5 Yoga Poses for Tired & Overworked Legs

Have you been on your feet all day? Do you want to rest your legs and relax? We've got you covered.

You might be tempted to sink into the couch after a long and tiring day, but a session of relaxing yoga will provide much better relaxation.

If your legs are overworked, it is very likely that the muscles in your lower body are wound up and stiff. If you do light yoga and stretching exercises, you will be able to relieve muscle tension and feel more relaxed. In fact, it is highly recommended to do some light stretching before you sleep, as this can help you sleep better.

Yoga Poses for Tired & Overworked Legs

Check out the following yoga poses that can help relieve tired and overworked legs.

1) Adho Mukha Svanasana

When your legs are overworked, your hamstrings are likely to be extremely stiff and wound up. Releasing your hamstrings is one of the best feelings in the world, and that is what this asana will help you do. It will relieve tension from your muscles, and the inversion means blood flow to your brain will be increased, making you feel more rejuvenated.

Instructions:

Start off in the Table Top position, maintaining a neutral back and light hands and feet.
With an inhale, push off your knees from the ground, at the same time raising your hips upwards. Your body should look like an inverted V.
Without moving your legs forwards, try to touch your heels to the ground (they are probably raised).
Make your legs as straight as you can. Stay in the pose for 30 seconds.
Repeat twice, and try to increase your holding time by 15 seconds each.

2) Kapotasana

This pose is often used by athletes and sportspeople to open their hips and relieve muscle tension. It stretches all the important muscles in your lower body, including the thighs, groin, back, piriformis, and psoas muscles. This pose stretches the muscles around the knees and makes your hips more flexible. In totality, this pose will help to soothe tired legs because the entire lower body, including the hip muscles, bear the strain of overworked legs.

Instructions:

Kneel with your back straight on the mat.
Support your back with your hands, and slowly arch your back.
Place your palms on the floor behind you or on your heels if possible.
Hold this pose for 40 seconds with your head tilted back.
Advanced practitioners can deepen the stretch by attempting to touch their heads to the mat.
Place your palms on your back to return to the starting position.
Straighten up gently and shift your weight back onto your knees.
Take a few seconds to relax.
Repeat two to three times.

3) Vrikshasana

This yoga pose is a naturally rejuvenating and uplifting asana. It stretches muscles in your entire body, from your legs to your back and arms. It calms down your central nervous system, makes your legs stronger, and opens your hips. Thi pose has helped relieve sciatica pain in some people.

Instructions:

Stand upright.
Maintain a firm grip on your left leg while lifting your right leg. Straighten your right leg at the knee.
Insert your right foot into the inside of your left thigh. Make sure your right foot's toes are pointing down.
At chest level, join your palms in prayer. Raise your arms above your head so that your hands are stretched upward.
Hold the position while taking deep breaths.
Lower your arms to your chest, then separate your palms.
Straighten your right leg and re-establish your stance.
Rep the exercise with your right leg.

4) Viparita Karani

This is an excellent pose for relaxing tired legs and feet. Because it is a gentle inversion, it drains lymphatic fluids from the legs, reducing swelling in the feet, ankles, and knees. At the same time, this pose improves circulation in the upper body (more oxygenated blood flow to your brain) and restores balance after a long period of standing.

Instructions:

Lie down on the floor with your sitting bones close to the wall.
If you have lower back pain, move your sitting bones further away from the wall.
Check that your kneecaps are not locking and that your arms are resting on your side.
Stay for 3 to 5 minutes and gradually increase to 10 minutes.

5) Ananda Balasana

The benefits of this asana cannot be described in words, feel it for yourself when you do it! Ananda Balasana is one of those poses that will make you happy any time of the day. It relieves muscle tension from your hamstrings, opens your hips, inner thighs, and groin, stretches and soothes the spine and lower back and most importantly - relieves mental fatigue. You cannot skip this one, trust us.

Instructions:

Lie on your back on the floor or a yoga mat.
Bend your knees at a 90-degree angle toward your chest while keeping your head flat on the mat. Turn your feet up and toward the ceiling.
Grab and hold the inside or outside of your feet by reaching forward. Spread your knees apart and bring them closer to your armpits.
Flex your heels into your hands and rock side to side (like a happy baby). Hold this position for a few breaths, inhaling and exhaling deeply.

Takeaway

Taking care of your legs is important, as these are some of the largest muscles in the body and are used throughout the day, from when you wake up to when you go to sleep. Stretching and light yoga can you keep these muscles flexible, improve your joint mobility and lessen long term wear and tear.

For more relaxing leg exercises, check out our article on hamstring stretches for sore legs, stretching exercises for tight leg muscles, and leg stretches to do before a run.