Choked Up onThroat Chakra – Vishuddha: Speaking Your Truth in Training

If you have been holding back your needs with your coach, avoiding honest conversations with training partners, or ignoring your own inner voice, your throat chakra may be calling for balance.

The throat chakra is located at the base of your throat and represents communication, self expression, and truth. For runners, a balanced throat chakra means being honest about how you feel in training and voicing what you need to succeed. When it is out of balance you may say yes to workouts that do not feel right, stay silent when you need support, or talk yourself out of your own needs.

When the throat chakra is aligned you communicate with clarity, ask for what you need, and speak kindly to yourself.

Mantra: “I speak my truth with clarity and confidence.”

Why Communication Matters for Runners

Clear communication builds trust between you, your coach, and your training partners. It also strengthens your self trust. When you can voice your needs you can train in a way that is both challenging and sustainable. The coaching relationship is largely personal and requires trust within both athlete and coach. Without truth or voicing our needs we are left guessing which can lead to assumptions which may or may not be helpful!

How to tell if a coach is the right fit for you:

When Your Throat Chakra Is Open (Right Coach, Right Fit)

You feel safe to speak up, ask, adjust, and grow. Here are a few real signs your coach might be the right fit:

1. You can say, “I need to pull back,” without guilt.
   They don’t question your toughness, they help you adjust. You leave the convo feeling supported, not second-guessed.

2. You feel seen beyond your paces or results.
   You can share how life stress, hormones, or emotions affect training, and your coach gets it. You don’t shrink your truth to fit their expectations.

3. You’re not afraid to ask “why.”
   You can question workouts or strategy without feeling like you’re being disrespectful. Curiosity is met with conversation, not defensiveness.

4. You feel heard even when things aren’t going well.
   You don’t fear sending an update that says, “I didn’t hit the splits.” You know your coach won’t shame you, they’ll help you understand possibly the metrics and surrounding factors and move forward.

5. You leave conversations feeling clear, not confused or silenced.
   Even after tough feedback, you feel grounded and empowered to act; not small or wrong for having feelings.

Conversely, red flags to notice within the coaching relationship:

When Your Throat Chakra Feels Blocked (Misaligned Coach or Communication)

1. You hold back from speaking up.
   You fear being seen as lazy, emotional, or “too much” if you share how you really feel.

2. You shrink your truth.
   You edit your updates or emotions so your coach won’t be disappointed.

3. You feel dismissed or misunderstood.
   You bring up concerns but they’re minimized or brushed off — and you leave feeling unseen.

4. You start doubting your own body.
   You ignore signs of fatigue or intuition because your coach “must know best.”

5. You leave convos tense, uncertain, or quiet.
   Instead of feeling connected, you feel like you’re performing or trying to please.

Tangible Training Practices for a Balanced Throat Chakra

1. Honest check-ins
At the start of each week, note how you are feeling physically and mentally, and share it with your coach or log it for yourself.

2. Positive self talk
Practice replacing one negative thought during a run with an encouraging phrase.

3. Ask for support
If you need accountability or a running buddy, reach out and say so.

4. Pre-race statement
Before race day, write down your race goals and read them aloud to yourself.

Mind and Body Integration

When your throat chakra is balanced, your runs feel lighter because you are no longer carrying unspoken needs or hiding your true state of mind.

Your Action Step for the Week

Write down one honest statement about where you are in training and share it with someone you trust or read it aloud to yourself.

If you found this post helpful forward it to a runner friend and/or coach. The world will all benefit from more open, honest and effective communication.