of the class again requires full contraction of the abdominals and stretches the ITB in a way you never knew was possible.You don't need to be one of those annoyingly smug, flexible people to benefit from yoga. Even if touching your toes seems like a distant

blog. If you're a regular reader of this website or Runner's World magazine you'll know the importance of stretching and flexibility in helping to make you a better runner and ward off injury.After three years of on-off injury I decided that my new

, forearms and elbows underneath your body (keeping your palms facing the floor). This may be uncomfortable at first, but this position helps stretch and strengthen the elbows. 2. Inhale and, using your glutes, lift your right leg off the floor at about 45

and shoulders on the floor and as you pull down on your legs, try to keep your hips and bum in contact with the floor. The aim is to have the length of your spine from coccyx to neck stretched out so they remain in contact with the floor for the duration

your gaze forward, left leg locked and keep kicking until you feel you've reached your maximum. You may feel the stretch in your inner thigh on your standing leg.7.     Keeping your hips level, slowly lower your torso until it is parallel to the ground

't believe you're strong enough to do this pose, just try it little by little. Trust yourself but be realistic; if your knee hurts or wobbles, don't push it. "When you've reached the crouched stage, there's a deep stretch across your knee and up your ITB

their knee and bringing their foot into the groin may cause knee pain, and in some cases, pain in the ITB where it's stretched. If you do experience pain or tightness, try and work to a point where you can feel a stretch, but you're not in any pain. This pose

. As much as this posture may cause 'the burn' to eye-watering degrees, it loosens up, stretches and strengthens your quads, hamstrings, glutes, abs, ankles and knees. No pain, no gain. Bikram specialist Olga Allon teaches at London's Hot Bikram Yoga.

, with your heel pushed out away from you and your toes turned back towards your face, maintaing the Bikram grip. At this stage, the aim is to lock out your extended leg and feel a deep stretch in the calf and hamstring of your extended leg. 7. If you're able

If there was ever a pose to focus the mind of a runner, Tuladandasana (or balancing stick pose) is it. With four ten-second bursts of pulse-racing intensity, the pose often feels like 90 per cent mind : 10 per cent matter. Like most yoga postures, this pose requires a strong core...