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| hello!
i am new on the forum, it seems like people have great advice here!
i have a question about running and yoga. i used to be a serious runner, and i haven't run in over a year. i also practice the ashtanga primary series (mysore) every morning. a few weeks ago i started running again. the next week in practice, i got injured in a pose which i had been doing often and never had a problem with before. my question is, has anyone heard of running effecting yoga negatively? i know that when i was running years ago, i was much more inflexible. and i've heard that many cardio athletes are less flexible-- they sacrifice flexibility for strength.
anyway, i was wondering if there were any other ashtangis out there who run regularly or anyone who has any anecdotes or advice. (i'm thinking about trying to train for a marathon wouldn't if it might effect my practice.)
thanks!
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| shanti - 2006-11-06 4:29 PM
hello!
i am new on the forum, it seems like people have great advice here!
i have a question about running and yoga. i used to be a serious runner, and i haven't run in over a year. i also practice the ashtanga primary series (mysore) every morning. a few weeks ago i started running again. the next week in practice, i got injured in a pose which i had been doing often and never had a problem with before. my question is, has anyone heard of running effecting yoga negatively? i know that when i was running years ago, i was much more inflexible. and i've heard that many cardio athletes are less flexible-- they sacrifice flexibility for strength.
anyway, i was wondering if there were any other ashtangis out there who run regularly or anyone who has any anecdotes or advice. (i'm thinking about trying to train for a marathon wouldn't if it might effect my practice.)
thanks!
If the Ashtanga practice is sincerely and properly continued, including that you have sufficient energy while doing the Ashtanga practice, there is NO negative effect of running on your Yoga Practice. Actually, if you follow all this, your Ashtanga practice should become better.
I am not advising you to do the running, but the above is a fact.
But, if your running sucks energy out, and Ashtanga practice is faultering, then the later will be messed up. Ashtanga practice is more difficult than running physically and mentally, without any doubt.
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| Hi shanti,
Welcome to the forum.
With regard to your question "Has anyone heard of running effecting yoga negatively? The answer depends on two factors.
The first factor is how you define yoga.
If your definition only includes the physical aspect of yoga (asana), then running will certainly effect your practise, though I wouldn't go so far as to use the word negatively because from an energetic perspective and providing you let your body receive enough rest between workouts, there is no reason why you can not run and practise yoga.
The second factor regards the personal goals that you wish to achieve from your Ashtanga practise.
From a physical perspective, running places a strenuous, intensive and continous strength effort on the leg muscles and it is commonly acknowledged that a consistant running practise will tighten the muscles of the hips and thighs. Of course that statement also depends on the type of running that a person practises and the extent to which they work their muscles through their full range of motion. For example, a sprinter will experience a deeper range of motion than a jogger and will likely be more flexible as a result. I have met marathon runners who can barely touch their knees, let alone their toes and 100/200 metre sprinters who able to demonstrate full splits. Of course there are exceptions such as David Swenson (to name but one) who is more flexible than I could ever hope to be and also runs marathons.
You don't mention in which pose or how you injured yourself but do acknowledge that when you were running years ago, you were much less flexible. If you have now reintroduced running to your yoga practise it is entirely feasable that your muscles will be much tighter than usual. If you try and achieve the same flexibility levels as before to quickly, then you may be liable for an injury.
As usual, I recommend listening to your body.
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Location: London, England | Hi JD,
It's possible for yoga to downgrade your ability to run, and it's possible for running to dowgrade your range of motion. But at the end of the day, flexibility is not considered to be necessarily healthy-runners these days are told to develop active flexibility, whereby the muscles are able to produce force even at extreme joint ranges of motion-simply stretching will not usually do this-many yoga practicioner's develop what you could call passive flexibility. This should be discouraged, because it means that we cannot control the joints whilst we are putting them in different postures.
So if you want to be a long distance runner, don't concentrate on stretching too much in yoga-concentrate on good posture, which should mean that you can maintain better posture in running. This is a skill which I believe takes a lifetime to explore-as a result, I hope to be climbing trees with my grandchildren, and maintaining good posture for longer-then the strains of old age should be less visible-here's hoping 
Nick |
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| Running tightens your hamstrings. This can adversely affect your yoga practice. However, on the flip side, yoga can increase your strength, balance, and range of motion which definitely improves your ability to run as well as your ability to resist injuries.
Just out of curiosity, are you doing any other strength training work besides Ashtanga? |
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| You need to be specific on your injury while you were practicing. I.e. which posture did you find pain? I was a long time runner for many years - in fact last year I ran in an ultra marathon and it effected my yoga practice seriously. My advice to you is to first look at the posture and see how and what you were trying to do. Which posture did you have pain? For example, in Supta Kurmasana, this posture is going to open up your hips and help you through iliotibilial (IT band) stress which is induced while running. And other hip openers in the standing postures also will help open your hips up whie you are combining running with yoga. These are crucial to maintaining healthy open hips while you run. Let me know where your pain was and we'll go from there. But to answer your question - yes! Running and ashtanga are not the best mix - be sure to moderate your runs and your yoga practice because doing them together is stressful...both very physical activities and one needs to be moderated in order to do the other. |
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| Hello there:
I am new here, but have been wondering about a few things with regard to strength training, cardio, and general fitness.
I usually ask my sister, who is an Ashtanga Yogi,however she didn't have an answer for this one.
I have been doing Weight Watchers to learn how to eat better and lose weight. I have also been really liking what Dr. Mehmet Oz has to say with regard to what goes into your body and how to be healthy on the inside. He wants you think more about your measurements, primarily your waist, rather than what the scale says. He suggests 30 minutes a day walking (7 days a week), 20 minutes strength training 3 times a week, resistance training (cardio) 20 minutes three times a week and stretching everyday.
I had been running 3-4 times a week, but have been having trouble with my hip (not sure what) and am waiting for x-rays so am taking that time to heel and take a break from running.
I have modified my workouts and am primarily walking everyday, and doing yoga everyday. It is primarily Ashtanga, but they are DVD's. One is a Crunch "Fat Burning Yoga" with Sara Ivanhoe that is 40 minutes, and another one is Yoga Zone "Sculpting Yoga" which is also 40 minutes.
My question (finally) is this; Between doing these two workouts (which I love and feel very strong) does it encompass all of the bases above - cardio/strenght trainng?
Anybody having any input would be great.
Sorry for being so long winded, but appreciate your patience.
thanks
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| Jane190 - 2006-11-29 10:21 PM
Hello there:
I am new here, but have been wondering about a few things with regard to strength training, cardio, and general fitness.
I usually ask my sister, who is an Ashtanga Yogi,however she didn't have an answer for this one.
I have been doing Weight Watchers to learn how to eat better and lose weight. I have also been really liking what Dr. Mehmet Oz has to say with regard to what goes into your body and how to be healthy on the inside. He wants you think more about your measurements, primarily your waist, rather than what the scale says. He suggests 30 minutes a day walking (7 days a week), 20 minutes strength training 3 times a week, resistance training (cardio) 20 minutes three times a week and stretching everyday.
I had been running 3-4 times a week, but have been having trouble with my hip (not sure what) and am waiting for x-rays so am taking that time to heel and take a break from running.
I have modified my workouts and am primarily walking everyday, and doing yoga everyday. It is primarily Ashtanga, but they are DVD's. One is a Crunch "Fat Burning Yoga" with Sara Ivanhoe that is 40 minutes, and another one is Yoga Zone "Sculpting Yoga" which is also 40 minutes.
My question (finally) is this; Between doing these two workouts (which I love and feel very strong) does it encompass all of the bases above - cardio/strenght trainng?
Anybody having any input would be great.
Sorry for being so long winded, but appreciate your patience.
thanks
It is ridiculous that you are doing Ashtanga Style Yoga Exercise when you have some hip problems. |
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| I suppose I should classify - my hip hurts when I run or do anything with impact. It doesn't bother me at all to do the workouts I have been doing. My doctor thinks that I may have run misaligned and then made it worse by overcompensating, therefore inflaming it. |
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Expert Yogi
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| Jane - Ashtanga may not be the best type of yoga for you to do at this time. If you have misalignments, it will make them worse and reinforce them, especially since you are practicing without a teacher. You may need to do 100% rest for a little while. Runners hate to hear this, I know! Sometimes the eliptical trainer in a gym is better on legs/backs/hips...? |
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Location: London, England | Hi Jane,
Not long-winded at all! I've never seen these DVD's, but they sound preety energetic-these combined with walking should be a reasonably vigorous workout regime-just make sure that the postures are performed well-usually a good idea to do it with a friend and keep an eye on each other. Walking is also good with a friend to keep up the pace-talking should be an effort-try to vary the terrain-uphills and so on. Try lots of standing postures-maybe the whole of the routine, again with good form, to strengthen and stretch the muscles of the hips, legs, spine and shoulders.
That should cover it
Nick |
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| blueyogini - 2006-11-25 2:21 PM
You need to be specific on your injury while you were practicing. I.e. which posture did you find pain? I was a long time runner for many years - in fact last year I ran in an ultra marathon and it effected my yoga practice seriously. My advice to you is to first look at the posture and see how and what you were trying to do. Which posture did you have pain? For example, in Supta Kurmasana, this posture is going to open up your hips and help you through iliotibilial (IT band) stress which is induced while running. And other hip openers in the standing postures also will help open your hips up whie you are combining running with yoga. These are crucial to maintaining healthy open hips while you run. Let me know where your pain was and we'll go from there. But to answer your question - yes! Running and ashtanga are not the best mix - be sure to moderate your runs and your yoga practice because doing them together is stressful...both very physical activities and one needs to be moderated in order to do the other.
hey! thanks for the reponses so far... here's the story. as i said, i used to run a lot--- over a year ago, i did a marathon.. near the end of my training (after the long runs) i would feel some pain in my hips which sounds like jane's situation. it was caused because of the angle of my legs and hips. i hear this can be a common problem for women long-distance runners. (or at least not uncommon.) after the marathon sesaon i took some time off (like 8 months!) and concentrated on my asana practice. after having practiced the first series for almost a year, i went running one weekend with some friends. it was slow and short. i believe it was the next week that in practice while in Kurmasana, i felt a little twinge in my hip. then when i was in Upavista Konasana i felt a tear or something in my hip. it didn't really hurt, it just freaked me out. well the rest of the day, my hip was tender and for the next few practices it was tender. then i took some time off. since then i've been back with some tenderness, but nothing too bad... but i've been scared to run. it may have been a coincidence, but i'm not sure. that's why i posted the original message on the off chance anyone had experienced anything similar...
to give more detail on the pain... well, in any wide leg sort of thing like Prasarita Padottanasana, i felt tenderness. actually, the pose where it hurt the most was Supta Konasana. i think because of the angle of my leg. the place it would feel tender after practice was almost my back hip, like my rear end. it was sometimes tender to even sit- at it's worst. it's still a little tender, but i avoid folding too much in Upavista Konasana and it's been much better. (and i've been able to do the rest of the practice with no pain...)
so, there's the whole scoop! thanks again for advice! |
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Regular
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Location: Jacksonville, Florida | Jane190,
(I agree with what others have said).
It is not very necessary to do high-energy yoga to receive benefit. I can find the "non-power" type yoga classes (called "Sun/Mind" or "Mind" at my boutique) more strenuous than the high-energy-, power-yoga because I focus more on my ujaiipranayama (sp?) more.
Particularly if you are experiencing body pain (which is why I stopped weightlifting), perhaps you should listen to your body.
I did three positions for about a year before I even took a class --and I didn't learn them from a DVD. All I did was mountain, easy-sitting, and cat & cow. I focused on my breathing. It was more of a meditative practice than anything. It was quite detoxifying and I found myself throwing up on more than one occasion. (My co-worker at the time was a yoga instructor and counselled me on this point.)
Back more on topic: while I don't see running and another form of exercise contradictory, I don't see why it would be necessary. To reiterate what has already been mentioned, it depends on what your idea of yoga is to begin with.
"As long as you keep the breath, you receive benefit..."
Edited by yogabear 2006-11-30 7:25 PM
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Expert Yogi
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| shanti - you have torn something. Nick can tell you what you tore, but it is a tear, for sure. Do not forward bend in upavista konasana and dont' do further than "concave back" position in prasarita paddottanasana. Tears take a heck of a long time to heal, but they do heal if you let them. BTDT! |
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| Hello everyone;
Thank you all for your advice. I certainly feel much more fit since starting my dvd's (it's only been about a month or so consistently-3-4 times a week).
For some reason since turning 40 I have managed to quit smoking, start running, lose weight and really be consistent in my fitness regime (not all at once mind you....  )
In the past year or so I have been trying to find a balance between cardio training, strength training, and eating more heathily. It seems like with starting yoga, those things can be achieved without being all over the map so to speak trying to fit all of these things into my schedule.
I find my sister to be such an inspiration - she has always been extremely athletic, cyclist, runner and since she has been an Ashtanga yoga teacher I have never seen her look better. she is 53 years old and she has the most toned lean arms and abs I have ever seen her with. so, I figured I should try, there might be something to this yoga thing.
Yoga bear, I never really gave much thought to what kind of yoga I would do, I just kind of fell into this kind.
As for my hip, it only really hurts when I run. So I stopped, and until I get my x-ray, I have to enjoy what I am able to do which seems to be yoga, who knows maybe it will cure me of wanting to run again
Thanks again, I am enjoying reading so many points of view.
Jane
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Location: London, England | hi Shanti,
I can't be that precise-supta konasana makes demands on so many muscles-each buttock has three hamstring muscles, 3 gluteal muscles, tensor fascia latae, piriformis, 2 gemelli, 2 0bturator, quadratus femoris, and attachments for the adductors-so you will appreciate that 'rear end' doesn't give enough information, especially in a complex posture like this which is making demands on all these muscles and more. At an initial guess, though, semitendonosous and/or semimembranosous-the medial hamstrings I can't resist guessing Is there a quiz show i could go on?
Nick |
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| Nick,
If there was a yoga version of 'Who want's to be a Millionaire', you'd be a rich man.
Jonathon |
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Location: London, England | Hi Jonnie,
I'd get stuck one hundred pounds, with my luck
Nick
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running and ashtanga
