Making Bodies Better

After being happily married for ten months, my husband and I finally went to Spain for our honeymoon. What an amazing trip! Traveling is something we have always enjoyed doing together. Not only is it completely necessary to get away from the daily grind once in a while, but experiencing other cultures and seeing all the beauty that this world has to offer, is what life is all about. Each time I travel, more destination seeds are planted inside me and my bucket list continues to grow.

Although I wish life allowed us to get away more, long trips and extensive travel can definitely take a toll on the body. Jet lag, lost sleep, and stagnate postures make you feel tired and stiff. A long run followed by yoga, a warm shower and a California king bed never sounded so good after an 11 hour overnight flight.

Yoga is very beneficial during and after travel, and for many poses, you don’t need equipment.

Sitting for long periods of time causes tight hips and legs, lower back aches and at times neck and shoulder stiffness. I know you will feel the benefit of these simple and practical moves that my body asks for during and after transporting in planes, trains and automobiles.

Poses during travel:

1. Seated cat and cow:

Place hands on knees. As you inhale, arch your back, draw shoulder blades together and away from ears, and take your gaze up to the ceiling. On your exhale, round your spine, tuck your chin to chest, and keeping your shoulders away from ears, draw them towards your front body. Engage your core by pressing your belly button to your spine. Continue between these two poses, moving with your breath.

2. Neck rolls:

Sit tall, extending the crown of head toward ceiling and drawing shoulder blades away from ears and towards each other, as you slide them down your back (opening up the chest). Drop right ear towards right shoulder, continuing to press shoulders down back and send breath to the left side neck. Slowly roll your chin to your chest and then roll your left ear to left shoulder. Hold each posture for 5-10 breaths, then roll head from side to side.

3. Seated twist: 

Place your left hand on your right knee and place your right hand on an armrest or grab the chair back, allowing your spine to twist. Twist beginning from the lumbar spine and gradually take your gaze to the side or behind you. Hold for 5-10 deep breaths and repeat on other side.

4. Seated side torso stretch:

Inhale arms overhead while drawing shoulders away from your ears. Grasp your right wrist with your left hand. Bending the left side body, point fingertips towards the left corner of the ceiling. Root down through your hips evenly, and open up the chest, taking the gaze under your left armpit towards the ceiling or side wall. Hold for 5-10 deep breaths, feeling the side ribs expand; repeat on other side. If space is super tight, this can also be done with bent arms and grabbing your elbow instead of your wrist.

5. Figure four stretch:

Plant left foot onto floor with your ankle inline with your knee, creating a 90 degree angle. Cross your right ankle over your left knee, being mindful of your neighbor 😉. Place right hand on right knee and press right knee away from you. To deepen the stretch, if space permits, fold forward, bending from the waist. Hold for 10-20 deep breaths, then repeat on other side.

 

Post travel poses:

1. Inversion (legs up wall):

Sit with right (or left) side body touching the wall. Rotate onto your back and scoot your hips flush with the wall. Hold for as long as you like. Optional: point and flex feet.

2. Chair twist:

Place feet together or hips distance apart. Tuck your tailbone under and send hips down and back, like you are sitting in a chair. Assure proper alignment by glancing down and making sure that you can see your toes (this protects your knees). Bring hands together at heart center and twist your torso to the right, connecting left elbow to right knee. Slide shoulders down the back and ensure that knees are in line with one another. To deepen the twist, continue to press your elbow into knee. Hold for 5-10 deep breaths and repeat on other side. After twisting to each side, come back through chair pose and release into a forward fold. Reach hands toward the ground and bend knees as much as needed, breathing through the back legs.

3. Downward facing dog:

Start in tabletop pose (on hands and knees, wrists directly under shoulders and knees under hips), tuck your toes and press hips up. Slide shoulder blades down back and toward each other (opening up the chest) and continue to send chest towards your knees, finding a straight spine from the crown of the head to the tailbone. Bending the knees is perfectly fine to ensure your back is not rounding. Imagine you have a string connected to your tailbone that is pulling it towards the ceiling and continue to press heals toward the earth, even if they don’t touch. Tips: to protect wrists, spread fingers wide and press evenly into the four corners of your palm. Keep elbows slightly bent and ears in line with arms.

4. High crescent lunge:

From down dog, take your gaze to your hands and plant your right foot between your hands (you can take a few steps to get it there). Ensure that your knee is bent at a 90 degree angle and find balance on your right foot and the ball of your left foot. Inhale arms up over head. Squeeze your inner thighs together and square off your hips. Engage your left quadricep, lifting your kneecap. Press your belly button to your spine and slide your shoulders down your back. Hold for 5-10 deep breaths, step back to down dog and repeat on the other side.

5. Cow face arms:

This pose can be done in a seated or standing position. Draw your right elbow to the ceiling, taking your right palm towards the center of your upper back. Draw your left elbow towards the ground, taking the back of your hand towards the center of your back. Work your hands toward each other, clasping your hands together if possible. If you cannot reach, use a strap, belt or grab onto your clothing. Try to avoid bending your cervical spine forward by keeping your gaze directly in front of you. Hold for 5-10 deep breaths and repeat on the other side.