Yoga for Runners

We asked one of our favorite teachers, Stephanie Creaturo, to help us with some post run yoga. Her take on yoga, the body and runners always blows us away. Need to slow down, relax, stretch or feel good after a run? Head to Mala Yoga. Every single teacher knows their stuff and cares.

As a yoga teacher and a runner, I get asked a lot what are the best stretches to do after a run. There’s a good chance my fellow runner will also say “I don’t have a lot of time to stretch.” I get it! There are a million stretches out there and even more yoga poses.  And training for a race takes a lot of time. What’s a runner to do?

I totally believe that running and yoga can peacefully co-exist!  I hope you can check out an appropriate-level class for you at your local yoga studio – many studios (like mine) offer classes just for athletes or runners. Even if you go once a week, the teacher will lead you through a variety of poses, some of which you may be familiar with, some of which you may not.  Either way, you’ll certainly stretch out those muscles used in running, but you can also be inspired to get out of your stretching rut!  Yoga mixes up how it challenges the muscles in the body, which is great conditioning for the body and the mind.

Here’s one of my favorite poses to teach runners and to do after a long run. (Note, I don’t use the words “stretch” and “pose” interchangeably; I can think of a million different things when I’m stretching. When I’m engaged in a yoga pose, my attention is squarely placed on my breath and how my breath is guiding my physical alignment. But no matter what you do post-run, yoga or stretching, your body will thank you by staying healthy!)

It is called Parsvottonasana, or intense side stretch. Many yoga teachers call it “pyramid pose” because of the shape your body takes once its in the final pose. I find it to be a wonderful post-run balm for the backs of my legs, my low back, and my spine.

I love to do this pose with my hands on a wall or a park bench. By pressing my hands into a wall or the edge of a bench, I can integrate my arms to my shoulder sockets and let my shoulders & hips be aligned while I lengthen the muscles at the back of my legs.

Let’s get into the pose on the right side first!

 
1.     Place your hands on a wall or the edge of a bench.  Keep your ears in line with your upper arms as you walk your hips & feet back in space, bringing the spine parallel to the ground beneath you.

2.     Step the right foot towards the wall or the bench. The right toes point straight forward. Keep the right knee straight and the right heel in line with the right sitting bone. The right hip draws straight back in space as you firmly press the four points of the right foot into the ground beneath you.

3.     Squiggle the left leg back a bit, angling the left foot at a 70 degree angle. Zipper the outer edge of your left foot to the ground as you firmly press the four points of that foot down. The left heel is in line with the left sitting bone.  Your legs are now asymmetrical to each other.

4.     The hips are level in space – imagine that you’ve placed your open bottle smack in the center of the pelvis and you don’t want it to slip to the floor, spilling all your water.

5.     Push your hands into the wall or the bench, which will help take your hips and thighbones back in space. Keep firming the bottoms of the feet to the ground as you tack your sitting bones to your heels.

6.     Make sure you’re not locking your knees! Of course, if the hamstrings are singing an opera to you, then bend that right knee. Otherwise, engage the quadriceps to the thighbones and make sure you’re not rolling to your outer right foot.

7.     Breathe in Parsvottonasana for at least five breaths, working up to 10 deep breaths. To exit the pose, lift your gaze, step your left foot forward to meet your right foot, then repeat on the second side.

Now that you’re in the shape of a pyramid, you may wonder why it’s called intense side stretch. Good question! Most of us would call it calf or hamstring stretching pose.  But the name is a great reminder to keep the sides of the waist long and the abdominal area engaged as we stretch our legs.

Remember, yoga poses can take a zillion different shapes and your body is as unique as your fingerprints! When doing a post-run pose, make sure you’re stretching the belly of the muscle and not at the junction your muscles connect to the bone. Also, use resistance – it is a great tool to keep the muscles, bones & connective tissue speaking the same language post-run.

Lastly, make sure to budget a few extra minutes into the end of your run to stretch or strike a pose - it’s a better than striking out due to injury or exhaustion, especially if you’re training for a race.

Injury Prevention: Dynamic Warm Up Video

Risk of injury increases anytime you try new training techniques, ramp up the intensity of your training, or take on familiar, yet hard workouts on a weekly basis.  To reduce the risk of injury and give your body a chance to perform its best, make sure to include more than just a slow warm up jog before you pick up the pace.   By more, we mean include some dynamic warm up exercises to get the glutes, abdominals quads, hips flexors and hamstrings warmed up and ready for action in workouts such as hill training, track workout, strength exercises or even tempo runs.

A few of our favorite dynamic warmup exercises include high knees, butt kicks, side to side, karaoke and single leg swings.  Watch our video for demonstrations of each or read our descriptions below.  Either way, make sure to incorporate some sort of dynamic warm up before your high intensity workouts!

High Knees: Stand with your arms by your sides. Raise one knee up and forward, swing opposite arm.  Bring this foot down and raise the other.  Repeat movement coming forward. Continue for 30 seconds.

Butt Kicks: As you run, kick your heels to your butt. Goal is to kick your butt as many times as possible in 30 seconds. Keep back straight.

Side to Side:  Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and up on your toes.  Swing your arms up over your head opening up your abdominals and spine as you hop off one foot taking a wide step.   Let your arms swing down and back up again as you continue to slide side to side for 30 seconds up to one minute.  Repeat facing the opposite direction.

Karaoke:  Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, and cross your right foot in front of your left foot keeping your hips and upper body straight and facing out. Continue to cross the opposite foot in front of the other.  Continue for 30 seconds and then repeat facing the opposite direction for 30 seconds.

Straight Leg Swing:  Stand with feet hip-width apart.  Swing one leg straight in front of you and then swing back behind you keeping back straight and pelvic square.   Repeat for 30 seconds to one minute on each side.  Modified:  Find something on the same side as the leg you are swing to hold on to for balance.

Favorite NYC Workouts

We are runners.  We love running.  We choose running.  Our muscles, on the other hand, don't always love the constant running.  That's when we head to our favorite NYC training spots for some cross-training.

We promote cross-training at least once a week to all of our clients. It's a necessary part of training because you need to work your muscles differently (and give them a rest)!

Here's where you'll find us - when we are not out running around NYC:

Equinox -
Liz Lefois' classes - one of the best global conditioning and fun classes we have ever taken.
Gregg Cook's classes - Spin and Whipped. Gregg. is. kickass. (enough said)

Physique 57 - yup, we do like the barre workouts. Fave instructors: Alexander DeJung and Alex Karigan. Fun, fiesty and hard (Full disclosure, we also like Exhale just aren't that familiar with the instructors and we haven't been to the Bar Method - it's on our list!)

Crossfit - We head to Crossfit South Brooklyn. David and the gang are welcoming and will push you to your limits. There is a community feel and you will learn correct techniques.

Deep Water Running - We love to do Robert's running movements in deep water.  A great excuse to jump in the pool, enjoy a track workout without the track and give those legs a rest from the pavement.  A cardio blast that will leave you hungry for two dinners that night.

Triomph - The guys at Triomph are no joke.  Jack will keep you laughing as you do an insane amount of push-ups.  Just don't take one of these classes the day bfore a long run!

There are more, so many more! Where else do we need to check out?

A Few Abcember Videos for the Holidays

For all the visual learners out there, we recorded videos explaining four of the more complicated Abcember exercises to help you through the final week of 2011.  Look forward to lots more videos in 2012  . . . and excuses for six pack abs.

http://youtu.be/xVaoZJWW3vo

1. Start in the push up plank position with abs tight and arms straight.  Hands shoulder-width apart and wrists under your shoulders.


2. Bend left arm to bring the elbow and forearm to the ground.


3. Bring right arm down so you are in plank position with your forearms on the ground (elbows on the ground directly under your shoulders.


4. Push back up to the start position with left & then right arm. Repeat lowering the right side first.  Alternate lowering and raising your arms for 30 seconds working up to 1 minute.

http://youtu.be/_5qtGm9qssw

1. Start standing and bring your arms to the ground in front of your feet bending only at the hips - keep your legs and back straight.


2. Walk your hands out in front of you until you are in push up plank position with your arms straight, hands shoulder-width apart, abs tights and back straight.


3. Bend right knee up towards your right elbow, trying to touch your knee to the outside of your elbow - your shins should remain parallel to the ground.  Repeat on the left side.


4. Walk your hands back to your feet bending at the hips with legs and back remaining straight.


5. Stand upright and raise your arms above your head.


6. Repeat for 1 minute.

http://youtu.be/NpcgT42b_7s

1. Kneel on all fours with back flat and wrists under your shoulders.  Extend the left arm and right leg out.


2. Squeeze your abs as you bring left elbow and right knee together under your torso.  Curl your back up as you bring them in.


3. Hold for 3 seconds in both extended out and crunched in positions. Repeat one side for 30 seconds and then switch sides. 

http://youtu.be/IIDYhg6_xLo

1. Sit with your knees bent and feet a few inches off the floor (modified: leave your feet on the floor).


2. Keeping your back straight, lean back until your abs burn.


3. Clasp your hands together and bring your arms straight out touching the ground outside of your right hip with your hands.


4. Rotate through the upper body to bring your hands up over the opposite shoulder, then down to the same hip, and repeat. Repeat for 30 seconds and then switch to other side for 30 seconds.


5. Keep head facing forward and back straight throughout the entire exercise.

Gingerbread Cookies

After an intense "Abcember" workout at Cadman Plaza on Saturday morning, we spent the afternoon making gingerbread cookies.

Here's our workout - 3x per set, 30-60 seconds each:
1) Plank to left side plank to right side plank to plank  (3o seconds each)
2) Tricep dips (30 seconds)
3) Bridge leg extensions (30 seconds each leg)
4) Superman (60 seconds)
5) Pushups (30 seconds)
6) Walk outs (60 seconds)
7) Toe touch crunches (60 seconds)
8 ) Russian Twists (30 seconds)
9) Crazy Ivans (30 seconds each side)
10) Leg Raises (30 seconds)
11) Opposite Arm/Leg Extensions (30 seconds each side)
12) Spiderman - holding plank & bringing knee to outside of arm (30 seconds)

Here are our cookies!
[slideshow]

Bathing Suit for Running - Part 2 - Class Recommendation

Last Thursday I took the plunge into deep water running.  I highly recommend for everyone else to do the same.  Check out Robert Valentin's Blue Ocean Swimming classes on Wednesday and Thursday nights  in midtown Manhattan at the pool in St. Bartholomew's Church located at 109 East 50th Street (between Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue).  Robert is an excellent instructor who keeps you entertained and your workout honest the entire time.

Classes are an amazing cross training option for anyone interested in an intense cardio workout that requires you to "run" in the deep end of the pool for an entire hour engaging your core while you try not to drown.  It's a perfect workout for injured and non-injured runners, expecting moms, and fitness gurus.   I'll be there every Thursday or Wednesday this month! Come join me!

A special thanks to Nike and Vip.Zappos for the overnight express shipment of my new pool workout bathing suit top and bottom!

ABCEMBER is Here!

Why wait for 2012 to start working on your six pack abs resolution? Instead, make December all about the core - or, rather, Abcember! You can always fit in 20 minutes of exercise a day somewhere in your busy holiday schedule and core exercises require nothing more than a little bit of floor space in your own home. So, get crunching this December and begin training for your next in 2012 with a core that's built for speed with the following workout:

WORKOUT GOAL: 20-30 minutes of core work at least three times a week during the entire month of December.

Plank (1 minute)

1. Begin lying face down, resting on your forearms. Push off the floor, raising up on to toes and forearms so your body is parallel to the floor.


2. Focus on pulling your abdominal in, keeping your tailbone tucked under and your back flat.


3. Prevent your bottom from sticking in the air or sagging in the middle, making a straight line from your head to your heels. Make sure you are looking slight forward so a not to put strain on the neck.


4. Hold for 30 seconds to a minute, lower and repeat for 2-3 sets.

Side Plank (30 seconds each side)

1. Lie on your right side. Keep your right forearm flat on the floor (at a right angle from your body), and your feet stacked.


2. Lift your body up on to your forearm and the side of your right foot so your body is parallel to the floor


3. Aim for a straight line between your head and feet.


4. Rest your left arm by your side or lift it straight up towards the sky.


5. Hold for 30 seconds. Turn around and repeat on your left side. Repeat for 2-3 sets. Progress to holding position for up to a full minute.

Plank Walks (30 seconds)

1. Start in the push up plank position with abs tight and arms straight and hands shoulder-width arm under your shoulders and neck slight up so you are looking out in front of you.


2. Bend one arm to bring the elbow and forearm to the floor.


3. Bring the other arm down so you are in regular plank position with your forearms on the floor (elbows on the ground directly under your shoulders.


4. Push back up to the start position and repeat lowering the other side first.


5. Alternate lowering and raising your arms for 30 seconds working up to 1 minute. Repeat for 2-3 sets.

Leg Raises (1 minute)

1. Lie on your back with legs straight up in the air, 90-degrees from your body. Place arms straight down along the side of your body or tuck hands under the small of your back. Head flat against the floor.


2. Keeping your legs straight and feet together with toes point out, slowly lower legs as far as you can towards the floor without touching the floor or bringing your head off the ground.


3. Hold for 2 seconds and then return to start position keeping your belly button drawn in the entire time.


4. Repeat for 30 seconds up to 1 minute. Repeat for 2-3 sets.

Mountain Climbers (1 minute)

1. Start in the push up position with your back flat, hips low and weight over your shoulders.


2. Keeping your hands on the ground and head looking out in front of your, push off/jump one foot up towards your hands, keeping your knee between your arm and back and hips low.


3. Swap your feet back and forward as fast as you can, without losing form, so you are alternating foot placement as you are running in place. Be sure to keep your back straight.


4. Continue for 30 seconds working up to 1 minute. Repeat 2-3 times. Start on your hands and knees and get into in a sprinter’s start position.

Opposite Arm/Leg Extension (1 min/30 sec each side)

1. Kneel on all fours with back flat and palms flat on the ground.


2. Extend the left arm and right leg out.


3. Squeeze your abs as you bring left elbow and right knee together under your torso curling your back up as you bring them in towards each other.


4. Hold for 3 seconds in both extended out and crunched in positions. Repeat one side for 30 seconds and then switch sides. Repeat 2-3 sets.

Russian Twists (1 minute)

1. Sit with your knees bent and feet crossed.


2. Lean back until your abs burn (back straight).


3. Hold arms out in front of you with hands clasped together.


4. Twist your upper body to move both arms to touch the ground to the outside of one hip. Repeat moving arms from side of the hip to the other side for 30 seconds working up to 1 minute. Repeat for 2-3 sets.

Crazy Ivans (1 minute)

1. Sit with your knees bent and feet crossed a few inches off the floor (modified: leave your feet on the floor)


2. Lean back until your abs burn. Make sure to keep your back straight.


3. Clasp your hands together and bring your arms straight out touching the ground outside of your right hip.


4. Rotate through the upper body to bring your hands up over the opposite shoulder, then down to the same hip, and repeat. Keep head facing forward during the entire time.


5. Switch to the other side after 30 seconds and repeat for another 30 seconds. Repeat for 2-3 sets.

Toe Touches (30 seconds)

1. Lie on your back with arms and legs straight up in the air.


2. Using your abs, reach towards your toes with your arms.


3. Return to start position and repeat for 30 seconds. Try to keep your shoulders from touching the ground on your way back to the start position so your abs remain engaged the entire time.


4. Continue for 30 seconds working up to 1 minute. Repeat for 2-3 sets.

Bridge Lift (30 seconds)

1. Lie on y on your back with your hands at your sides and palms facing down. Bend your legs so that your feet are flat on the ground and directly below your knees.


2. Fire your glutes by driving your heels into the ground to raise your hips. Your hips should create a straight line from the knee through the hip and shoulder. Again, maintain this position by firing the glutes (driving the heels into the ground) and not flexing the lumbar spine. You should feel it mainly in your glutes and hamstrings, not your back.


3. At the top point, draw in the abdominals (pull your belly button toward your spine) and hold.


4. Hold for 30 seconds for 3 sets. If your legs fatigue and your hips drop before the 30 seconds, reduce each set to 15 seconds.

Bicycle Crunches (1 minute)

1. Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground and contract your core muscles. With your hands gently holding your head, lift your knees to about a 45-degree angle.


2. Slowly, at first, go through a bicycle pedal motion alternately touching your elbows to the opposite knees as you twist back and forth.


3. Continue for 30 seconds working up to a minute. Repeat for 2-3 sets.

Supermans (20 reps)

1. Lie on your stomach with legs straight and feet together and arms straight up by your head.


2. Lift both arms and legs a few inches off the floor and hold for 3 seconds. Keep feet pressed together and arms straight out passed your head.


3. Lower and repeat 20 times. Repeat for 2-3 sets.

Our Favorite Core Strength Exercises

We love our core strength workouts. We recommend working your core at least 5x a week - yup, 5x a week. That doesn't mean busting out 100 crunches and calling it a day.  Instead, we want our clients (and everyone) to do concentrated, effective core exercises.  A strong core helps increase your running efficiency, lowers the risk of back and pelvis injuries and increases your stability.

Here are our other favorites:

• Plank: Begin on elbows and toes (make sure elbows are directly underneath your shoulders). Hold for 15-20 seconds and work up to 45 seconds.


• Side Plank: Begin by laying on your side. Push your hips up so you are on the outside of your right foot and right elbow is underneath your right shoulder. Hold for 15-20 seconds, switch sides; work up to 30 seconds. Repeat 2x.


• Knee to Elbows Reverse Crunch: Begin on hands and knees. Bring opposite knee and elbow in towards your center, crunching in your abs and hold for 3 seconds, straighten leg and elbow out away from center and then bring back in again and hold for 3 seconds. Do 10 reps on each side, 2x.


• Superman: Raise arms and legs off the ground (keeping neck in line with your spine and relaxed) and hold for 3-5 seconds. Repeat 10 times.

Women's Health has some great exercises that you can do standing up. Check em out and remember, perform core exercises 5 times a week!

Dyanmic vs Static Stretching

I haven't conducted a scientific research study on the benefits of static vs dynamic stretching; instead, my findings come from personal experience. Based on my last year of training, I prefer and recommend dynamic stretching.

Dynamic stretching is stretching while moving parts of your body while gradually increasing reach, speed of movement or both (think butt kicks or knee raises while running). These movements do not exceed one's range of motion. Dynamic stretching is controlled arm and/or leg swings while ballistic stretching involves forcing body parts beyond their range of motion.
Great video from Runners World

Arms circles, exaggerating a kicking action and walking lunges (without weights) are examples of dynamic stretches. A walking lunge dynamically stretches the hip flexors by emphasizing hip extension and can reduce muscle tightness around the hip joint necessary for competition.

Dynamic stretching is useful before competition and has been shown to reduce muscle tightness post workouts. Static stretching and foam rolling are great post workout activities. Make sure you don't overstretch. For example, if your legs are tight, bend your knees as you perform a standing forward bend. Let your muscles ease into the stretch.

Check out how dynamic stretching works for you or email us for more information on the stretches we use the most!

Strength Exercises for Runners

Runners are lean and strong, right? Wrong. Most of us don't have the core strength or gluteal (buttocks) strength to run faster, stronger and efficiently. The gluteal muscles are commonly left out of runners' strength programs. The glutes are a key muscle in our running movement because they keep our pelvis level and steady, extend our hip, propel us forward, and keep our legs, pelvis, and torso in alignment. So when our glutes are weak, our entire movement chain is disrupted and at risk of injury (IT syndrome, runner's knee and Achilles tendinitis). Have no fear, you can develop that strength within a few weeks.

Key exercises for runners: squats, lunges, planks, side planks and pushups.

Squat:
Body part:Buttocks/Hamstrings/Quads
Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, and point your toes slightly outward. Sit back as if you were sitting in a chair that is slightly too far behind you. Keep your knees over your ankles. Keep your back straight and as upright as possible.

Lunges:
Body part: Buttocks/Hamstrings
Take a good size step forward with one leg. The front leg is bent so that your knee is directly over your ankle (forming a 90-degree angle). The rear leg is straight. Return to a standing position by pushing backward with the heel of your forward leg. You should feel the exercise in the buttocks and backs of legs. Repeat with the other leg (15 reps each leg).

Forearm Plank:
Body part:Abdominals
Begin with your forearms and toes on the ground. Make sure your elbows are under your shoulders. Keep your body in a straight line from torso to toes with no sagging or bending. Hold for 30 seconds. Optional: Raise one leg off the ground for 10-15 seconds.

Side Plank:
Body part:Obliques
Begin with one forearm on the ground, with your elbow under your shoulder. Place top foot directly on top of the bottom foot. As you exhale, lift your hips off the floor. Keep your body straight and hips lifted for 30 seconds. Optional: Raise your top leg a few inches off your bottom leg.

Pushups:
Body part:Pectorial muscles (chests), biceps
Lie chest-down with your hands at shoulder level, palms flat on the floor and slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Have your feet slightly apart with toes tucked under. Inhale as you lower your chest to the ground, bring your nose to the ground. Exhale as you push up. If you can't do a full motion pushup, bring your knees to the ground.

There are many, many other phenomenal exercises for runners but these are the key ones that we focus on and make sure we integrate into our daily workouts. Join us for our Hot Bird Workout every Tuesday at 7am or 7pm at Pier 1 of Brooklyn Bridge Park!

Cross Training

Cross training has many benefits for runners: it aids recovery, forces us to use our muscles differently (and balances out our muscle groups), prevents injury, and is a fun alternative to the weekly grind. Both Jessica and I have incorporated a lot of cross training into our marathon training schedules. It looks different for both of us because our bodies and recovery times are different. Meghan does yoga, spin, cardio classes and strength training. Jessica does strength training and sculpting/bootcamp classes. Our cross training choices reflect our needs and likes. So, pick activities that you like and do them 1-2x a week.

Our clients will see cross training in their schedules and probably think they need to run more; not necessarily so. Cross training is any other form of exercise other than running. Swimming & biking are the most commonly talked about cross training activities. Yoga and strength training are as well. It's important to do activities that you enjoy and help balance you. If you have weaker core/abdominal strength, integrate yoga or pilates into your routine. If you need to keep moving throughout the week, a spin class or kickboxing class is for you. If you need more recovery time, a slower yoga class or a long walk is for you.

If you need suggestions, please email us. We are happy to help you find the right cross training activity for your running needs!