Yoga for Triathletes
A lot of triathletes shun the thought of yoga or the intentional slowing down of their bodies for a significant amount of time to stretch and be mindful. I used to be one of those people that rarely took the time to warm-up before or cool down after a workout. As my training miles got longer and muscles got sorer, I sought out a yoga class at the local JCC. I remember learning some basic poses Downward Dog (hated) and Shavasana (loved and feel asleep in class!).
I remained an athlete throughout my twenties and thirties. I raced countless 5Ks, 10Ks, half and a handful of full marathons. I became a triathlete in my early forties and now love the variety and challenge of new sports combined with the camaraderie of the triathlon community.
However, now a little older and wiser, my recovery from big training sessions and/or races now requires more than a happy hour and 5-minute stretch. Yoga is a wonderful complement to a recovery day, rest day or swim day.
My recovery RX now includes a roller, a massage, and a yoga class. All three are preferable but often not realistic, but a few essential yoga moves are on my recovery must-do list.
Here are my favorites stretches/poses for hamstrings and IT (Iliotibial) band:
Triangle Pose:
Number Four Stretch (or as the Youth Teams call it, “The Newspaper”) – great standing or on your back:
Pigeon:
Half Split Quad Stretch:
Reclined Cow Faced Pose:
And of course Shavasana at the end:
ENJOY!