Yoga for Runners - Elevate your Ultra Trail practice with yoga and meditation

Our first encounter with yoga was in Nepal, when we had just completed a 310 km, 20,000 D+ itinerary.

Our bodies broken by the km, we stumbled across a yoga retreat in the Pokhara hills and jumped at the chance. With no particular attraction (or even a lot of prejudice ^^), but guided by our curiosity and thirst for discovery, we found ourselves embarked for 3 full days on a spiritual retreat, even though we'd never practised a session in our lives.

In the end, it was an incredible revelation that led us to practice with a certain assiduity and enthusiasm for 7 years now.

After all, these few days were enough for us to clearly perceive the physical and mental benefits of practicing asanas (postures) combined with meditation.

In 3 days, and despite early wake-ups and late meditation sessions, we left with a level of physical and mental fitness we'd never felt in our lives.

That's why we wanted to share with you a few routines that, if you practice them diligently, will bring incredible benefits to your trail running, but above all, will transform your daily life!

To begin with, here are some of the advantages of combining yoga with trail-running.

1**. Mental Focus:**

Meditation and mindfulness are key aspects of yoga. They strengthen mental concentration, an essential skill for navigating complex paths, remaining attentive to body signals and maintaining rapid, precise decision-making.

All in all, yoga offers the perfect balance for the demanding practice of trail running. It prepares the body, improves mental resilience and promotes a positive state of mind. Incorporating yoga into your trail training routine can improve your strength, flexibility and balance, providing a solid foundation for tackling the trails with confidence and resilience.

2**. Stress management / thought flow control**.

Yoga offers runners a valuable refuge from everyday stress. By practicing deep breathing, meditation and mindfulness techniques, runners develop the ability to manage stress proactively. Yoga postures help to ground oneself in the present moment and be present in one's body. They promote physical relaxation, enabling trailers to release the tensions accumulated during long hours of effort. This unique combination of tools helps runners maintain mental and emotional balance, stay focused on their goals and approach each day with a calmer, more resilient attitude.

3. Conscious Breathing :

Breathing is the cornerstone of all physical activity, including trail running. Yoga teaches deep, conscious breathing techniques, which become an invaluable skill for maintaining endurance during arduous climbs, regulating heart rate on descents or staying calm in committed situations.

4**. Improved Flexibility and Mobility:**

One of the keys to success in trail running is the ability to adapt to varied, often irregular and uneven terrain. Yoga, with its stretching and strengthening postures, promotes flexibility and mobility, enabling trail runners to better negotiate steep descents and adapt to changing terrain conditions.

5**. Whole Body Strengthening:**

Trail running calls on many muscle groups, from the legs to the arms and trunk. Yoga offers complete muscle strengthening, specifically targeting the muscles involved in trail running. Postures such as plank, warrior and side plank strengthen the core, thighs and stabilizing muscles, improving the stability and power needed to tackle varied terrain.

So, whether you're a novice trail runner or a seasoned enthusiast, consider yoga an invaluable ally in your quest to find your inner strength. This delicate harmony between yoga and trail running will give you an experience that transcends physical and mental boundaries, opening the way to a life in motion, balanced and full of elegance. Take the time to discover this harmonious alliance and make yoga and trail running a powerful synergy in your outdoor adventure journey.

Now that you've learned about the relationship between yoga and trail running, here are 6 postures to help you get started with this holistic practice.

Put on your FKT Pant or Second Souffle Legging, roll out the mat, light some incense and get started!

1. Salutation to the Sun (Surya Namaskar) :

The Sun Salutation is a dynamic sequence of stretching and strengthening exercises that involve the whole body. It prepares muscles and joints for effort, while encouraging a deep connection with the breath, essential for regulating energy throughout the run. Here's how to do it:

• Start in a standing position, feet together.
• Stretch your arms towards the sky as you inhale.
• Bend forward as you exhale, hands towards the floor.
• Slide your right foot backwards as you inhale, knee on the ground.
• Bring the left foot into a plank position, then into a head-down dog position.
• Switch to an inverted plank, then bring the left foot back between the hands.
• Stand up by stretching your arms towards the sky, then return to the standing position.

2. Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I):

Warrior I is a posture that strengthens the legs, thighs and core muscles, improving the stability and power needed to tackle varied terrain. This posture also opens the hips, which tend to close up after long hours of effort:

• From a standing position, take a large step backwards with your right leg.
• Turn the right foot to 45 degrees, bend the left knee.
• The left knee should be in line with the ankle, arms extended upwards.

3. Hip stretch (Pigeon Pose) :

Stretching the hips and buttocks is ideal for releasing tension in this area, promoting the flexibility needed to negotiate steep descents and uneven terrain. Here's how to do it:

• Sit with your right leg extended behind you.
• Bend the left leg, bringing the foot towards the inside of the right thigh.
• Slide your right leg behind you and stretch forward.

4. Tree balance (Vrksasana) :

The Tree Balance improves balance and concentration, essential qualities for navigating technical trails with precision. Here's how to perform it:

• Place the right foot on the left inner thigh, above or below the knee.
• Extend your arms towards the sky, palms together.
• Fix a point in front of you to maintain balance.

5. Plank Pose with Knee to Chest:

The Plank Pose with Knee to Chest strengthens the core and stabilizing muscles, simulating the ascent movement common in trail riding. Here's how to perform it:

• Start in plank position.
• Bring the right knee towards the chest, contracting the abdominal muscles.
• Return to the plank position and alternate legs.

6. Final relaxation (Savasana) :

Finally, Savasana is essential for combining the benefits of the session with deep relaxation. It promotes recovery, soothes the nervous system and prepares the mind for the effort ahead. Here's how to do it:

• Lie on your back with your arms at your sides.
• Close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing.
• Hold this position for at least 5 minutes.

By integrating these yoga exercises into your trail training routine, you can improve your strength, flexibility, balance, breathing, stress management and mental focus. A regular practitioner will be better able to gauge his or her state of fitness and adapt his or her practice accordingly.

Open the doors to greater self-awareness and live in the moment! Isn't that the key to happiness?