Multiple British Age Group (and BTS Club) Champion, Louise Croxson, talks you through an overview of 7 great yoga poses for triathletes…

“As Berkshire Tri Squad’s yoga teacher and a keen age group triathlete I believe yoga compliments the hard endurance training that we do.  At BTS we schedule our weekly vinyasa yoga class straight after the Tuesday evening run session to aid recovery. The poses below are often incorporated to help stretch and lengthen muscles, improving flexibility, and help prevent injury.

Below are 7 of my favourite yoga poses to target common areas of muscle tightness from running and cycling.  Both running and cycling are repetitive actions done in a limited range of motion which tightens up your hips, lower back, legs and ankles. 

These poses are ideal to perform after a training session on a mat or carpet, in bare feet. Hold each pose for 5 to 10 long deep breaths.  Try to relax into the posture and direct your breath into the area that is stretching.  

For further  “How to do it” instructions and pose variations see my blog HERE“

1. Downward Facing Dog – Adho mukha śvānāsana

Target area: Hamstrings & calves.

Benefits: Stretches the whole posterior chain (back of the body) from your Achilles to your shoulders.  Lengthens your hamstrings, calves, and shoulders. Strengthens the arms and legs and helps relieve headaches, fatigue, and insomnia.

2. Low lunge – Anjanasana

Target area:  Hip flexors.

Benefits: Stretches all the hip flexors, psoas, TFL, rectus femoras, quads and ankle. Strengthens the front thigh. Improves balance, concentration and core awareness.

3. Bound Ankle Pose – Baddha Konsana

Target area: Inner thighs.

Benefits: Opens the hips and groin area; improves digestive circulation.

4. Reclined Half Hero – Supta Ardha Virasana

Target area: Quads.

Benefits: Stretches the quads, hip flexors and front of the ankles

5. Reclined Pigeon – Supta Eka Pada Rajakapotasana

Target area: Glutes & hips.

Benefits: Stretches the hip flexors, gluteals, piriformis, IT band, lower back and outer hips and improves mobility. Variations will allow for chest, shoulder and quad stretching.

6. Reclining hand to big toe – Supta padgandusanasana

Target area: Hamstrings & IT band.

Benefit:  Stretches the hips, glutes, hamstrings, groin and calves. Also can relieve backache and sciatic pain

7. Bridge – Setu Bandha Sarvangasana

Target area: The spine & front of the body.

Benefits: Opens the front of the body stretching the chest, back, shoulders and neck.  The opposite to the time trial bike position! Strengthens the core, back, glutes and hamstrings. Improves mobility in the spine. Calms the brain and central nervous system and stimulates the lungs and thyroid glands