Yoga For Walking

I’ve recently started training for the annual Shine Night Walk in aid of Cancer Research.  This is the second year I’ve taken part in the night marathon that brings people from all over the UK together in London to help raise money to fund cancer research.

It’s a great experience, you not only get to meet lots of lovely people and have a chance to share stories and experiences, it’s great fun too!

There is a lot of hard work involved in getting ready for the marathon. My training schedule consists of distance walking and yoga. Sometimes when you walk long distances your hips and hamstrings can get a little tight and you can put pressure on your lower back so I like to concentrate on stretching these areas with the following poses before and after my walk.

Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)

• Standing in Mountain Pose, lift your arms up and dive forward into a Forward Bend, keeping your back flat and your hands on the floor or wooden block.
• You can keep your legs straight or bend your knees slightly depending on your flexibility and comfort.

Crescent lunge Anjaneyansana

• Begin in Mountain pose, step your left foot back and bend your right knee to a 90 degree angle
• With both feet hip distance apart and your weight on the heel of your right foot and the ball of your left foot engage your lower belly and extend your lower back
• Raise your arms over your head keeping them shoulder width apart and your palms facing each other.
• Keeping your pelvis neatral and your hips level feel the stretch in your left leg as you extend through your back heel.
• Now repeat on the other side
• If you find this a little challenging you can always bring your back knee to the floor and into a low lunge.

Cat/Cow Pose:

• Starting on all fours, keeping your arms straight, place your palms directly under your shoulders maintaining a neutral spine.
• Inhale and drop your belly and roll your shoulders back into Cow Pose.
• Exhale, press your palms into the floor and arch your back, dropping your tailbone into Cat Pose.
• Repeat this sequence a few times to help relieve tension in your back.

Marichyasana (Seated Twist)

• Begin seated with your legs together and stretched out in front of you
• Flexing your feet and placing your palms flat on the floor, arms close to your sides and roll your shoulders back.
• Keeping your left leg straight, bend your right knee, keeping your foot flat on the floor.
• On the inhale sit up tall and reach up with your left arm.
• On the exhale, twist toward the right and drop your left arm to the outside of your right thigh so your hugging your thigh.
• Then bend your left elbow and point your fingertips up to the sky
• Roll your shoulders back opening your chest and lifting from your lower back
• Now repeat on the other side.