Tuesday 26 March 2013

Running is helping my Ashtanga backbends?!

Woah, woah, woooaahh, something crazy happened this morning.

I woke up, had a coffee, and was about to start my Ashtanga home practice when I decided that my brain was way too BUSY and I needed to exhaust it so I could concentrate.

So I got my gear on and ran.


I hit the hills as hard as I could, and ran my heart out. 

My stats:


I came home and rolled out my yoga mat.

Instead of the classic series of standing poses (uttanasana, trikonasana, pari trik, parsvo, etc. etc.) I did a strong standing posture sequence on Yogaglo. Forty-five minutes later, I turned off the computer and settled down for some seated postures. 

By this time, I was pretty tired. My rambling brain had finally shut up.

I did Janushirsasana variations, visited Marichiyasana and its friends, trembled my way through Navasana, Bhujapidasana, Kurmasana, and then back bends. 

I stood up and dropped back. And stood up.

And did it again, and again. 

And it was surprisingly easy. 

Harnessing the power in the quads, the forward pull of the pelvis, the "Stand Up!" feeling--all of that was EASY. I believe the hill running beforehand fired up those fast-twitch muscles in my quads that give that really strong, abrupt pull. You don't get powerful movements like that from the slow-twitch, oxidative muscles that is built by mid to long distance runs, or long holds in Warrior 2.

For most of last year, running and Ashtanga were enemies fighting for control of my body. 

I feel like finally, today, I got them to be friends!

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