April 7, 2014

Sage Advice: Yoga During T2

Eleanore asked an interesting question:

Is there a good pose to do during T2 [the second transition, from bike to run, in a triathlon]? Something to help facilitate the transition from bike to run? Not for a sprint tri, but more for longer distance races where an extra two minutes spent in transition might be regained by a faster start on the run.

While a yoga pose or a stretch wouldn’t make you faster at the start of the run (nor do we need to be fast at the start of a run in a half or full iron-distance race), it certainly could improve your comfort in the first mile or two of the run, and that might mean that you run more relaxed, delaying a degradation in form and keeping you more comfortable, both of which will yield a faster time overall in the run.

With that in mind, we’d look for something that is (a) efficient, since you’ll be standing still for it when you could be moving; (b) addresses the effects of riding, especially in an aerodynamic position, releasing places that get tight (chest, hip flexors); (c) preps the muscles to run (specifically, engaging feet and releasing the calves and hip flexors).

Crescent with side bend
Crescent with side bend

For this, I like a crescent lunge with side stretch toward the front leg, as pictured here. From the bottom up, you’ll:

  • engage the foot of the front leg
  • stabilize the knee of the front leg
  • stretch the sole of the back foot
  • stretch the calf of the back foot
  • stretch the hip flexors of the back leg
  • stretch the obliques and intercostals of the back-leg side, making more space for breath
  • stretch the shoulder of the raised arm

I’d hold for five or ten breaths per side. Better yet, you could be multitasking—changing your shirt, for example—while you do it.

CoachingSage AdviceTraining and RacingYoga
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