Yoga for Runners – Fit Armadillo

Yoga for Runners

yoga for runners yoga routine injury prevention

Yoga for Runners | Private Yoga with Kayla


"Yoga for runners." If you're a runner, you might think this heading is a joke. Why would any self-respecting runner want to waste precious time on a yoga routine?

I get it!

I got my start in fitness as a runner and the first time I tried yoga 10 years ago, I HATED it.  

And before I tried yoga? I thought it was a TOTAL waste of time. A "lazy person's workout," boring,  -- I called it lots of names. Basically, if yoga was a person, we wouldn't have been friends and I'd probably be considered a bully.

What happened when I finally got around to trying a yoga class?

Like I said - I hated it.

Sure, I didn't expect to enjoy yoga based on my preconceived notions of the fitness format. But I found that many of my ideas about yoga as a runner were totally inaccurate. Yoga was NOT for the lazyIt was actually SO hard. Not only for the obvious reasons, like my own utter lack of flexibility, but also because it made me slow down. As a runner, well, slowing down just wasn't my jam!

Who am I kidding? It still isn't.

Afterall, I do run a business, just published my first book, am a head coach for Girls on the Run, and work as hard as I can to be the best aunt ever. However, at the time I was 21 so I had even more energy. Savasana, what I would have guessed to have been the easiest yoga pose for me to copy style-wise as an inflexible runner, was even far from being a breeze ( I think it was the most difficult post I attempted that day). 

My lack of skill at even the least physically demanding yoga pose did not make me want to try another class. 

It took me 3 years to try yoga again and that was because I was dealing with a running injury and couldn't do anything else, but swim so I had to join a gym and I figured, I might as well take some fitness classes.

What happened the second time I tried a yoga class?

Pretty much the same thing that happened the second time I tried spinning (also many years after my first attempt and why I always tell my personal training clients to give forms of fitness they "hate" at least two chances)...

upward facing dog private yoga session yoga for runners

Kayla Demoing Upward Facing Dog, One of the Yoga Poses in her Yoga for Runners Routine

I fell in love!

OK...maybe I wasn't 100% in love after the 1st session, but I was definitely swooning after that first week of regular oming

And while yoga is still challenging for me, it's something I now crave. Not as much as running, but it's up there.

As I prepare to run a marathon in a few short weeks having successfully completed a 20 mile run (!!! a big deal since I've battled a recurring injury ever since my last marathon attempt that made hitting even 10 miles the last few years something I could no longer take for granted), I know a lot of the credit is owed to my yoga practice. 

When I reflected on this fact during a conversation with Fit Armadillo yoga instructor, Kayla, I struck gold. She offered to take me through my own private yoga session AND let me record it for your benefit. 

So get ready, get set, kick off your running shoes, grab your yoga mat and yoga strap (or a scarf/towel) and come join us for a yoga routine for runners!

Full disclosure: I'm still not even close to being a pro yogi.

You may laugh at my expense several times. But that's OK - I want you to try and experience the many benefits of yoga and I don't care if the cool kids make fun of me.

I hope you'll find that this 20 minute yoga flow designed for runners to be a fun, effective workout and way to see how our private online fitness sessions work.  If you haven't booked a private online fitness session with us in a while, I think you'll be impressed by some of the updates.

WARNING: Kayla's voice is EXTREMELY relaxing. You might want to stay on your yoga mat for a while after the session. Plan accordingly 😉 

Yoga for Runners Routine with Kayla:

Fun fact: This private yoga session was recorded from my computer screen while Kayla was in Europe and I was enjoying my session from Hermosa Beach, CA.

Pretty cool, right? You really can enjoy fitness at your place and your pace no matter where you are in the world with Fit Armadillo!

I hope you enjoyed my private online yoga session with Kayla whether you're a runner or not (but if you're not, be sure to tell a runner friend - I'm proof we need all the encouragement we can get when it comes to trying out yoga!). 

Ready for your own private yoga session? There's no time like the present!

Whether you're a runner, triathlete like Kayla, mom looking to destress, entrepreneur looking to find some zen time in between meetings or yogi looking to treat yourself, Kayla can customize a routine to your needs. 

This month (May 2017), Kayla is our Certified Fitness Professional of the Month. That means her sessions are discounted. Save your spot HERE while you can. 

Now that you've watched this session, don't forget to take action!

If you didn't have time to complete the yoga routine now, make a plan to do it. If you did? Please, tell me you can relate to falling in at least one of the poses I almost wiped out on...(I'm serious!). And what your "triangle" pose is 😉 Or anything else on your mind (maybe a THANK YOU to Kayla 😉 ) by leaving a comment: 

Catherine Turley

Hello! I'm the founder of Fit Armadillo® and I'm so glad you're here. If you've been looking for a way to start your healthy lifestyle, but you don’t want to join a gym or spend thousands of dollars on supplements and fad products, you’ve come to the right place. On the blog we share fitness tips and healthy recipes to get you started. For more 1-on-1 help head here to get matched with an awesome certified fitness professional. Looking for motivation to start or stick to your routine? Check out my *bestselling* book HERE

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