Six yoga moves to help Hong Kong runners perform better
With classes that focus on breathing awareness, increasing respiratory function and lubricating those stiff joints, what’s not to like about yoga for runners?
Yoga for runners classes have been popping up all over Hong Kong in recent years, but isn’t it just glorified stretching and fancy marketing by yoga studios?
Not according to Ananda Tinio, a Pure Yoga instructor who began leading regular yoga for runners classes in August. “It’s more than just the physicality, we focus on breath awareness, increasing respiratory function, maximising lung capacity and really honing your concentration, which I think runners need. It’s a full body workout as well,” says Tinio.
Sceptical (and very inflexible), I tried my first yoga for runners class recently at Pure Yoga’s studio in The Centrium in Central. It was indeed different to regular stretching or a typical yoga class. The mood was a lot lighter and more fun, with none of that meditation and spirituality (which repel me). The crowd was more welcoming – most were stiff runners like me. There was a strong emphasis on inhalation and exhalation while holding a stretch, something I never bothered with before.
Yoga for runners class has extra focus on the lower body, Tinio says.
“It focuses a lot on hip joint mobility – activating, strengthening, toning, stretching and creating more flexibility. Running is a repetitive motion, so you’re limiting the range of motion of your quadriceps and hips. This class tries to diversify that movement. It brings the hip through their widest range of motion, so in the long run it will increase mobility and flexibility, in running and also in life.”
Mark Johnson, a recreational runner, has been attending Tinio’s class weekly. “It’s stretching but more intensive,” he says. “I walk out of class feeling three inches taller.”