Why All Runners Should Practice Yoga and

Barre
For those who hit the pavement hard, certain kinds of cross-training have their perks.

By Cassie Shortsleeve

Photo: Shutterstock / Somkiat Boonsing

Up until a few years ago, you likely wouldn't have found many runners in barre or
yoga classes.

"It seemed as if yoga and barre were really taboo amongst runners,"
says Amanda Nurse, an elite runner, run coach, and yoga instructor based in
Boston. Runners often felt like they weren't flexible enough for yoga, and barre
seemed to be a trendy boutique studio class that would come and go, she says.

Today? YouTube sensations have helped to make "yoga for runners" a highly

searched thing. Run-specific classes have made the practice more approachable
to non-experts, keeping many runners injury-free and mentally and physically
strong. And studios like barre3 have synced their online workouts with the app
Strava, a popular run-tracking platform.

"Some of our most enthusiastic clients are runners who have improved their time
but have also worked through physical pain and injury that was limiting their
ability to find the joy that brought them to run in the first place," says Sadie
Lincoln, co-founder and CEO of barre3. "Our runners come to barre3 to cross-
train, rehab injury, and also to develop mental strength and focus." Many of the
company's master trainers and instructors are runners themselves, she adds.

Of course, not *every* barre and yoga class is created equal, so if you're looking
to change up your non-run days, try to find a studio that offers yoga geared
toward runners (or something of the like). Not only will you be surrounded by like-
minded people (read: not a studio full of expert yogis doing advanced poses),
but these classes usually target specific muscles that need to be stretched or
opened (you know, the hips and the hamstrings), says Nurse. "More restorative or
stretching-focused yoga also works as a great alternative to strength training or
an off day."

The good news is that with online workouts (ex: The Cross-Training Barre Workout
All Runners Need to Stay Strong) and IRL studios, you have more options now
than ever to find a class that works for you. Once you find something you like, try
to make it habit for a month so you can "click" with the workout and start to see
some of the rewards below.

Strengthen Muscles Crucial for Running

Runners are a group that can be guilty of doing little more than, well, running.
But both yoga and barre offer some physical perks that pay off down the road.

For one: "Barre classes are centered around the core," says Becca Lucas, owner
of Barre & Anchor, a barre studio in Weston, MA. "You work your abs from the
very beginning of class to the very end."

This is key as a stronger core is arguably the most important muscle groups for
strong running, notes Nurse. Take a study published in the Journal of
Biomechanics, which found that deep core muscles work to more evenly
distribute the load of a run, likely allowing for better performance and
endurance. Yoga-full of core-focused moves (boat pose, warrior III, and planks)-
is full of ab-focused exercises, as well.

Balancing poses can also help strengthen small, yet important muscles in the
ankles, legs, and core that runners need to move fast and efficiently, explains
Nurse. And while you might not think of running as a single-leg sport, in many
ways, it is. You land on one foot at a time. Working through one-legged exercises
can help train the body for those movements on the road.
More generally, though, yoga with its bodyweight component and barre by way
of the lightweight dumbbells you use in class can both serve as a strength-
training for many runners.

Prevent Running Injuries

A focus on stretching (something you probably often skip!) works to improve
flexibility, prevent injury, and promote recovery, notes Lucas. "Many runners come
to us with similar muscle imbalances that we help them work through," adds
Lincoln. "We help them open up their hip flexors and chest, and strengthen their
core, glutes, and hamstrings for improved posture and alignment." (Not sure
where to start? Aim to do these 9 running stretches you should do after every
single run.)

As both yoga and barre are low-impact, they also give runners' joints a much-
needed break, explains Lucas.

Yet, while a focus on preventing injuries is hugely important, Lincoln adds that

these kinds of studio classes offer up another important benefit. "Equally
important for runners is having an inspiring place to work out when they do have
an injury."

Since both workouts are easily modifiable, you can still get a good workout in if
you have a tweak that's keeping you from your usual mileage. "It's something
that's well-received by the high-performing running community," says Lincoln.

Build Mental Strength

"As a marathon runner, it's really important to be mentally strong during a race.
When the body starts to hurt, you need to be able to utilize breathing techniques
or mantras to get you through," says Nurse. (Related: How Olympic Medalist
Deena Kastor Trains for Her Mental Game)

And while yoga's mental benefits seem pretty obvious (read: a chance to finally
relax in Savasana where you're encouraged to do little more than chill out and
breathe), barre pushes you mentally out of your comfort zone, says Lucas.
"Classes are uncomfortable from the beginning until the very end, which can be
similar to a run. Your body benefits physically from the exercises, but you benefit
mentally as well." A focus on form and breathing helps you connect inward, too.
 ADVERTISEMENT

When It's OK to Work the Same Muscles Back to

Back
Can you squat one day then spin the next, or should you skip legs? Here, the expert
verdict.

By Karla Walsh and Lauren Mazzo

Updated October 14, 2019

PHOTO: CAIAIMAGE/SAM EDWARDS/GETTY IMAGES

You may know it's not best to bench on back-to-back days, but how bad is it
really to squat then spin? Or HIIT it hard every day? We turned to the experts for
tips on just how aggressively you can stack your workout plan before it backfires.
(See: Reasons You Actually Shouldn't Go to the Gym.)

Generally speaking, yes, it's fine to work out the same muscles on back-to-back
days—as long as you're not going to failure on either of those says, says Lindsay
Marie Ogden, a certified personal trainer and TEAM training manager at Life
Time Athletic in Chanhassen, Minnesota. By "going to failure" she means getting
to a point where you literally can't execute the move because your muscles
are that tired. While this most commonly happens when you're strength training
(you know the "I can't even do one more rep" feeling), your legs probably feel
the same type of way after a weekly long run or an especially brutal HIIT class.

And, actually, there are some perks to training the same muscle group two days
in a row, if you follow the right protocol: "It can facilitate recovery and lengthen
the duration of protein synthesis—meaning it increases the window of time your
body spending building muscle," says Ogden. The idea is to hit a muscle group
hard one day with heavy weight and lower reps (3 to 8 range), then hit that same
muscle group the next day with lighter weight, higher reps (8 to 12 range), she
says. "The goal is to activate the cells that promote hypertrophy (a.k.a. muscle
growth) and get nutrients to the muscles." But you don't have to hit the gym two
days in a row to get those muscle-building benefits: "Proper sleep, stress
management, and nutrition also aids in this," she says.

Wan the full run-down? Here's what you need to know about doing the same
workouts and training the same muscles on back-to-back days.

Strength Training
The most important aspect here? Recovery. Toned triceps take time—and not just
time in the gym.

"You don't get better during strength workouts—you get better between them,"
says Neal Pire, an exercise physiologist at HNH Fitness in Oradell, New Jersey.
Muscles take a beating during training, then over a day or two they recuperate
and rebuild stronger than before. Many variables affect how quickly your muscle
fibers recover after weight training (i.e., your level of fitness, how much weight
you're lifting, and how many reps you complete). But for the average Jane, Pire
recommends training the same muscle group no more than twice a week, leaving
at least 48 hours between each. So, no, you probably shouldn't strength train the
same muscle group two days in a row.

Jen Hoehl, an exercise physiologist based in New York City, suggests hitting larger
muscle groups (like chest, back, shoulders, quads, and hamstrings) with heavier
weights earlier in the week. Then later in the week, when you're more likely to
feel tired, work on smaller muscle groups (like arms and calves) with lighter
weights and higher reps. Doing this allows you to be fresh when you're going
hard and heavy, while building endurance later. (Related: How Often Should You
Do Heavy Weight Lifting Workouts?)
Cardio
Doing cardio—whether it's running or spinning—mutiple days in a row usually
isn't that risky, as long as you're not going zero to 60 with your training intensity
and frequency, according to Jacqueline Crockford, an exercise physiologist at
the American Council on Exercise, as previously reported in Is It Bad to Do the
Same Workout Every Day?. Slowly increase your training and listen to your body
to avoid any overuse injuries.

But is it bad to lift those three-pound dumbbells in spin class every day? Not
really—since those spin and barre class exercises aren't exactly considered
strength training.

"Spinning and the light upper-body dumbbells some classes call for don't add

enough resistance to break down the muscle—the high-rep, low-weight
movements are designed to add some variety and increase intensity and heart
rate," says Hoehl. So feel free to spin daily. But if you want to truly get buff
biceps, unclip from those pedals and try barbell weight training at least twice a
week.

HIIT Training
"High-intensity, total-body workouts (like burpees) don't provide the same
muscular stress as classic strength workouts, so it's OK to do them on back-to-
back days," says Pire. However, "if you’re doing compound or multi-joint
movements, you’re hitting multiple muscles groups at one time—which can also
be taxing and require more recovery," says Ogden.

That's why, if you do too much HIIT training, you may experience overtraining

syndrome. To prevent that, rotate HIIT days and strength days—with low-intensity
active recovery days, of course. "A mix of HIIT and heavy weight lifting will help
you look lean," says Hoehl. (See: Here's What a Week of Perfectly Balanced
Workouts Looks Like.)

Abs Workouts
"Ab work is generally about conditioning, or endurance, more than strength, so
feel free to tack it on to your workouts daily," says Pire. Just make sure to mix
things up. "Your core is always keeping you stable, so ab muscle recovery
happens fast," says Hoehl. Abs quickly acclimate to stress, so do a different abs
exercise every day, he adds.

The One Rule to Follow—No Matter What Kind of

Workout
Overworking your body or hammering one muscle group, in particular, will likely
sacrifice your form and put you at a higher risk of injury. "If you’re training total
body day after day or trying to work your glutes, for example, each session, it
can become difficult to manage the intensity and focus," says Ogden. "That, in
turn, will cause more stress, calling for more recovery time." (See: How to Work
Out Less and Get Better Results.)

That's why both Pire and Ogden agree: Regardless of your workout or which
muscle group you're training, there's one rule of thumb: Let your body be your
guide. "If you're too sore from the previous weight workout, push today's back
and do cardio instead," says Pire.