Yoga for Runners - Use the Wall

Guest Post by Jasyoga, masters of yoga for athletes!

USE THE WALL — DON’T HIT THE WALL

Okay, we can’t promise you won’t hit the wall but we can help buffer that possibility. Train hard, recover hard. And a great way to lean into your recovery is to literally lean into a wall. Your recovery yoga should have a feeling of ease, not like you’re working for the stretch and counting the seconds until it’s over. The wall takes any unnecessary work out so you can truly relax into the stretch and feel a real difference.

We’re sharing our top 5 stretches at the wall for time-poor runners below. Give them a go! And if you have extra time hit the video listed under each stretch to dig further that particular recovery area. If you’re not a subscriber start a free month with code PICKYRUNNERRESET at video.jasyoga.com. Once you’re signed up there you can also access all videos on our app for iOS and Android.

1. Shower

• Face the wall and put your hands onto the wall about an arms length above your shoulders, with your fingers pointing toward the ceiling.

• Step your feet back from the wall and length your spice toward the floor.

• Engage your core and lift your ribs together to avoid collapsing your mid-spine toward the floor.

• Look at the place where the wall and the floor meet to help your neck find a comfortable neutral position.

VIDEO: Quick Post-Run Reset 

2. Forward Fold at the Wall

• Lean into the wall with your feet hip width apart and parallel, a foot or two away from the wall.

• Keeping your knees bent, fold forward and walk your hands down your legs.

• Lean back into the wall — if it feels hard or like you can't lean back, bring your feet a bit farther away from the wall.

• Rest your hands wherever they land or on props, if needed.

• Hold for 5–10 deep breaths.

VIDEO: Hammy Time 

3. Squat at the Wall

• Stand up and lean into the wall with your feet wider than hip width apart.

• Turn out your thighs and bend your knees — tracking them over your ankles — to come into a deep squat

• Keep leaning back into the wall, and either reset your forearms on your quads or bring your elbows to your inner thigh and joins your palms in front of your chest.

• Try to get your whole back onto the wall even the back of your head.

• Lift up all your toes so that you really feel your weight moving back into the heels.

VIDEO: Hip Maintenance with Stephanie Violett 

4. Figure 4 at the Wall

• Lie on your back and put your feet flat on the wall so that your knees are bent at about a 90-degree angle. If your back feels uncomfortable, move a bit further away from the wall.

• Cross your right ankle over your left knee, keeping the foot flexed.

• Make sure both sides of your waist are even (make sure your spine doesn't side bend to get your ankle over your knee). If that feels tough, back up more or slide your left foot further up the wall.

• Rest your arms along your sides with your palms facing up.

• Add a little rock side to side. It’s small. Notice how the stretch changes as you change the angles.

• Find a spot where there’s a lot of sensation but it’s not a struggle, and pause there.

• Hold for 10 deep breaths before switching sides.

VIDEO: Comprehensive Hip and Hamstring Reset 

5. Legs up the Wall (with Strap)

• Lie on your back and extend your legs up the wall, moving as far back as needed to neutralise your spine.

• Bend your knees slightly and turn your feet away from each other.

• Rest your arms open, palms up.

• For an added recovery boost, put a bolster under your butt and loop a strap around your calves, creating additional support for your body to rest into.

• Stay and breathe deeply for 5–20 minutes.

VIDEO: Recovery Boost for Runners 

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We’d love to hear how you’re incorporating these stretches into your training — and we’re always available to answer questions and make Reset recommendations. We’re at @jasyogahq on Instagram, @jasyogahq on Twitter, and Jasyoga on Facebook.