Yoga Before or After Running? How to Boost Your Training
I’m a runner, first and foremost. But since 2020, I’ve also been practicing yoga five days a week. When I started, I often wondered, “Should I be doing yoga before or after running?” 🤔
I’ve learned a lot after three years of regular running and yoga practice.
On top of knowing when to do yoga, I’ve learned some of the best yoga poses to help boost my running. I’ve practiced hot Vinyasa yoga and Yin, and without changing anything else, I earned a new half marathon PR(!!!).
If you’re interested in running and yoga, here is everything you’ll want to know about these two activities and how they fit together.
Practicing Yoga and Running on the Same Day
It’s OK to practice yoga and run on the same day. Be mindful of what your body tells you, never force anything, and adjust as needed.
You need to consider two things when doing yoga and logging miles running.
👉🏼 Be aware of the timing between your yoga practice and your running.
A good rule of thumb is to leave eight hours between challenging workouts. If you want to run twice a day, space the workouts out by at least eight hours.
If you want to run and practice yoga, use the eight-hour rule. This gives your body time to rest and recover from your hard workout.
If you opt for a more restorative style of yoga, you can follow up your run with a cool down and a yoga session. You’ll see a reduction in muscle soreness when spending time stretching slowly post-run.
👉🏼 Be aware of the type of yoga you’ll practice and the type of run you’ll complete that day.
Generally, it’s acceptable to complete two workouts in a single day. This can change if you’re talking about running a really hard race and going to a 1-hour power flow yoga class on the same day.
However, running a hard race and following up with easy, restorative yoga is completely acceptable (and a good idea).
Be mindful of the type of workouts you have in store for the day, and adjust as your body needs. Being well-hydrated is also essential before and after any workout. If you’re including two workouts into your day, make this a prime focus.
As with all fitness activities, pay attention to what your body tells you and stop if you feel pain or discomfort.
Is it Better to Do Yoga Before or After a Run?
Should you do yoga before or after cardio? The answer is, “It depends.”
Personal preference and the type of yoga you plan to do will determine the best time to practice.
Yoga post-run is great because it helps stretch the muscles and release the tension your body holds onto. You’ll see an improvement in flexibility, balance, and strength when using yoga to help recover from running.
However, yoga before running needs additional consideration. Focus on a more active, dynamic practice. This should include moving stretches to help your muscles warm up pre-run rather than holding static poses.
Find what works best for your body. You might prefer pre-run yoga, while post-run yoga works well for others. Feeling fatigued after practicing yoga may mean your body needs a rest day or a less intense routine.
Always listen to your body and do what works best for you.
Yoga before and after running is an option too. You could also alternate days between running and yoga. However, if you feel extremely tired after a run, postpone your yoga practice until you can give the practice your full attention.
Yoga Before Running
Pre-run yoga is a great way to warm up and prepare your muscles for the miles ahead.
Moving yoga poses like Sun Salutations help increase blood flow quickly while improving flexibility by moving the body in various ways.
Focus on yoga poses that warm the muscles and increase blood flow before running. Include these poses to warm up and prepare for your next run.
1. Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar)
Sun Salutation A is a flowing series of poses that helps warm the whole body. Sun Salutations get your body moving in different ways and improves blood flow.
2. Cat-Cow (Marjaryasana/Bitilasana)
The combination of Cat and Cow poses is great for warming up the spine and core muscles. This will also increase blood flow to the muscles in those areas, improving your stability during your run.
3. Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Shvanasana)
Downward Dog stretches the calves, hamstrings, Achilles tendon, and lower back. With so many major running muscles warm, you’ll find this yoga pose helps you run stronger.
4. Warrior 1 and Warrior 2 (Virabhadrasana I, Virabhadrasana II)
The Warrior poses I and II warm the legs, hips, and core. These areas are all essential for stronger running.
5. Lunges (Anjaneyasana, Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana)
Lunges help get deeper into the hips, legs, and glutes. As a runner with weak hips, lunges pre-run help me strengthen and engage those weak muscles even before running.
I like to include Crescent Lunge (pictured left) and Runner’s Lunge (pictured right) to get deep into my hips. Moving around in these poses can loosen tight hip muscles pre-run.
6. Upward-Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana)
Upward Dog is excellent for strength in the core and back to warm up the muscles that help stabilize the spine while you run.
Remember, each person’s body responds to different poses and routines uniquely. Listen to your body, don’t push through the pain to accomplish a pose or a run.
Start with simple yoga poses and adjust as needed. Use yoga blocks, blankets, and other props that make practicing more comfortable.
Yoga After Running
Yoga post-run is a fantastic way to cool down and lengthen the muscles used during your run.
Poses, including Pigeon Pose, Downward Dog, and Child’s Pose, release back, hip, and leg tension. These stretches can improve your running recovery and lessen muscle soreness.
Post-run, these yoga poses are great for releasing tension and stretching the muscles.
1. Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Shvanasana)
Downward Dog is great for pre-and post-run. Stretching out those lower leg muscles and lower back, Downward Dog is excellent for releasing post-run tension.
2. Half Pigeon Pose (Ardha Kapotasana)
Opening your hip flexor and glutes, Half Pigeon Pose can be a very intense post-run yoga pose. I like to prop my hip up with a blanket to reduce tension.
Be extra wary of your knees in this pose, and adjust as much as needed to maintain comfort.
3. Standing Forward Fold (Uttanasana)
Forward Fold is a pose often visited during any yoga flow. You may remember this from the pre-run Sun Salutation A. The fold is excellent for releasing lower back and hamstring tension.
Bend your knees as much as your body needs. You’ll still get an excellent stretch even without straight legs.
4. Child’s Pose (Balasana)
Child’s Pose is another great stretch for the lower back and hips. Focus on deep, calming breaths while in Child’s Pose and reflect on your run.
In addition to being great for the body, Child’s Pose can help calm your mind and reduce your stress.
5. Lizard Pose (Utthan Pristhasana)
Lizard Pose is going to stretch deep in your hips. Take your time approaching this pose and deepen it as time passes.
Use variations to benefit where your body is at. Place your leg on the ground for a more passive stretch, or power it up and build with the strength.
6. Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani)
This is one of my favorite post-run yoga poses. It’s incredibly restorative; you can use an actual wall to assist your legs and release tension while improving blood flow.
If you need to bend your knees to allow your back to feel good, do it. You’ll benefit much more than straining to keep your legs straight.
Start with basic yoga poses and listen to your body. Don’t force any poses.
Hold each pose for a comfortable amount of time for post-run yoga poses. Generally, restorative poses can be held anywhere from 3-5 minutes each. Take deep breaths and allow your breath to comfortably guide your body into each pose.
End each session with a few minutes of meditation. This helps your body take the benefits of your practice with you into the rest of your day.
Yoga and Running Benefits
Running is great for cardiovascular and endurance. Yoga is an excellent way to improve flexibility, balance, and muscle strength.
Together, these practices complement each other and provide a well-rounded fitness routine.
The following are some specific benefits of doing yoga and running.
✅ Improved flexibility and range of motion.
Yoga helps improve flexibility and range of motion. This is ideal for reducing the risk of injury while running.
✅ Better balance and control.
Regular yoga practice improves balance and control. This leads to improved running form and technique. Better form leads to faster running.
✅ Increase muscle strength and endurance.
Yoga increases muscle strength and endurance. Endurance is essential for runners, especially those long-distance runners.
✅ Reduced stress and anxiety.
Yoga is a great tool to reduce stress and anxiety. You’ll improve your mental well-being and overall health. A less stressed mind and body will help you become a stronger, more confident runner.
✅ Reduced muscle soreness.
Regular yoga helps stretch muscles and release tension. This will reduce your post-run recovery time and decrease muscle soreness after a hard run.
✅ Increased focus and mindfulness.
The practice of yoga leads to increased focus and mindfulness. Utilizing that mindfulness during a race is a great way to succeed. Visualizing your success is easier when you have strong mindfulness.
Always ease into a new fitness routine, even with something as gentle as restorative yoga poses. Prevent injuries by staying within your body’s current means.
Yoga and Running for Weight Loss
Running is effective for weight loss. Yoga is also effective for weight loss.
Combining the two activities can lead to a healthy balance to promote weight loss on your journey.
Running is a high-impact, high-intensity cardio exercise. It burns a lot of calories in a short amount of time. Your current weight and level of intensity while running determine the number of calories you’ll burn over a specific distance.
On the other hand, yoga is a low-impact, full-body workout that can also burn calories.
How many calories you burn during a yoga practice depends on the type of yoga you’re doing and your weight.
Yoga practices are diverse, so the amount of calories burned in a session depends heavily on the style of yoga. If you’re doing a Hatha yoga practice, you’ll burn more calories than a Kundalini yoga practice.
Remember that weight loss isn’t just about burning calories. You must maintain a well-balanced, nutrient-rich diet, get plenty of rest, stay hydrated, and do what works best for your body.
Yoga and Running Every Day
Practicing yoga and running every day might be too much for your body.
Running itself can be demanding on your body, and doing it daily can cause problems. This is especially true if you run at high intensities or for long distances. Give your body time to rest and recover to avoid overtraining, injury, or burnout.
If you’re a beginner runner, start by running two or three times each week. Gradually increase your running frequency or mileage, and always listen to your body.
Practicing yoga daily can also be demanding on your body unless you’re balancing intense and restorative yoga sessions. Daily yoga can increase flexibility and strength, but always listen to your body and don’t push too hard.
Combining yoga and running daily may be too much for some people. Too much too quickly often leads to overuse injuries.
Instead, create a balance of different types of physical activities like yoga, cardio, and strength training throughout the week. This helps different muscle groups recover between sessions.
And always listen to your body’s needs, and don’t push through pain or discomfort.
My Yoga and Running Routine
I started a regular at-home yoga practice in 2020. At the end of 2021, I joined a local hot yoga studio.
I’ve been a long-distance runner since 2013, but I felt fatigued once I began going to yoga classes five days a week. Instead of running becoming easier, I felt sluggish.
At the time, I was going to five hot Vinyasa classes Monday through Friday and trying to run 3-4 times a week. My body was tired.
If I wanted to do both activities, I needed to adjust. So I did just that.
I started going to a 1-hour Sculpt class at the studio. This implements yoga poses along with HIIT training.
Two days each week, I attend the hot Vinyasa classes. These classes help me build strength, balance, and flexibility.
Two days a week, I go to a Yin class. These classes allow me to slow down, relax, stretch deeply, and rejuvenate from running and intense yoga classes each week.
In the fall of 2022, I ran three half marathons in six weeks. By the third half-marathon, I earned a new half-marathon PR by two minutes and 50 seconds!
In April 2023, I ran the St. Jude Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon and ran a course PR.
This was a big deal because I’d run this race five times. Three of those races I ran in 2 hours and 19 minutes – extremely consistent. In 2023 I ran the half in two hours and nine minutes.
Aside from a weekly hike in place of my long run, I haven’t changed anything else. In fact, I’ve gained about 25 pounds between my half marathon PR in 2015 and my new PR in 2022.
I truly believe that regular yoga practice has enhanced my running and brought balance to my life.
FAQ
Many factors determine whether you should do yoga before or after cardio. If you’re practicing a restorative style of yoga, your body may react best to the slow, deep stretching post-run. For a more intense, power-flow style of yoga, you need to determine what works best for your body.
Remember that two strenuous workouts in a day can work, but it’s best to keep them about 8 hours apart if possible.
It is okay to run and practice yoga on the same day. However, if your body begins to tell you that it’s tired and burnt out, reconsider. Opt for running every other day and filling in with yoga. Be sure to take at least one rest day a week to allow the body to recover fully.
Using the proper yoga poses before running is a great warm-up. A quality warm-up for running should include dynamic stretching. This means that your body and its muscles and joints should be moving through their range of motion in the stretch. This will best prepare your body for your run.
Yoga makes running easier when practiced regularly. From my experience, I became a stronger runner overall once I started practicing yoga five days a week. I got faster and found it easier to run longer distances. Add yoga to your weekly routine and watch as running becomes less challenging and more enjoyable.
Final Thoughts: Yoga Before or After Running
Whether you attend a yoga class or follow free yoga sessions online, remember to always listen to your body’s needs. You’ll likely see big benefits from combining regular yoga and running.
Finding out if doing yoga before or after running works best for your body will allow you to unlock the great benefits of each activity.
