For runners
Yoga for runners in Barnstaple
You put in the miles. The stretching is the bit that keeps sliding off the list. Yoga is the strength and mobility work that keeps runners running, taught here by someone who runs.
The Loft is a yoga studio in Barnstaple, and for a runner it gives back the range the miles take away: open hips, honest strength, and a recovery that actually recovers.
You know the feeling. Hips that won't open past a certain point. Hamstrings like guitar strings. A niggle in one calf you're half-ignoring. You foam-roll for five minutes, call it mobility, then wonder why the same spots keep flaring up.
Running is thousands of reps of one narrow movement. It builds a strong engine and a tight, one-directional body. What it doesn't do is take your hips, ankles and spine through the range they need to stay healthy. That is the gap yoga fills.
What it does for your running
- Mobility where you're tight. Open the hips and ankles and your stride lengthens without forcing it, with less compensation landing on the knees.
- Strength where running is weak. Single-leg balance, glutes and deep core. The stabilisers that stop a good week turning into a stress niggle.
- Recovery that recovers. Long holds and guided rest switch the nervous system out of go mode. That is when the body adapts, and when you sleep better.
- Breath you can use. Learn to breathe on purpose on the mat and you carry it onto the road, steadier when the effort climbs.
Which classes to run with
There's no separate runners class, and you don't need one. These are the all-levels classes that serve a runner's legs best.
- Monday evenings
Candlelit Yin
Long, supported holds that get deep into the hips, hamstrings and calves. Your recovery day, on a mat.
See dates and book - Wednesday evenings
Power Flow
The strongest class of the week. Single-leg balance, glutes and deep core, the stabilisers running forgets.
See dates and book - Most weekday mornings
Morning Flow
A steady flow to loosen off and build mobility without cooking your legs before a run.
See dates and book - Some Thursday evenings
Yoga Nidra
Twenty-odd minutes of guided deep rest. Nothing to do but lie there while your nervous system catches up.
See dates and book
Taught by a runner
Kitty, who runs the loft, is a fairly obsessive runner herself. She knows what a training block does to your hips and what it takes to keep turning up. So you won't get generic cues here. You'll get the ones that matter for the miles already in your legs.
Meet KittyThree poses for tight runner's hips
You can do these at home tonight. Holding them with a teacher watching your alignment is where the real change happens, but this is a start.
- Figure-four, lying down. On your back, cross one ankle over the opposite knee and draw the thigh gently in. Opens the glute and outer hip. Two minutes a side.
- Low lunge. Back knee down, hips sinking forward and down. Reaches the hip flexors that running keeps short. Breathe, and let it soften.
- Downward dog, pedalling the heels. Bend one knee then the other, sending each heel toward the floor in turn. Wakes up tight calves and hamstrings.
Runner questions
Will yoga actually help my running?
Yes, though not by replacing your training. It gives you back the range running takes away: open hips and ankles for a freer stride, strength in the stabilisers that keep you off the injury list, and real recovery so you get back out the door sooner. Think of it as the mobility work you keep meaning to do, with someone watching your form.
I'm a runner. I'm not flexible. Is that a problem?
The opposite. Tight is exactly why you're here. Runners tend to be strong and stiff, and that stiffness is what the practice slowly works loose. You do not need to touch your toes to start, and props are there so you never have to force a shape.
Which class should I start with as a runner?
For deep hip and hamstring release, Candlelit Yin on a Monday evening. For strength and single-leg stability, a Flow, with Power Flow the strongest. The timetable shows the week, and every class welcomes beginners.
How often should I do yoga alongside training?
Once a week is enough to feel the difference. Slot it in as a recovery day, or the evening after a hard session when your legs are asking for it. More is fine when your schedule allows, but you do not need to overhaul your week to get the benefit.
Do I need to be any good at yoga?
No. Every class is all levels and needs no experience. If you're brand new, our guide for beginners is a good first read.
When is it on and how much does it cost?
Classes run through the week, morning and evening. A drop-in is £12, or new students can take a £30 intro month of unlimited classes. See the pricing page for passes.
Find us in Barnstaple
The Loft, 36 Boutport Street, Barnstaple, Devon EX31 1RX. Right in the middle of town, up in the roof. See the contact page for how to find us.
Opening September in Barnstaple
Be first on the mat this September.
We open on Boutport Street this September. Leave your email and you'll be first to hear when booking opens, and first to claim the £30 intro month.