifications to the poses that aren’t appropriate for runners.
Yoga (usually) isn’t for Runners
At this point, when I get asked by runners if they should be doing yoga I can confidently say you don’t need to do yoga. Yoga is not necessary to improve as a runner and can be detrimental to progress if not approached thoughtfully, modified appropriately and strategically integrated into a training plan.
We all have limited time and energy to devote to training, so spend it on the activities that will be most effective in helping you achieve your goals. If you are looking to add to your training, consider strength training first. I strongly encourage Strength and Conditioning for all runners, and as a trained CSCS I offer S&C specific to runners as one of my services. Strength and Conditioning played a huge part in my own running success and ability to remain injury free for years as an Olympic athlete. If you want to get started immediately with strength and conditioning please take advantage of my FREE-to-download S&C program designed specifically for runners.
Nicole Sifuentes is a former professional runner and 2-time Olympian, a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and full-time Running Coach for adults of all ages and abilities. Read more about her services, and schedule your free coaching consultation.