Eastbourne instructor explains how hot yoga boosts performance and recovery for runners

As the weather warms and a calendar of fitness-focused events is on the horizon, Lizzy, a leading yoga instructor and owner of Hotpod Eastbourne, part of the UK’s largest yoga business, has shared some tips and insights on how runners can get the most out of their efforts this spring, whilst also supporting their bodies and minimising chance of injury.

This comes as Hotpod Yoga Eastbourne also unveils a range of activities and events for runners and wider customers, such as Free Hotpod Classes for Local Run Clubs.

“Hot yoga is great for runners,” says Lizzy, owner of Hotpod Yoga Eastbourne, “because it enhances flexibility, strengthens muscles, and improves balance, helping to prevent injuries and to support faster recovery after long runs. It can benefit runners of all levels, from beginners to seasoned marathoners – and it’s a great way to counter the toll that running can take on your body.

“Here are some examples of the role that hot yoga can play in a runner’s routine, and some tips to get you started...

Improves Endurance and Stamina

“While yoga itself is fairly low intensity in terms of exercise, adding the heat increases the body temperature, mimicking the effects of more intense physical activity. This leads to an increased heart rate, which makes hot yoga more of a challenge for the cardiovascular system than a normal class. The heat also encourages deeper, more controlled breathing, which improves lung capacity and oxygen efficiencies – crucial components in both yoga and running!

Increases Core Strength and Balance

“Runners often face imbalances in their muscles, especially between the front and back of the body. Hot yoga strengthens stabilising muscles, particularly in the core and legs, improving balance and alignment. This helps runners to maintain better form, especially during long runs, or on uneven terrain, leading to more efficient and controlled movements.

“A low lunge is a classic yoga pose that really stretches out the hip flexors, and builds strength and stability in the hips. You can add in variations to target the upper body too, such as bringing in a twist to release tension in your back that might have built up from swinging your arms while running.”

Builds Muscle Strength and Flexibility

“While running focuses mainly on the legs, hot yoga targets both large and small muscle groups, including the core, arms, and back. Building strength in the core and upper body helps with posture and overall running efficiency, reducing the risk of fatigue and improving endurance over long distances.

“Running can also cause tightness in muscles, particularly in the hips, hamstrings, calves and lower back. Hot yoga allows runners to stretch these areas more effectively due to the heat, which helps improve range of motion and muscle stiffness. This improved flexibility also plays a role in preventing injuries such as strains and sprains, and enhances stride length and fluidity whilst running.

“Try a Downward Dog to target your hamstring and calves – you’ll really feel the stretch of this pose after a run.’

Aids Recovery and Prevents Injury

“Hot yoga promotes circulation, which helps flush out toxins and lactic acid from muscles, reducing soreness and aiding recovery. The deep stretching involved also helps release tension and alleviates tightness, allowing for quicker recovery after hard runs, or intense training sessions.

“The Thunderbolt pose is great for alleviating tightness in the lower legs and feet, and is great for avoiding shin splints – one of the most painful side effects of frequent running.

Increase Breath Control and Body Awareness

“Hot yoga helps improve breath control by encouraging slow, deep, and conscious breathing during intense physical poses, which strengthens the connection between breath and movement. It also enhances body awareness as practitioners focus on alignment, posture, and muscle engagement throughout each pose. In running, this translates to more efficient oxygen use, better pacing, and improved endurance, as well as heightened awareness of posture and form, reducing the risk of injury and improving overall performance.

Enhances Mental Focus & Relaxation

“All yoga involves focus, however hot yoga allows the mind to become even more focused. It is a way of drawing inwards, learning how to filter out distractions and really entering a state of moving meditation. This helps develop mental resilience for runners, contributing to a better performance.

Contributes to Better Sleep

“Hot yoga contributes to better sleep by promoting relaxation, reducing muscle tension, and lowering stress levels through deep breathing and mindful movement, which helps runners recover more effectively, also helping them to feel rejuvenated for their next training session.”

Turning up the dial on a typical yoga class and deepening the effect, Hotpod Yoga is renowned for its immersive, unintimidating experience that brings together soothing heat, dim, glowing lights with a distinct and ambient purple hue, calming beats (specially curated and licensed for the brand), and evocative scents (also made exclusively for Hotpod Yoga), designed to relax and revitalise. This all takes place in the cocoon-like environment of the pod: a setting that transports its customers a million miles away from the everyday, restoring both body and mind (whilst also hiding any wonky tree poses!).

For more information on Hotpod Yoga Eastbourne visit www.hotpodyoga.com/eastbourne

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