It’s been argued that there is nothing more taxing on your body than running multiple days a week. Most runners know that supplementing your running with weights is essential to success, but what about adding in a much-needed stretching regime for your aching muscles? Combining your running routine with a short yoga sequence is a great way to increase flexibility and reduce injury. Here are some of our favorite poses to help you recharge your body and get the most out of your next run.

Butterfly

This is a great post-run starting stretch because it releases the tension in your muscles, especially in the inner thighs, knees, and groin.

Sit tall on your mat and press the soles of your feet together, bending your knees. Roll your shoulders back and take a deep breath, pressing your thighs down in order to increase the intensity of the stretch. Hold your feet and bow forward as far as you can—without risking a strain—and hold for one minute. Straighten up and extend your spine.

To stretch in the opposite direction, consider adding cobbler’s pose into your practice. This pose, which starts from seated butterfly, further opens your hips and thighs, while also targeting your lower back. Simply lean back, lying down on the floor with your feet still pressed together and your knees out.

Downward Dog & Upward Dog

When done in succession, these poses are extremely beneficial for runners because they target all the muscles in the legs; hamstrings, calves, quads, and hip flexors, while also lengthening the spine and opening the chest and shoulders.

Starting on your hands and knees, lift your hips toward the ceiling while pushing your palms into the ground. As you do this, lift your thighs, shifting your weight onto your legs and begin to straighten your knees. Push your heels into the ground and pull your kneecaps up to intensify the stretch. Hold for one minute.

From here, move into plank, bringing your body forward and lowering to the ground. Roll your toes under and arch your chest up, bending back so you are looking toward the sky. Straighten your arms and lift your thighs and hips away from the floor, breathing slowly. Roll back down and push yourself up into plank before returning to downward facing dog.

Pigeon Pose

This pose is ideal for opening your hips. It works by targeting the hip flexors, while also increasing your flexibility in areas that are tight from running.

Begin in downward dog, then bring your right leg up, folding it in front of you while the left leg remains behind you. Be sure that your right foot is flexed, and your left leg is straight with toes pointed to get the most out of the stretch. Square your hips, sit up straight, and breathe deeply. Exhale and fold forward.

Advanced yogis can add an extra stretch by returning to the upright position and bending the back leg, reaching for it with the opposite arm. Hold for a minute, and then return to the upward pigeon position before pushing yourself back into downward facing dog. Repeat on the opposite side.

Seated Spinal Twist/ Half Lord of the Fishes

Twists loosen and lengthen your spine, shoulders, and neck. Though these areas are sometimes missed when stretching, they are often strained when employing proper running form. As an added bonus, this stretch also further opens up the hips.

Start in seated position, sitting tall with your legs extended in front of you. Cross your left leg over your right, with your knee pointed upward and the sole of your foot pressed firmly into the ground. Bend the opposite leg so that your foot is tucked in near your butt. Place your left hand on the mat just behind you and twist, bringing the other elbow to the outside of the left knee. Look over your shoulder and hold, releasing on an exhale and then repeating on the opposite side.

Triangle Pose

There is no better pose to release the tension of tight hamstrings and inner thigh muscles than triangle, which opens and expands muscles that runners normally strain vertically by working laterally instead.

Start standing with your feet spread wide. Turn your left toes in and roll your right thigh open by turning the right to 90 degrees. Keep your legs straight and press your feet firmly into the ground as you inhale and stretch your arms out to the sides of the room. Exhale and shift your weight toward your left hip, twisting so that your right hand is on your shin, ankle, or the ground, and your left hand is pointed straight up. Hold for 30 seconds to a minute before twisting your arms back to the starting position, standing up and turning your feet in. Repeat on the other side.

Pyramid Pose

Runners with tight hamstrings will love this pose. Not only does pyramid stretch the sore hamstrings and IT bands, it’s also a great stretch for improving and promoting balance.

Stand tall in mountain pose with your feet together. Step your left foot back about three feet and angle the feet so that they are both facing forward, with the left one slightly angled out. Squaring your hips, draw your hands either over your head or behind your back with palms together (fingers facing up) and inhale. Exhale and hinge at the hips, folding forward while keeping your spine long and your legs straight. Hold for 30 seconds to a minute and straighten back up before repeating on the other side.

Tree

A great pose to end on, this calming stretch lengthens your legs and strengthens ankles while focusing on the importance of balance.

Fix your gaze on something in the distance to help with balance. In one fluid motion, bring your arms up over your head pointing toward the sky while at the same time bringing in one leg so that the bottom of your foot is pressed flat against the inside of the opposite leg. Bring your arms back down by your heart and hold for 30 seconds to a minute. Repeat on the other side.

For more advanced athletes, once you reach the prayer position, bend the knee that is currently straight, and bring the foot of the already bent leg in so that it’s rested on top of the balancing leg. Hold for 30 seconds to a minute and then straighten up, returning to the standing tree position.

Share your favorite pre- and post-run yoga poses with us in the comment section below.

For more from 15-minute FITNESS, check out last week’s medicine ball workout.