Yoga to Help You Fart: Relieve Bloating Fast with These Simple Poses

This article will provide a sequence of poses that are beginner friendly and are perfect for practicing first thing in the morning. Essentially it will be a break down of the Sun Salutation, going through each pose in depth, cuing proper alignment. Once each step has been broken down, the student will have the 12 poses of Surya Namaska A to practice in isolation, or in a Sun Salutation style of flow.

Finding Relief: Why You Need Yoga to Help You Fart and Support Digestion

Yoga to help you fart might sound silly at first, but if you’ve ever struggled with gas, bloating, or general digestive discomfort, this simple solution could become your best friend. Digestive issues are not only uncomfortable and embarrassing—they can also be a sign of deeper systemic imbalances. Millions silently suffer, and the root often lies in how far we’ve drifted from our natural, species-specific diets. Combine that with modern stress and poor posture, and it’s no surprise our digestion suffers.

Being open about these issues is the first step to healing. If you’re uncomfortable discussing gas or bloating, know that these are common concerns. Getting comfortable with the uncomfortable opens doors to real solutions. Yoga to help you fart is one such solution—an empowering, accessible practice that supports natural digestive movement and offers real-time relief.

My Digestive Health Journey: A Personal Struggle

I’ve personally lived through a digestive nightmare. From the outside, I looked healthy, but inside I was bloated, gassy, and miserable. Over the years, I’ve tried hundreds of diets, spent thousands of dollars on supplements and lab testing, and encountered numerous practitioners who simply labeled me with IBS—a vague diagnosis that offers little direction. The harsh truth is that many health professionals don’t fully understand the digestive system when it comes to functional wellness.

The turning point came when I discovered a high-carbohydrate, low-fat, fruit-based lifestyle paired with yoga. Not just any yoga—yoga to help you fart. These targeted poses stimulated movement in my gut, relieving pressure, and supporting smoother digestion. When I felt bloated or backed up, a few minutes on the mat would often bring instant results.

How Yoga Promotes Digestive Flow and Gas Relief

Yoga to help you fart isn’t about advanced headstands or impossible backbends. It’s about gentle movements that massage the intestines, stimulate the vagus nerve, and promote peristalsis (the muscular action that moves food through the digestive tract).

yoga to help you fart

TRAINING TYPE:  FLOW SEQUENCE

CATEGORY:YOGA

SUBCATEGORY: MEDICINAL YOGA

PLANNED TIME:10-15 MINUTES

LEVEL:ALL LEVELS  

PROPS:NONE

Yoga to Help You Fart: Positions to Release Gas from Stomach

You will be introduced to six poses. These can be used to support digestive functioning and work to encourage the body to release trapped gas that is causing bloating and discomfort. There will be a demonstration of each pose with an explanation of how each asana works to support your digestion.

  • The Abdominal Lock
  • Eight Limbed Salutation
  • Cobra Pose
  • Half Lord of the Fishes
  • Plow Pose
  • The wind relieving Pose

Unwanted gas and bloating can be more than just an uncomfortable topic. It also leaves you with an uncomfortable feeling in the body. I want to get comfortable with the uncomfortable with you; to explore a series of yoga poses that can work to support digestion, and to encourage any trapped gas to leave the body. At the same time this should also help reduce some of your bloating. Excessive gas can also be a sign that diet needs to be looked at, and it might benefit the body to explore the idea of a short detox. Whether that means adding in more fruits to your diet or jumping on a juice feast; these poses will help to support your protocol to better gut health.

INFROGRAPHIC: Yoga to help you fart when bloated

how to make yourself fart when bloated infographic        yoga to help you fart

The Abdominal Lock – Uddiyana Bandha 

Come to standing, inhale deeply and then bend the knees and come down to the floor with the hands. Suck in the stomach while remaining in the breath void and come up halfway, resting the hands on the knees for support. Hold for as long as is comfortable and then release the belly first and then breathe in. Come back up to standing. 

This pose involves the contraction of the belly up and into the rib cage, so it is important to only practice this on an empty stomach. It is a great tool to have when dealing with excess gas in the body as the idea is pump the abdomen which encourage any stagnant energies to get moving.

1 Uddiyana Bandha        yoga to help you fart

Eight Limbed Salutation – Ashtanga Namaskara 

From a Downward Facing Dog drop the knees-chest-chin down to the mat. The weight is supported in the hands, chin is resting slightly on the earth and hips are up.

 This pose is lengthening and stretching the abdomen while encouraging any build of gas in the body to move on out of the body. It is providing an internal massage and helps in the purification process of the digestive system.

Eight limbed salutation - ashtanga namaskara

Cobra Pose – Bhujangasana

Sliding down onto the belly and push through the palms to straighten the arms and come up into Cobra Pose. Drop the shoulders away from the ears, open the chest and the collarbones and squeeze the shoulder blades back together. Cobra Pose is stimulating the abdominal organs which is great for digestion and any unwanted gas. At the same time it is stretching and opening the lungs, while toning the shoulders and bum.

cobra pose

Half Lord of the Fishes – Ardha Matsyendrasana 

Extend the left leg down along the mat and bend the right knee up. Take the sole of the foot across the left leg and to the floor. There is the option to bend the bottom leg and have the knees stacked or you can keep that bottom leg straight. Place the right hand at the base of the spine and use the left elbow to wrap around the right knee. Turn and twist over to the right.

Twisting the abdomen is great for digestion and cleansing the internal organs. Half Lord of the Fishes Pose stimulates the liver and the kidney, both of which are essential organs when it comes to the purifying the body.

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4 half lord of the fishes pose 2

Plow Pose – Halasana 

Come to lying on your back and then send the hips up, coming up onto the shoulders. The legs and feet are extending behind the head and toes are aiming to touch the floor. If the feet do not reach the ground, keep the lower back supported with the hands. If the toes rest comfortably behind you, there is the option to release the back and have the arms resting down, palms facing up.

Plow Pose stimulates the abdominal organs and the thyroid gland, while stretching the shoulders and the spine.

 

5 plow pose          yoga to help you fart

Wind Relieving Pose – Pavana Muktasana  

Bring the knees in to the chest and start by lifting the shoulders, neck and head up off the earth so you can wrap the arms around the knees. Grab for opposite elbows, forearms or wrists and then relax the shoulders, neck and head back down and have a chin slightly tuck towards the chest.

As the name suggests, this pose is the king when it comes to encouraging excess gas out of the body. Compressing the abdomen in this way, sends an internal massage down into the digestive organs, especially when there is a focus on sending the breath down into the belly.

6 wind relieving pose    yoga to help you fart

Yoga to Help you Fart: How To Make Yourself Fart When Bloated Video

how to make yourself fart when bloated

Gas in the stomach can be a sign of many things; from poor food combining to constipation, even parasites. Whatever the cause, it is a red flag to have a look at your dietary and lifestyle choices. Come back to basics and find joy in simple foods like fruits and leafy greens. Bring in some yoga to support not only your digestion but your mental state as well. Your gut is strongly linked to your brain, so high stress can also cause excess gas in the body! These poses are very simple and can be done in the privacy of your own home. So now you can really focus on letting that gas and whatever is not serving you, out of your body!

TEACHERS INSIGHTS

yoga to help you fart

Incorporating twists and compression of the belly is a great way to get things moving. They can provide relief from excess gas by forcing it out of the body, but when dealing with digestive issues it is so important to get to the root cause of the issue. Detoxing the body with fruit, juices and periods of fasting is recommended to really heal the body at a deep cellular level.

CONCLUSION: Yoga to Help You Fart

Excess gas can be a sign of something more going on in the belly. It is important that we keep the digestive energies moving. We can do this by including twists that pump fresh blood into the area. We also want to work with folds in order to compress the belly and encourage gas to work its way out. These yoga poses are great to support digestion. However, it is important to look at the bigger picture and also ensure that you are eating easily digestible foods, and keeping stress levels low. The gut is your second brain, so it reacts to your mental state!

Ready to unlock more digestive secrets and long-lasting relief? Click here to access our full courses and learn the full range of yoga and lifestyle tools that can transform your gut health for good.

Basic Beginners Yoga Poses: Top 10 Everyday Poses You Can Do at Home

This article will provide a sequence of poses that are beginner friendly and are perfect for practicing first thing in the morning. Essentially it will be a break down of the Sun Salutation, going through each pose in depth, cuing proper alignment. Once each step has been broken down, the student will have the 12 poses of Surya Namaska A to practice in isolation, or in a Sun Salutation style of flow.

Back to Basics: Why Basic Beginners Yoga Poses Matter More Than You Think

When I first began my yoga journey, I had one goal: the splits. Front splits, side splits—any splits! I also dreamed of floating into handstands and bending into poses that seemed straight out of a circus. But I quickly learned that for many of us, especially those not coming from a gymnastics or strength-training background, these big goals don’t come overnight.

The truth? What really moved me forward wasn’t pushing harder or chasing advanced poses—it was going back to the basics. Basic beginners yoga poses became my foundation. These seemingly simple postures activated muscles I didn’t even know I had and taught me how to build strength and flexibility from the ground up.

If you’re just starting out or feel stuck in your practice, this is your reminder: progress begins with the basics. Don’t underestimate the power of foundational poses like Downward Dog, Mountain Pose, and Cat-Cow. These movements work the entire body and prepare you for more complex transitions later on.

So instead of rushing to invert yourself, slow down. Enjoy the journey. Get comfortable with your beginner poses—and watch how your practice evolves in strength, grace, and confidence.

basic beginners yoga poses

TRAINING TYPE:  FLOW SEQUENCE

CATEGORY:YOGA

SUBCATEGORY: BASIC BEGINNERS YOGA POSESEGINNER YOGA

PLANNED TIME:15-20 MIN

LEVEL:BEGINNER  

PROPS:BLOCKS

INTRODUCTION: Basic Beginners Yoga Poses

This article will introduce you to ten of the top beginner friendly yoga poses that are easily accessible by those even in the early stages of their practice. They are essential foundational poses that will lay the building blocks and build strength for greater flexibility for more advanced poses down the track. It is important that you learn to listen to the subtle cues of the body and not push it past its limits. Consistency is key when it comes to opening the body. There is the option to series these ten poses together to create a flow that you can work through two or three times and voila, you have yourself a solid practice!

When starting out on our yoga journey it is essential that you move with respect to where you are at. It is easy to get over excited and ahead of yourself trying to jump into aesthetically pleasing advanced poses, but if you don’t nail the foundations in the beginning, you are likely to run into injury over time. Make sure that you are moving with correct alignment even in the more simple poses, as this is going to set you up for success and let your practice evolve in a way that is safe. 

INFROGRAPHIC: Top 10 basic beginners yoga poses 

Top 10 yoga poses for beginners     basic beginners yoga poses

Upward Salute – Urdhva Hastasana 

Inhale the arms up overhead, keeping the arms shoulder width apart, the palms facing one another. Drop the shoulders down away from the ears. Root down through all four corners of the feet, slight tuck of the tailbone. Spine is straight with the head and neck in line.  This pose is the perfect starting point to create space and length in the body. It stretches the sides, the spine, the shoulders and the abdomen and opens the chest and the lungs.

1 upward salute        basic beginners yoga poses

Standing Forward Bend – Uttanasana 

Hinging at the hips start to come down, keeping the arms extending forward and the spine straight with the head and neck in line. Allow the torso to hang heavy. Hands can come down onto your block or can be resting on the floor. A slight bend to the knees is fine.

As the legs open, the spine is lengthening, and the abdomen is being deeply compressed, so there is a lot going on in the body here, even though it feels as though you are just hanging out. Spending upto five minutes here will really let the hamstrings soften and release.

2 Standing forward Bend

Chair Pose – Utkatasana

Bring the big toes to touch with the heels slightly apart. Bend into your knees and sit the hips down into an imaginary chair. Extend the arms forward and up. Squeeze the knees together. Tailbone is slightly tucked. There is the option to bring the hands into Prayer at the center of the chest.

Chair Pose can get the body and mind heated very quickly! It is a strong workout for the thighs and the trick is to really squeeze the knees together to find strength. Just as the mind wants to give up, try and sit down a little deeper!

3 chair pose        basic beginners yoga poses

Tree Pose – Vrikshasana  

Ground down into the right foot to find stability. Bring the sole of the right foot to the left ankle, toes can be down to the mat. Or bring the right foot to the left calf or thigh. Not on the knee. Hands are in Prayer at the center of the chest or there is the option to extend the arms up overhead opening them up like the branches of a tree. Gaze is up, and there is option to close the eyes to challenge your balance.

Tree Pose looks fairly simple to the outside observer, but there actually a lot going on as you try to find that point of balance in both body and mind. When we practice these poses and start to find more balance on the mat, chances are we will start to find it easier to find that same balance off of the yoga mat.

 

4 Tree pose       basic beginners yoga poses

Downward Facing Dog – Adho Mukha Svanasana 

From all fours, tuck the toes and press down into the palms, fingers spread wide and send the hips up to the sky. Pedal out the legs, bending the knees left and right. If there is tightness in the back of the legs, a slight bend to the knees if fine. This is a pose you are going to have to become familiar with and as a beginner I know that at first it can feel like an intense workout. Over time it will start to feel more like a home base and a place of rest and the perfect opportunity to come back into balance, while receiving a full body stretch.

downward facing dog pose

Warrior 2 – Virabhadrasana II 

Turn the front foot to face forward, the back foot is off on an angle with the arch in line with the heel of the front foot. Bend into the front knee and drop the hips down. Firm down into the feet and hug them in towards the midline to activate the inner thighs. Extend the arms wide and turn the gaze out over the front middle finger. This strong posture helps to build stamina as you find the strength to stay low. Staying connected to the breath will help to find some ease in the perceived effort and develop concentration and focus.

 

warrior 2          basic beginners yoga poses

Extended Triangle Pose – Utthita Trikonasana  

Straighten the front leg and walk that back foot in a step. Send the hips to the left and lean the torso forward. Start to tip from the hips and bring the right hand down. Option to take the right hand to a block. Extend the left arm up to the sky.

In Sanskrit, “utthita” means extended and “trikona” means three angle or triangle  and as is suggested, you can see several triangles in this pose if the alignment is correct. Extended Triangle is going to increase the flexibility and strength in the legs, ankles, knees, and hips, all while opening the shoulders and chest.

7 Triangle pose

Reverse Triangle Pose – Viparita Trikonasana    

Take the left hand down onto the back thigh and extend the right arm up, stretching the side body. Gaze is up to the top hand. Reverse Triangle Pose is the perfect counter stretch to Extended Triangle. It opens up the side of the body and creates space between the ribs. Firm down into the feet to keep the legs fired up and activated.

8 Reverse Triangle pose

Cobra – Bhujangasana  

Bring the hands underneath the shoulders and push into the palms to straighten the arms. Come up, opening the chest and the collar bones. Draw the shoulders down away from the ears and squeeze the shoulder blades together. Cobra Pose stretches muscles in the shoulders, chest and abdominals, while relieving tension in the back.

cobra pose          basic beginners yoga poses

Extended Child’s Pose – Balasana  

Come down to the knees, taking them as wide as the mat. Forehead rests into the earth, with the arms extended forward, palms pressing down. Allow the belly to be soft and relaxed in between the thighs, and as you breathe, send the breath into the back of the body. With the arms extending forward, the shoulders are being stretched and opened which can be deeply satisfying at the end of your practice. Allow the body to be heavy and take rest.

extended child pose

Top 10 Yoga Poses For Beginners Video

This video is designed to set you up with some essential beginner poses that you can series together into a flow. Practice a few rounds and you have yourself a sequence that will open the body and start to build strength so you can advance into deeper poses over time.

top 10 yoga poses for beginners_CH1030

Yoga Poses Names

Each yoga asana typically has an English name that has been translated from a language of ancient India known as Sanskrit, which dates back around 3,500 years. It is the language of the Vedas, India’s ancient religious texts, which gave birth to the practice of yoga. According to present knowledge, this is the first traces of yoga throughout history! Many words and mantras are still commonly used today and it is likely that you will hear a couple of Sanskrit terms thrown around your yoga class. This can be quite confusing initially, especially if you’re only just becoming familiar with the English names! Most teachers will provide the English translation with the Sanskrit, but learning some of the more commonly used names will deepen your understanding of the meaning behind this beautiful ancient language.

Upward Salute – Urdhva Hastasana

Urdhva, means “upward,” hasta, means “hands,” and asana, meaning “posture.” This pose is usually performed as part of the Sun Salutation and is traditionally performed outside and facing the East as the sun rises. Standing Forward Bend – UttanasanaUttana, means “intense stretch” and asana means “a seat” or “posture.”This pose is thought to be one of surrender, humility and acceptance.

Chair Pose – Utkatasana

Utkata, means “intense” or “powerful,” and asana, means “posture.”You might also hear it called fierce pose, powerful pose or awkward pose and is associated with creativity and determination.

Tree Pose – Vrikshasana

Vriksa, means “tree,” and asana, meaning “pose.” This pose integrates the body, mind and breath and invokes qualities like strength, endurance, grace and balance – the qualities of a tree.

Downward Facing Dog – Adho Mukha Shvanasana

Adho, means “down,” mukha, means “face,” svana, means “dog,” and asana, meaning “pose.”Over time this pose starts to become a home base, even though it might not feel like it at first. It is a great counter pose to many backbends and hip openers. Get familiar with these terms and be ahead of the game!

Yoga Poses for Two

It’s so refreshing to catch up with a friend over something other than food or a drink! Don’t get me wrong, food dates are the best, but sometimes it’s good to find something a little more active and connecting! Partner yoga can be a lot of fun, but it also has the added benefit of helping you to deepen and stabilise.

Seated Cat-Cow

Sit cross-legged facing one another and hold onto each others forearms. Both partners move through Cat and Cow simultaneously. So both arching the back opening the chest to come into Cow and then rounding back together, dropping the chin down to the chest Double Tree Pose Standing side by side, take your original tree stance with the legs, and then take your arms around each others waist. Bring your outer arms in to meet each others palm. Creating Prayer Pose together. A very simple way to practice balance with support. Double Boat Pose Come into Boat Pose facing one another and bring the soles of the feet to touch. Extend the arms and grab hands! This is a great way to provide a deep stretch to the hamstrings with some extra support to help keep the spine straight.

Camel Pose

Come to a knee-standing position facing the opposite way to your away to your partner. Place one of your feet in between your partners and have all four feet in line. your right heel halfway between hers, so all four heels are in a line. Support the lower back with the hands and slowly lean back to place your head on your partner’s right shoulder. Hands can release down to the feet.

Advanced Yoga Poses

It really is essential that we get some of the more simple poses down before we jump into some more serious asana. You want to make sure you are working with the correct alignment from the get-go, in order to prevent injury over time, BUT, if you have been practicing for a while and have those foundational poses in the bag, maybe it’s time to up your game and your practice!

Bound Angle Pose in Headstand – Baddha Konasana in Sirsasana

If you are feeling comfortable in the headstand pose, getting a little more fancy with the legs might be something you can try out! It isn’t a big stretch from the original, but it definitely makes an aesthetically pleasing pic for ye old social media!

One Legged Wheel Pose – Eka Pada Urdvha Dhanurasana

If you have Wheel Pose in the bag, maybe it’s time to give this one legged variation a try! As you extend one leg high to the sky, really press into the palms and shine the chest and heart open. There is the option to drop down onto the forearms. This is an extremely energising pose that works to improve balance and focus.Firefly Pose – TittibhasanaHere we have an advanced arm balance to try out if you’re looking to move on from the more intermediate arm balances like trusty old Crow Pose. Firefly is going to work the strength of your core and requires some solid flexibility in the hip flexors and hamstrings.

TEACHERS INSIGHTS

Take your time! The aim of yoga is to not only open the body, but to come into the beauty of the present moment and enjoy where you are at. Allowing everything to be, just as it is. This is the key to enjoying life both on and off the yoga mat!

Conclusion: Basic Beginners Yoga Poses

You now have ten of the top basic beginners yoga poses to explore. Whether you choose to hold each pose for a few minutes to gently open the body or flow through them with your breath, these foundational movements are the perfect starting point.

Remember, props and modifications are your friends—use them to support your body as it grows stronger and more flexible. By honoring your current limits and practicing with patience, you’re setting yourself up for long-term success. Getting the alignment right from the start is key to avoiding injury and building a safe, sustainable yoga practice.

PDF DOWNLOAD

top 10 yoga poses for beginners pdf_CH1030

By the time you are finished reading this article you will have a series of beginner friendly poses to add into your practice with confidence. They are accessible by those starting out on their yoga journey and are important foundational asanas which lay the groundwork for strength and flexibility.  Included in this Free Yoga PDF Download:

  • Yoga asanas names with pictures and benefits
  • Printable Sequence Infographic
  • Teacher Tips
  • Resource Links

Ready to start building your foundation? Check out our courses for basic beginners yoga poses to explore the essential postures that will support and strengthen your practice from the ground up.

Post Run Yoga Sequence to Cool Down, Stretch Out and Stay Injury Free

This article will provide a sequence of poses that are beginner friendly and are perfect for practicing first thing in the morning. Essentially it will be a break down of the Sun Salutation, going through each pose in depth, cuing proper alignment. Once each step has been broken down, the student will have the 12 poses of Surya Namaska A to practice in isolation, or in a Sun Salutation style of flow.

Post Run Yoga Sequence: The Perfect Cool Down for Runners

My favourite part about going for a run? The cool down at the end. There’s something so rewarding about moving your body with power and speed—then slowing it all down to honour what it just accomplished. Our bodies are capable of amazing things, and it only feels right to show them some love afterward.

A post run yoga sequence is the perfect way to unwind both physically and mentally. Not only do they help lengthen the muscles you’ve just worked hard, but they also shift the body out of “go mode” and into recovery.

For runners, yoga offers more than just a stretch. The repetitive nature of running can create muscular imbalances—overusing some muscles while neglecting others. Over time, this can lead to stiffness, pain, and even injury. Yoga helps correct these imbalances by encouraging both flexibility and strength. It activates underused muscles, supports better posture, and promotes recovery.

As one article on The Benefits and Effects of Yoga for Runners highlights, running without balance can increase the risk of biomechanical issues. Yoga helps restore symmetry by stretching tight areas and strengthening those that are underutilized—ultimately improving running performance and longevity.

So next time you finish a run, take a few moments to breathe, stretch, and give your body what it needs with these post run yoga poses. It’s not just recovery—it’s an investment in your next great run.

TRAINING TYPE:  FLOW SEQUENCE

CATEGORY:YOGA

SUBCATEGORY:YOGA FOR ATHLETES: POST RUN YOGA SEQUENCE

PLANNED TIME:30 MIN

LEVEL:ALL LEVELS  

PROPS:STRAPS

INFROGRAPHIC: Post Run Yoga Sequence

beginner yoga for runners infographic CH1025     post run yoga sequence

HOW TO DO INSTRUCTIONS 

Downward Facing Dog – Adho Mukha Svanasana 

Pressing the palms down into the earth, tuck the toes and send the hips up high, coming into Downward Facing Dog. You can pedal out the legs, bending one knee and then the other, warming up into the hamstrings, the calve and the back of the ankles.

downward facing dog pose

Low Lunge – Anjaneyasana  

Open the right leg back and up and then step it forward in between the palms coming into a Low Lunge. There is the option to have the back knee on or off the earth. Squeezing the glutes to activate the hip flexors. Press down into the heel of the front foot, to activate the underside of the front leg.

low lunge 2        post run yoga sequence

 

Lizard Pose – Uttana Pristhasana

 

Drop the back knee down and take the hands to the inside of the front foot. Work the right foot out to the left to come into a Lizards Pose. The right foot can turn out and toes can be lifted to support the knee. Allow the knee to fall open to the side.

lizard pose low 2

Downward Facing Dog – Adho Mukha Svanasana 

Walk the hands back either side of the front foot, press the palms down and send the hips high, coming back into Downward Facing Dog.

 

downward facing dog pose

Low Lunge – Anjaneyasana

Step the left foot forward in between the palms, coming into Low Lunge. There is the option to drop the knee down to the earth. Keep the spine straight with the head and neck in line. Gaze can be just slightly forward. Squeezing the glute muscles to turn on the front of the hip flexor.

low lunge 2

Lizard Pose – Uttana Pristhasana 

Place the left hand inside of the front foot. Walk the front foot out to the left. Turning out the toes, coming into Lizard’s Pose here. There is the option to come down onto the forearms to intensify the stretch.

lizard pose low 2

Tip Toe Hero Pose – Prapada Virasana  

Come onto all fours and tuck the toes underneath. Send the hips back to sit on the feet, coming into Tip Toe Hero Pose (also known as Toe Squat). If the pose becomes too intense come forward onto the fingertips to release the pressure and then go back in.

tiptoe hero pose toe squat

Ankle Stretch    

Moving into Ankle Stretch by taking the hands behind you and lifting the knees so as to apply pressure to the front sides of the feet.

ankle stretch        post run yoga sequence

 Seated Forward Bend – Paschimottanasana   

Transition to sitting and extend the legs out in front. Remove the flesh from underneath the sit bones and elongate the spine. Inhale and raise the arms overhead. Exhale and slowly bend forward from the hips, reaching the hands towards the toes. Inhale, peel the body back up and bring the arms back up over head. With an exhale bend forward and come into Seated Forward Bend. Settle into the pose.

seated forward bend       post run yoga sequence

Supine Pigeon Pose – Supta Kapotasana  

Lie down on your back and bring the soles of the feet to the earth. Bring the right knee in to the chest and place the ankle onto the left thigh creating a figure four shape. Bend the left knee up and reach the hands through to interlace the fingers, either around the shin, or behind the thigh. Pull the left leg towards the body and allow the right knee to open. Repeat on the other side.

supine pigeon pose       post run yoga sequence

Beginner Yoga For Runners Video – Post Run Yoga Poses

beginner yoga for runnersv2CH1025    post run yoga poses

Strength Yoga for Runners

Yoga is more than a means of opening the body and working on flexibility, as it is also an opportunity to work into our strength! Yoga is going to keep the body light and open. At the same time it will allow you to develop the kind of strength that is going to make your performance during other intense workouts more explosive. You want to target the whole body, building strength from head to toe. In particularly you want to build into the muscles of the legs. Any standing pose where there is the opportunity to hug and draw everything to the midline, is going to really activate these particular muscle groups and get them firing and strong.

Here are five of the best poses to build strength in the whole body.

Plank Pose – Utthita Chaturanga Dandasana

Plank Pose is the number one when it comes to firing up the core, as it activates all four muscle groups in the stomach. However, not only is it an effective means of firing up the abdomen, it also works into the shoulders, chest, legs and back. Spending a few minutes here (if you can!) encourages the body to manifest stability which will improve balance and coordination. This is going to have profound effects on your running practice. Do a few rounds, holding at first for 30 seconds, then a minute, maybe a minute and a half… Each time try and better yourself!

High Lunge – Alanasana

High Lunge is going to challenge your strength and flexibility. Over time it will teach you how to stabilize the legs and will improve overall balance. Use this opportunity to ground down into the feet and energetically draw them together to activate and work into the underside of the legs.

Humble Warrior – Baddha Virabhadrasana

As the names suggests, we have the perfect opportunity to practice humility in this pose. It requires strength and stamina from the front leg, as well as the lower back and core. At the same time you’re also maintaining balance as you vulnerably offer yourself forward. True power lies in the ability to be vulnerable. This pose is the perfect encapsulation of the strong, yet vulnerable and humble warrior.

Warrior Two – Virabhadrasana II

Warrior Two is a legendary strength building pose, as you stand your ground like a mighty warrior. The weight is balanced between both hips as the torso rises up straight and strong. True strength lies in the ability to remain focused and balanced no matter what life serves up. Warrior Two provides the perfect opportunity to stand in your own strength. Find some ease in the perceived effort and to relax into a fierce incarnation of Shiva the warrior – empowered and ready to face any challenge presented.  

Boat Pose – Paripurna Navasana

Boat Pose requires the coordination of all four limbs and your torso, whilst strengthening up through the spine, and maintaining breath awareness! This can teach you a lot about yourself and the quality of your mind; as the effort of the pose begins to draw out thoughts and stories of perceived effort. Committing to the breath and drawing everything to the center will be your saviour. You will find a power you didn’t know you have, as you integrate the strength of the whole body to support you.

Post Run Yoga Sequence for Recovery

No one will deny that stretching after a run is a wise move. However, knowing and doing are two very different things – especially when you’ve come back from a long, hard run and you’re scraping the bottom of the motivation barrel. Make things easier on yourself and have the mat ready and rolled out for you, so all you have to do is crawl / fall onto it. Even if you have only five minutes in mind, once you’re down there you’ll be surprised how easy it suddenly becomes to spend fifteen to twenty minutes cooling down the body – and that’s simply because it just feels so damn good!

Cooling down the body is an important part of any athletic workout. Yoga provides the perfect opportunity for the body and mind to rest and recover. Here are three of the more restorative poses you can take when the body is needing some extra love and some time to recuperate!

Extended Child’s Pose – Balasana

Here we have the best excuse to really just melt into the floor and say we are doing yoga! Which we are! There is zero physical effort required, as the spine stretches from the tailbone right through to the crown of the head. The belly is allowed to be soft and to fall between the thighs; the extension of the arms releases into the shoulders (AND you can even take the forehead left and right and give yourself a little massage). So even when energy is in the gutter, there is no excuse to not settle into this simple pose and find some stillness.  

Supported Bridge Pose – Setu Bandhasana variation

Setu is translated from Sanskrit as bridge, and this is the shape we are aiming for with the arch of the spine. In this variation however, we are taking out all means of physical effort, by relaxing our hips down onto a block. This is going to provide a juicy stretch to the front of the hip flexors. When we engage our strength without the block, this pose has an energizing effect on the body. When we support ourselves in this way there is the opportunity to just let gravity melt you down either side; this can be luxuriously therapeutic.

One-Legged King Pigeon Pose, forward bend variation – Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana

Here we have a deep hip opener which is going to support the kind of range of motion that running requires. We’re targeting both legs simultaneously, creating space and releasing tension post run. This pose is great for any piriformis issues, but it might be a little uncomfortable if you are tight in this area. Ease into the pose and use any blankets to prop the hips up if that’s more comfortable.

TEACHERS INSIGHTS

post run yoga poses

It is important to spend time stretching and opening the body both before and after a run. This decrease the likelihood of injury, and simultaneously boosts performance.

CONCLUSION: Post Run Yoga Sequence 

It is not essential to include all of these poses in your warm up and cool downs. Just choose two or three to really spend some time with and this will really compliment your running practice and performance. When the body is warm and open, you are taking precautions to prevent future injury.  Increased flexibility is going to bring more mobility into the legs, hips and back and literally add strides to your performance. Yoga is so complimentary to many dynamic forms of exercise, but especially to running. So spend some time cultivating stillness of the body and mind, so that you can really leave anything that is not serving you at the door.

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