Forget tight hamstrings — this stretch is now my go-to for loosening up my legs
I'm deep into marathon training right now, logging 70-85 miles each week, which means that regular stretching is a crucial part of my recovery routine.
I enjoy yoga for runners several times a week, especially after hard workouts, and one stretch that I make sure I include in every routine I do is the pyramid pose. This primarily targets the muscles along the back of your body, mainly the hamstrings in your legs.
As my hamstrings are the muscles that are usually the tightest after tough runs, this stretch has been invaluable for keeping me limber and ready to run again the next day.
How to do pyramid pose
The pyramid pose is also known as Parsvottanasana, and is a standing stretch with a forward bend.
It's a stretch that's better explained by seeing it in action, so check out this detailed instruction video from Yoga With Adriene for more details.
From standing, step one foot back around three to four feet behind you. Your front foot should be straight, while your back foot is at a 30-45°angle, with your heels lined up.
Bend forward from the hips, keeping your back straight, with both legs extended and the weight in your back heel.
When you feel the stretch in your hamstrings, hold the pose for several deep breaths, then come back up and repeat on the other side.
For the classic version of the pyramid stretch, you should have your hands pressed together behind your back, but I can't do this — I put my hands either side of my front foot to add more stability.
Benefits of pyramid pose
Along with providing a deep stretch for your hamstrings, the stretch also loosens your hips and back, and holding the position also helps improve your balance and core strength.
My right hamstring in particular is always tight during weeks when I do a lot of running, and I feel that the pyramid stretch is the one that really helps it.
To get the most from the stretch, it's best to include it within a longer yoga routine. If you want a runner-focused yoga session, I can highly recommend this one from YogaEasy, which I've tried hundreds of times myself.
It includes the pyramid pose and many other stretches to help loosen your legs, chest and back, all in just 20 minutes.
How to build up to pyramid pose
When my hamstrings are really tight because I haven't been stretching enough, the pyramid pose can sometimes be too hard a stretch for me to go straight into.
To build up to the pyramid pose, I will do downward-facing dog and pyramid pulses — where I bend and stretch my legs a few times.
You can also drop your back knee to the floor and focus on stretching your front leg, which I find is another great hamstring loosener when I'm too tight for pyramid.
Whatever stretch you do, make sure you do it regularly as a runner, because I've found yoga to be a vital aspect of my recovery during marathon training, alongside eating well and sleeping as much as possible.
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