The Best Travel Yoga

Traveling can be a wonderful and adventurous experience. It can also lead to tightness, stiffness and tension in the body caused by too much sitting and too much stress. Yoga can help release this tension and help you have a better, more comfortable traveling experience.

  1. Legs

    • Stretching the hamstrings can help stretch the legs while traveling.

      Sitting in an airplane or car for hours at a time can cause your legs to feel tense and become stiff. Your hamstrings and quadriceps tighten up as your legs stay bent for so long, and this can cause pain in the knees. Yoga poses, such as seated and standing forward folds, release the hamstrings and decrease the associated stiffness and pains. From standing, fold forward and bring your head towards your shins. Wrap your arms around the back of your legs and draw yourself in a little further. Hold for five to 10 breaths.

    Hips

    • Hip stretches open the hip joint and release tension in the lower back.

      Sitting for long periods of time can create tight hips. Traveling can also be stressful, and according to some yoga practices, the hips can become tight when you are stressed, much like your shoulders and neck. When the hips are tight, they pull on the muscles of the lower back and knees. To relieve this tightness and stress, try yoga poses such as Pigeon pose, Cobbler's Pose or Happy Baby. To perform Pigeon, the deeper of the hip stretches, come on to your hands and knees. Slide your right knee forward towards your right wrist and angle your shin across to the left as it rests on the ground. Reach your left leg straight behind you and hold in Pigeon pose. Hold for five to 10 breaths before switching sides.

    Torso

    • Stretches can relieve tension in the back and compression in the sides of the waist.

      The torso includes your abs, sides, chest and back. The muscles in this region can become tight when traveling due to poor posture from sitting for too long. The back often becomes overly rounded, while the sides, abs and chest become compressed and sunken. To release the tightness, yoga poses such as Standing Half Moon, Cat/Cow,and Side Plank can help lengthen the front and sides of your body, realign the muscles of the back and open the chest. For Standing Half Moon, start from standing and reach your arms overhead. Clasp your hands and lean to the right, stretching the left side. Hold for five to 10 breaths then switch sides.

    Shoulders and Neck

    • The Shoulderstand can release stress and tension in the neck and shoulders.

      The shoulders and neck often become tight from poor posture and too much stress. Both of these things can be triggered when traveling. Tightness in the shoulders and neck can lead to tension headaches and backaches. To release this area, try yoga poses such as the Shoulderstand. For the Shoulderstand, lie on your back and reach your toes over your head. Bring your hands to your back for support. Engage your core and lift your legs towards the ceiling as your hands walk down your back. You will be supported on the ground by your upper arms and shoulders, while the back is lifted off the ground. Hold for five to 10 breaths. For a simple, gentle release, sit in a kneeling position. Clasp your hands behind your back and reach them up and away from you. Hold for five to 10 breaths.