Yoga is an ancient form of exercise and is a stress buster. It eases your aches and pains helping you recover from long runs and races. There are many sorts of asanas for the runners. We have listed some effective yoga poses for runners.

1. Downward-Facing Dog

Instructions: Start with hands or knees. Place your palms a little distance on the front of the shoulders. Try pulling your hips up and back off to your hands. Keep your knees bent and pull on arms. Shift your weight on to the legs. Pull your kneecaps and engage quads. Hold your breath for five to ten times.
Benefits: this asana stretches the hamstrings and calves creating length in the spine.

2. Upward-Facing Dog

Instructions: Lie on your stomach, facing the floor. Curve your elbows and place your hands on mate with the help of your ribs, wrists lined under the elbows. Press down into the hands and aligned arms. Pull your chest up toward the ceiling and lift thighs front. You can do this pose by keeping your toes tucked instead of pointed, which will allow you to activate and lift your thighs.if you have a stiff neck or shoulder injuries do it under supervision.
Benefits: This pose allows stretching the muscles of the arm and balancing the body weight. It is a great way of toning your arms, biceps or triceps.

3. Triangle Pose

Instructions: Elaborate arms out of sides and bend over the right leg. Stand with feet keeping distance about 3 feet turning the left food to 90 degrees out and the right foot to 45 degrees. Allow your left hand to touch the floor and extend the other hand towards the ceiling. Hold your full five breaths. Stand and repeat on opposite side.
Benefits: Triangle Pose extends the hamstrings and inner thighs. It helps to open and expand laterally, making it perfect release for runners who move solely in the vertical plane.

4. Sugarcane in the Half Moonlight

Instructions: Stand with feet together near a chair to your right. Bend your left knee and hold onto your feet with the help of your left hand or a belt. Lift muscles of your standing leg and affix muscles off your hips.Lower your right hand for a balance to sit on the chair. Release your left foot and lower it then place the hands on hips. Repeat the process on the sides.
Benefits: This pose opens up the standing hamstring and the opposite leg’s hip flexors. Try to breathe normally and take support as much as you need.

5. Bound Angle Pose

Instructions: Curl your knees and touch soles of your feet together sitting on the mate. Start by pointing your hands behind for support, lining your spine up toward the ceiling. If your feel like your tailbone is being pulled underneath you, you can sit on a folded blanket. Hold for five to 10 breaths. Get back up to sitting and use your hands to bring your knees close.
Benefits: Bound Angle is great for opening the inner thighs.

6. Hero Pose with Eagle Arms

Instructions:Close your knees together and feet should be outside of your hips. Sit down in the middle of your feet with soles of your feet towards the ceiling. Sit on a block or a folded blanket if you feel uncomfortable. Press down with the feet. Add Eagle Arms by wrapping your arms around. Rise elbows facing ceiling and move wrists away from nose squeeze and release your arms.
Benefits: Hero Pose will extend the tops of your shins and feet, which tends to be tight from running, and get your blood flowing in your legs. This pose will give you a good arm stretch to let you get rid of tension in your neck and shoulders.

7. Reclining Cobbler’s Pose

Instructions: sit on the map and bring your feet together spreading knees wide. Hips should be as close to your heels as possible.Lie down on your back.
Benefits: Reclining Cobbler’s Poseopens the hips and releases tight adductors releasing tension.