Warrior I

How to do it

Stand at the front of the mat. Step the left foot back about a leg's length, then turn the left foot out about 45 degrees so the heel grounds. Both hips face the front of the mat as much as your hip mobility allows. Bend the right knee until it stacks over the right ankle; the left leg stays long behind you. Press into both feet, draw the tailbone down, and sweep the arms overhead — biceps by the ears, palms can face each other or touch. Hold and breathe, then switch sides.

Why it's good for runners

The back-leg hip flexor — psoas, rectus femoris — is the tissue that takes the brunt of sitting and never quite recovers in runners. Warrior I is the longest, deepest hip flexor stretch in the standing yoga catalog, and you get it on both sides for the price of one shape. Hip flexor length is what lets you actually extend through your back leg on push-off instead of cutting the stride short.

Common mistakes

Don't sacrifice the back heel to square the hips — if forcing the hips forward lifts the back heel, accept slightly open hips and keep the heel down. Don't let the front knee drift inward; it tracks over the front ankle. And don't shrug the shoulders up to the ears when the arms go overhead.