How to Integrate Yoga into Your Marathon Training Regimen

1. How to Integrate Yoga into Your Marathon Training Regimen Going to start your marathon training regimen? Start using yoga mat then. If you do yoga regularly, then probably you know its numerous benefits. Yoga can help correct your muscle imbalance, relieve tightness and improve flexibility. Runners can control their breathing and mental focus during marathon race by incorporating yoga in their training regimen. Here’s how you can integrate yoga program into your marathon training plan. Rule #1 – Divide yoga program into three phases: base building, phase building and peak training. Base building phase should include yoga poses that help you build aerobic capacity, correct imbalances, and improve muscular endurance. Next is phase building which includes gentle yoga poses and holding the pose longer to improve your capacity. During the peak training phase, keep yoga practice mellow in order to reap maximum benefits of your higher-intensity running workouts. Rule #2 – Include strength-based and stamina-based yoga classes per week. Some effective yoga poses that can increase your stamina include navasana, child’s pose, straddle pose, and bridge pose. Build your strength with standing poses to increase flexibility of leg muscles, forward folding poses to strengthen back, and inversion poses to enhance strength of the whole body. Rule #3 – In the final weeks before the race, practice meditation to bolster mind-body coordination, enhance mental strength and improve proper breathing technique. A few things to note:  Your marathon training regimen should include 3-4 days of running, 2-3 days of yoga practice and at least one rest day a week.  You can have your rest day just before the day of your long run.  Yoga is great for stretching those over-worked muscles, reduce the feeling of fatigue after running miles and prevent muscle injuries. You only need about 45 minutes for strength and stamina training per session.  Use one day to do yoga poses to work on your upper body strength, one day for flexibility yoga poses and a full-body circuit twice a week. Remember, balance is the key when it comes to getting yourself ready for marathon. What works for one, may not work for others. Whether you are a beginner or seasoned runner, the above-mentioned rules for incorporating yoga into marathon training plan may help you get yourself prepare better before that long race. However, you can give your body the freedom to explore more. Get your yoga mat and yoga ball ready if you are participating in the upcoming marathon race. Just go to any online sports store in Singapore or in your country to purchase yoga mat and yoga ball, and get started with your yoga-marathon training regimen!