More Travel Yoga for Road Trips

Stuck in a car for a long road trip?

To keep yourself alert for long road trips and feeling good physically, try these yoga poses!  

If you missed the first Travel Yoga post, check it out Yoga For Travel Blog Post and add even more poses to your happy traveler routine!

Downward Facing Dog

Tip # 1 – Tight legs? Stiff Shoulders? Try this.

1. From table position – on all fours, hands beneath shoulders, knees as wide as hips.

2. Root the hands firmly into the ground.

3. Soften between the shoulder blades.

4. Curl your toes under, lift your hips up.

5. Stretch from the base of your heart all the way up and back through your hips.

6. Draw the lower belly in and root from your sit bones down through your heels.

7. Take 5 – 10 breaths.

3 Legged Dog

Tip #2 – Use this inversion and reinvirgorate fatigued legs

1. From Downward Facing Dog, slowly lift one leg high to the sky at a time.

2. Hold for 5 – 10 breaths and then switch sides.

Handstand

Tip #3 – Getting Sleepy? This will boost your energy and increase alertness.

1. Practice common sense and caution when you kick up towards a handstand. It might be wise to have a wall to kick up to or a spotter.

2. From downward facing dog, hands firmly planted, lift one leg, and keep it straight, this is considered the back leg.

3. Looking at the ground, strong arms, soften between the shoulder blades.

4. Bend your supporting leg (or front leg) a little, focus on the inner thigh of the back leg, and hop up to a handstand.

(Please Note:  For most of us Handstand is a pose that requires many hours of studying under the guidance of a good teacher, and lots of practice in a controlled environment. For those who do handstand as part of their regular practice, it is so amazing to do after being seated for so long.)

Upward Facing Bow

Tip #4 – The ultimate pick-me-up!

1. Lying down on the ground, legs bent, feet hips distance wide.

2. Plant your hands next to your ears, beneath your shoulders, fingertips pointing back towards your feet.

3. Draw the head of the shoulders back, hollowing out your under arms, and engage your upper back muscles.

4. Press down through your hands and feet and slowly lift away from the ground.

(Please Note:  Like Handstand, the Upward Facing Bow is a pose that requires many hours of studying under the guidance of a good teacher, and lots of practice in a controlled environment. If it is a part of regular practice, it is invigorating to do after being squished in a car for many hours.)