Speed Up Your Recovery With These Post-Workout Yoga Poses

So you’ve given a workout your all — you’ve pushed past your peak, set a new personal record, and sweat more than you ever have before. But now it’s the morning after. Cue that “just-got-hit-by-a-truck” feeling that we all know so well.

The answer to your soreness lies in active recovery. By stretching and engaging in light movement, you’re increasing circulation and bringing oxygen to your muscles, which can help reduce the production of soreness-causing lactic acid. You’re also relieving physical and mental tension, which is much needed after a good gym session. 

Want to get moving? This low and slow yoga sequence will help your muscles recover after a hard workout. Do the whole routine, or pick each pose one by one to target a specific sore area. Your body will thank you.

1. HAPPY BABY

Target areas: groin, spine, hips, hamstrings, low back

Hug your knees into your chest. Separate your knees and flex your feet. Grab the outside edges of your feet with your hands and lift the soles of your feet up to face the sky. Try to align each ankle over each knee so your shins are perpendicular to the floor.

2. SUPINE HAMSTRING STRETCH

Target areas: hamstrings, hips, thighs, groin, calves

Loop the arch of your foot through a strap, flex your foot, and extend your leg up to the sky. Your left leg can be bent or straight out on the mat. Move directly into the next pose.

3. RECLINED TWIST

Target areas: spine, hamstrings, legs, back, glutes

Keeping your foot in the strap, guide your leg across your body into a twist. Try to stack your hips. To deepen the pose, look out over the other shoulder. Repeat the supine hamstring stretch and the twist on your left side.

4. SPHINX POSE

Target areas: spine, chest, shoulders, abdominals

Lie down on your stomach and prop yourself up on your forearms, palms facing down. Relax your shoulders away from your ears.

5. CHILD’S POSE

Target areas: hips, thighs, ankles, low back, shoulders, neck

From Sphinx, come up to Tabletop and sink your hips back to your heels. Stretch your arms forward and relax your chest and forehead down. You can widen your knees to work into your hips or create space for your belly.

6. FROG

Target areas: chest, shoulders, back, hips, thighs

Shift up from Child’s Pose into Tabletop. Walk your knees out wider than your hips. Flex your feet so your toes face out. Come to rest on your forearms, walking your hands out further to increase the stretch. Keep your hips aligned under your knees. Feel free to place a blanket underneath your knees for extra cushion.

7. HERO

Target areas: hip flexors, knees, thighs, ankles, back, abdominals

From Frog, come to a kneeling position with your glutes between your feet. As you exhale, start to lower your back torso to the floor and rest yourself on your forearms. If you feel comfortable and safe enough to go deeper, lower all the way onto your back. Feel free to put a pillow or bolster behind your back for support. To come out, lift up onto your forearms, then move upright. Slowly unwind back to a seat. Note: Skip this pose if you can’t comfortably sit your glutes between your feet in a kneeling position. 

Want more post-workout yoga? This rest-day yoga playlist on Alo Moves is perfect after you've hit the gym or pavement.