Stretching for Runners

goalie35

Do any of you runners use pilates or yoga to help with stretching? My company is going to be offer 30 min yoga and 30 min pilates on the same day. Should I sign up for one (which?) or should I think about doing both and get a full hour of stretching with a little core workout?

3dogsrunning

We don't have pilates classes here anymore. I remember taking one and it was more of a workout than stretching, at least that one was.
As for yoga, it all depends on the class. There is one instructor at my old gym who I absolutely loved. She did a really great class that involved a lot of stretching in the hips, which is where I am most tight, and legs. Other instructors did a very different class and I didn't find I got a lot of stretching out of it.
I know there are diffferent types of yoga, but I am sorry, I don't know them.

Signing up for both sounds good, but if I had to choose one or the other, I would go yoga, but thats me.

ATT949

Pilates and yoga have a lot of benefits but if you want stretches that runners use, Runner's World or Running Times are probably a good resource.

allyfry

I started yoga about a year ago when I noticed tightness that made it hard to run. Now I swear by it to keep limber from sitting all day. I was doing it two mornings a week for an hour each. Now I do the routine at home as often as I can. I focus on the hips and hamstrings. I have about a half hour routine for after runs but whenever we're watching a movie or hanging out at home I go through some of the poses I like the best. The routine I use is called dynamic or vinyasa flow yoga.

fitnessgal1318

Yoga has helped me alot. Running makes my hamstrings and hips so tight which has made running harder at times. Finding a good class can really be helpful in learning good form and learning about what poses and stretches help you the most, there are also lots of DVD's out there as well. I don't do alot of pilates but have some runner friends that say it helps alot with core strength as well as flexibility. Good luck!

Sp1nGoddess

I think yoga is great for runners and just about everyone else too! I always stretch AFTER a run and my routine is mainly yoga based. I get tight tips and have IT band issues if I don't stretch.

igora_soma

Yoga is a great way to stretch out. I would recommend more than a half an hour at least once a week to really get in some deep stretches!

Pilates is more of a work out that includes stretching, but if you want to just stretch, try yoga I run and do forrest yoga and LOVE it!