One of the reasons I love yoga, is Bikram Hot Yoga has helped me improve my running form.  I may have had decent posture before I started doing yoga, but now I KNOW I have good posture and not only do I have good posture but I have learned how to actively traction my own spine.  What does that mean?  It means I can use each intercostal muscle between my ribs and vertebrae to fight against gravity and keep my spine from sinking in on itself.

This is the feeling you should have as you are running.  When I say “Chest up runners.”  I mean you should imagine I am pulling you but the shirt up and forward at a 45 degree angle.  You can try to do this all you want, but without actively using your core, intercostals, and erector spinae muscles all you are doing is bending at your hips and sticking your chest forward.

Your intercostals and erector spinae muscles are just two sets of muscles groups in which yoga will help unlock the mind body connection to. (By the way another big muscle group yoga helps you learn to activate is the gluteus maximus–you know that big muscle I’m always saying is so important to runners!)

If you want to try it this month check out this living social:  My studio is having a special.  Give it a chance, it’s crazy what your own body can tell you if you listen! 🙂

http://www.livingsocial.com/deals/263200-20-yoga-classes-30-or-one-month-of-yoga-49