I have practised yoga on and off since my teens, I am now in my fifties and have been practising this time for the past six years and unlikely to leave.

I also enjoy cycling, swimming and kettlebell.

For cycling and kettlebell, I find the other sport/ exercise warms my muscles so that if I do a session of yoga straight after exercising my muscles are warm enough to really stretch out and that then prevents any muscle aches and contraction from the non-yoga exercise, so they compliment each other very well.

For swimming, the breathing practise of pranayama in yoga really helps me to control my breathing pattern in swim strokes. I find I am never really desparate for a breath as I swim. Conversely, swimming strengthens my diaphragm and breath control such that yogic breathing is improved, so again they compliment each other.

I've also recently taken up running 5ks. But, in the past, due to VERY tight tendons, running always resulted in extreme ankle, heel and knee pain. Now, after doing Yoga for 6-7 months, I may not be a great runner but at least I don't have that pain anymore :happy:

I began running about four years ago and always had a lot of hip/back pain after I ran. I also struggled with endurance beyond 3 miles. I started doing yoga a year and a half ago and it has totally changed my body. I am leaner, more flexible, and I can run longer distances (5 miles +). I also have completely alleviated all hip/back pain. Yoga has also helped me develop more upper body and core muscles. Whenever I hear people complaining about fitness injuries I always tell them they are simply missing out on a good yoga practice!

I do yoga and bike. I picked up mountain biking recently. It has definitely helped with my balance and core stability. I feel more confident going over those roots and rocks!! (though steep hills are still a struggle)

Yoga is very helpful for me in other sports. Mainly I bike (road and mountain), but I've been doing a C25K as well and one of the things I notice is that if I use the posture techniques from yoga it keeps my neck and back from hurting when I run. And I definitely need yoga to loosen up my hips/IT bands/etc. after exercise.

I've been doing yoga for a few years, and just started running. So far I don't really notice any benefits on the breathing part, I'm still panting like a horse. I hope once my condition becomes better this will improve as well. I did notice a lot of benefit in stretching my sore muscles using yoga, so I can loosen everything up in a gentle way.

It helps if you focus just as much on your breathing when you run as much as you would when you do yoga. Practice controlled breaths. While your conditioning will improve, so will the amount that you run, so breathing correctly is something you need to actively work on. When I first started working on my breathing I would count in for 2 & out for 2. Noticed this morning I now breathe in for 4 & out for 2. Don't know if that helps at all but figured I'd throw it out there for you to contemplate.

I would also suggest slowing down your pace when you're beginning running. It took me a long time to figure that out. I had never been a runner, and the first time I ran twenty minutes straight it was because I took it really really slow. I listened to slow and steady music and told myself not to run faster than I could steadily breathe, and that was really when it clicked for me! I began running at about an 11:30 min mile pace, and within 6 months with regular running and strength training was able to run more than 5 miles at a 10 min mile pace. Slow and steady is the key!