It’s a practice associated with peace, calm, and pretzel-like poses. But yoga can be a tool for outdoor athletes to bolster their specialized strength and flexibility needs. Yes, yoga for hikers is a thing.
Trail running and hiking often create tightness in the pelvis, hip flexors, and hamstrings. These postures are meant to stretch, unlock, open, and release the hips, quads, and hamstrings to leave you feeling better and freer overall.
Also, this yoga-for-hikers series releases the piriformis muscle, located behind your glutes—if your rear end is sore the day after trail running, it’s likely this.
If you’re new to yoga, set a goal to do this flow for 20 minutes, three times a week. Hold a pose until the tension releases, or do it for a set time, like 30 seconds. Cycle through moves pre- or post-workout, or as an active recovery-day activity. Some discomfort is OK, but if a pose is painful, back off slightly. As with any sport, getting better takes practice.
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