BYC Hot Yoga can be a wonderful addition to many training routines from runners to martial arts, dancers to body builders. From keeping you flexible to warding off and assisting the healing of injuries*. It is an awesome addition to your training regime. As this month is Marathon month, let’s look into more details how BYC Hot Yoga can help you runners.

‘I have not had any overuse injuries, since I began practicing (Bikram) Yoga.  The nagging running injuries that sidelined me years ago, like IT band tightness, lower back pain, and runner’s knee are just distant memories. If I feel anything in my body that amounts to a possible running injury, I visit the studio and get my 90 minutes of practice. On almost every occasion, the pain subsides within 24 hours of my session and I regain my regular training as if it never happened. ‘ ‘YOGA FOR RUNNERS: A HOT LOOK AT YOGA‘  – JERRY ARMSTRONG

One of the most common conditions runners are prone to is called ‘Runner’s Knee’. This is the irritation of the cartilage on the underside of the patella, aka kneecap. BYC Hot Yoga can help strengthen your quadriceps, improving patellar tracking, as well as stretching your hamstrings and calves, preventing over-pronation.

Our body works as a unit, so as well as strengthening and stretching all the muscles around the knee, it is important to also strengthen weak hip and glute muscles, to help ward off runner’s knee.  Awkward, Triangle, Camel, Standing Separate Leg Stretching and Tree Pose (to name but a few) are all great postures to help with this.

If you have already been struck down, then, initially, some post run PRICE (Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression & Elevation) should help with the early stage of pain relief. If symptoms persist, always consult your GP.

The BYC heat and stretching come into play as the injury starts to heal.  We have plenty of postures to flush that knee with fresh oxygenated blood, helping to heal and repair, ready to pound those pavements again in no time! However, it is important to always listen to the feedback of your own body. Never push into anything that is painful. Just because everyone else is doing something and it looks fun, doesn’t mean you have to! Sometimes our yoga is as much about what we don’t do as what we do. There is almost always a degree of the posture that we can do, be it 1% or 100%, find that place, give it your all and the magic will happen.

Runner’s knee is unfortunately just the first of a long list of injuries runners are prone to, such as Achilles Tendinitis, Hamstring Issues, Plantar Fasciitis, Shinsplints and Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS). However never fear, BYC is here! The 26 postures of a BYC hot yoga class, systematically strengthen and stretch your entire body. The yoga improves your alignment, therefore, when running, any imbalances won’t be exacerbated, or cause injury. Injuries are often a result of our body compensating for our misalignment, at BYC we aim to correct these misalignments, hopefully, before the damage is done.

BYC Hot Yoga  is not just great at keeping you together physically, it also offers a host of mental benefits. From de-stressing and decompressing, to improving mental focus and determination.Laura Turner, Ex GB sprinter & Olympic Athlete said: “I have noticed a big improvement in my focus. I had no idea how easily distracted I was, especially when sweat was dripping into my ears! It’s definitely helped me focus on my race:

 ‘…..BYC Hot Yoga has been a fantastic tool in my training and competition, allowing me to be at my best and compete against the best. I strongly recommend Bikram Yoga to all runners as an excellent cross-training and recovery tool. I will certainly never be without Bikram Yoga in my life, even after I hang up my running shoes and retire from international athletics.’ Laura Turner

Whatever your sport of choice, BYC Hot Yoga is here to keep you going mentally and physically. So we will see you on the mat!!

*If you have an injury we would always recommend consulting your doctor.