Standing Forward Fold

How to do it

Stand with feet hip-width apart. Exhale and hinge forward from the hips, letting the head and arms hang heavy toward the floor. Bend the knees as much as needed — the spine should feel long and the belly should rest gently on the thighs, not be peeled off them. Hands can land on the floor, on the shins, or grip opposite elbows. Let the head be heavy; release the neck.

Why it's good for runners

It's the simplest hamstring and low-back release in the catalog. The fold itself takes pressure off the low back by reversing the upright running posture, and the hamstrings get a long passive stretch with no muscular effort involved. One pose, both regions, no equipment.

Common mistakes

The big one is keeping the legs straight at the cost of a rounded spine — that's a hamstring stretch with a back-pain side effect. Bend the knees. Don't bounce; let the fold deepen with breath. And don't hang the bodyweight from the lower back; let the hips be the hinge.