There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to fitness (you’ve always got to listen to your body and do what works for you) but if you’re keen to give pre-run yoga a go, both Legister and Stone recommend sun salutations to warm up your body (and mind).

As Stone explains: “Sun salutations keep you mobile, stable and strong as every muscle action has a counter action too. Running involves repetitive muscle movements so pre-run sun salutations may help address imbalance in the body that running can create over time.”

Quick warm-up flow

If you’re familiar with yoga asanas, she suggests the following short standing sequence, moving fluidly with your inhales and exhales. (If new to yoga, it’s safer to follow along with a video like Legister’s.)

Stand in the middle of your mat facing the long side
Inhale in mountain pose (standing with legs together, core engaged, arms by your sides)
Exhale to forward fold
Inhale back to mountain
Jump the feet wide on an out breath
Inhale and lift the arms
Exhale and bend the knees into wide squat
Staying low, inhale and turn the feet to warrior II with arms wide (front knee bent, back leg straight, face looking forwards)
Exhale to triangle (straightening the front leg and bending forward to bring the same side hand to the floor, opposite arm stretched above you)
Inhale to warrior II
Exhale to wide squat with arms raised
Inhale and jump the feet, landing in chair pose (knees bent, legs together, back straight with arms straight slightly ahead of you)
Repeat on the other side

Keep flowing until you feel sufficiently warmed up.

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