I’m very particular about my pre-run and post-run routines. Blame it on a recent history of injuries, but my prep and cooldown take longer than my actual runs at this point, with ab and glute activation exercises for a warmup and lots of foam rolling, massage sticking, and yoga as a cooldown. I’ve created my own post-run yoga flows in the past, but when I came across this 30-minute “Yoga For Runners” routine on the Alo Moves app (and on YouTube for free!) and saw that it was led by one of my favorite instructors, Calvin Corzine, I decided to give it a try.
What I love about this sequence is that it’s gentle and focused on functionality above all. Instead of pushing into the full extent of each pose, you use yoga blocks and modifications, like bending your legs in Downward Dog or Half Splits, or staying further upright in Forward Fold. That lets you work within your body’s flexibility instead of pushing it too hard, which is great for runners like me who tend to be tight. The class is also a nice blend of strengthening and stretching, especially in your hips, hamstrings, IT band, and back, with poses like Pigeon, Figure-Four (reclined and standing), and Lizard. Corzine teaches at a slow, steady pace that’s perfect for bringing me back down from the endorphin rush of a run.
If you’re looking for a new post-run cooldown or just want to flow through your recovery day, grab a couple of blocks (or thick books) and try out the full class above!