Sore and tender muscles may be the aftermath of a challenging workout, but that doesn’t make them any easier to deal with. Whether you are a dedicated yogi, or just looking to speed up your muscle repair and recovery, incorporating a restorative flow into your routine can be hugely beneficial. Carving just ten minutes out of your day to put your legs up the wall or work on opening your hips in a Pigeon Pose can relieve muscle tension, lessen soreness, and increase flexibility. From Cross-fitters to Muscle Mommies, people from all walks of fitness life are discovering the advantages of yoga for muscle recovery.
Ready to dive into the best poses for muscle recovery? Grab your favorite Yoga Design Lab yoga props and let’s go!
Is Yoga Good for Muscle Recovery?
Wondering if mastering your downward dog will speed up your recovery? Yoga is amazing for muscle recovery and should be considered part of a balanced fitness routine. Yoga allows us to slow down and marry our breath to movement. This conscious effort and focus provides ample opportunity to stretch and strengthen our muscles. When we bring mindfulness to our breath and asanas we naturally increase the circulation or blood flow to our muscles. After a strenuous workout or run, a slow-flow yoga session can help ensure the proper flow of oxygen and nutrients to our sore muscles. Increased circulation can also aid our body in excreting waste and toxins from the muscles. Taking the time to recover can lead to improved athletic performance over time. Of course, always practice your restorative flow on a yoga mat that offers ample stability, support, and comfort. To protect your muscles, joints, and tendons we suggest using a mat that offers a cushioned surface and an all-natural rubber base.
What Type of Yoga is Best for Recovery?
Bikram, Vinyasa, and Hatha oh my! There are as many styles and practices of yoga as there are yogis! However, if your goal is to help your muscles recover faster and more efficiently, restorative yoga is the way to go. Restorative or Yin yoga is the ideal yoga for muscle recovery since it prioritizes holding poses mindfully for long periods. This slow, meditative practice is easily adaptable and champions relaxation and stress relief. Furthermore, restorative yoga readily incorporates yoga props, such as bolsters into its flow. Utilizing yoga bolsters and pillows allows your body to be safely supported as you create more space to move more deeply into reclined twists or hip openers.
Is it Okay to Do Yoga When Your Muscles Are Sore?
Although it may be tempting to turn into a couch potato post-HIIT session, our bodies crave movement to facilitate recovery. Listen to your body, but unless you are experiencing acute muscle pain, it’s better to keep moving! Many experts agree that active recovery sessions such as yoga, which prioritize low-impact movement and stretching can reduce muscle inflammation and soreness. In the long run, folding in restorative yoga poses and stretches into your sessions can increase mobility, flexibility, and performance.
Best Poses for Muscle Recovery
Unsure of how to begin your yoga journey for muscle recovery? Depending on where you feel your muscle soreness or stiffness you can mix and match the following poses to create your ideal yoga sequence. Runners may want to prioritize poses that work on loosening up their hamstrings or hips, while office workers may go ga-ga for the delicious back stretch of a Supine Twist:
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Pigeon Pose or Supine Pigeon Pose - an excellent asana to open those hips, work your way into deep relaxation through Supine Pigeon Pose by lying on your back, crossing your right ankle over your left knee. Exhale and reach both hands up to pull your left thigh into your chest. Hold, release, and repeat, the second time repeating the motion on your opposite side.
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Legs Up the Wall Pose - have your bolster ready as you work into one of the best asanas for circulation. Lie on your back with your hips close to the wall, placing a pillow or bolster underneath for extra support. Raise both legs straight up and then gently place them against the wall so they lie perpendicular to your body.
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Supine Spinal Twist - ease twisted and tight chest, back, glutes, and quad muscles with this well-loved pose. Start on your back and gently inhale bringing your right knee up toward your chest. Exhale and gently roll to your left, letting your knee gently fall on your left side. Keep your left leg straight and place your arms in a ‘T’ position for stability. Repeat on the opposite side.
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Child’s Pose - the ultimate resting pose, child's pose also delivers a gentle hip stretch. Begin in a kneeling position shift your hips back onto your heels, keeping your toes untucked. Place your forehead on the ground and stretch your arms overhead. Breathe!
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Reclined Butterfly - experience a lovely inner thigh and lower back stretch when you switch out your seated butterfly for a reclined version. Start lying down and bring the soles of your feet together, letting your knees give way to gravity.
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Runners Lunge - a great pose to work out those tight quads. Begin in a high plank position stepping your right foot between your hands. Check your feet alignment and make sure your knee doesn’t extend beyond your ankle. Slowly put weight into your left heel and straighten your back leg. Repeat on the opposite side.
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Standing Forward Bend - deceptively simply this asana is ideal for a healthy spine and keeping your hips, hamstrings, and calves limber. Start in a standing position with your hands on your hips, begin to fold forward, and move your hands to the floor or touch your ankles.
Yoga is a celebration of all that our bodies can do. By sprinkling restorative yoga into our fitness routine we can expand our body’s capacity for recovery and ensure the benefits of our healthy practice for years to come.
A New York native, Isis-Maya spent most of her professional life working in TV production until a vacation whisked her away to Central America and her love of travel and yoga was born. Three months of sun salutations and surfing through Nicaragua and Costa Rica quickly turned into over two years. She fell in love, both with yoga and the beach lifestyle. Today she works as a wellness and lifestyle writer for various publications and resides in Mexico City. When she isn't working on yoga or fitness based blog posts you can find her at her local yoga studio or planning her next retreat.