Stay loose no matter where you are. Photo: Lindsay Noyse
As a surfer and traveling yogi, I spend a lot of time in airplanes, at airports, on boats or in hotel rooms. Here are a few tips on how to make traveling long distances into a delicious experience that allows you get into the surf energized and subtly.
At the airport
I never sit down in airports. As soon as I find my gate, I walk around. I do a walking meditation (where I become aware of every single step), or I may listen to an audiobook, relaxing music, or a long meditation while strolling around. I also try to take stairs where I can.
I explore the whole building from front to back. I always take my travel mat, which weighs about 500 g. Sometimes, if I find a quiet corner, I do some yoga. Seated positions, a headstand or just twists and lunges can be a treat.
Even without using a mat, during the boarding time, I am always one of the last people to get on the plane. I use the waiting time for simple standing stretches. I put my leg up on a hand rail and stretch my hamstrings, or I do a half-dog on the wall or the rail. I also do standing forward bends leaning against a wall.
Sometimes it feels so good that I totally forget about everyone else. I don’t care anymore about the looks other people might give me. I imagine how they are silently jealous that they aren’t getting a good stretch in as well.
Eat and Drink for hydration
Flying is very hard on the body so make sure you drink as much water as possible (even if you are not thirsty, hydrate that body of yours).
Often it is really hard (and/or expensive) to get wholesome, nourishing foods at the airport, so I make sure I bring snacks such as salads, green smoothies, quinoa pudding, bananas, nuts and/or avocado.
In the plane (variation is the key)
Hold each pose for 5 breaths.
Even if squished in your seat there a few things that really effect things you can do:
Camel Ride/Cat Cow, seated: Inhale, extend the spine. Exhale, flex the spine by rounding your back and drawing your navel up and in.
Roll your ankles and wrists.
Gentle neck rolls: Bring your chin to your chest, then roll your left ear to your left shoulder. Continue rolling your head to the back, but just bring the head slightly back. Too far is not good for your neck. Continue rolling your right ear to your right shoulder and so on.
Seated twist: Holding onto the armrest, imagine the facets of your spine spinning like turntables one by one, from the base of your spine up to your neck.
Shoulder raises: Inhale your shoulder up, exhale your shoulders down.
If you are small and flexible enough, sit cross-legged on your seat or even on your heels for a little while.
Extend your arms overhead as wide as possible, up to 11 o’clock with the left and 1 o’clock with the right arm. Open and close your hands really fast.
Standing (eg. in the bathroom or next to your seat)
Hold for 5 breaths each.
Standing side bends: Raise your arms overhead and interlace your hands. Stretch to one side then the other.
Standing Cat Cow: Put your hands on your thighs, bend your knees, inhale and lift your chest. Bring your buttocks away from you, exhale, round your spine, and draw your navel up and in.
Standing twists: Holding onto the seats, keep feet parallel, and twist to one side then the other.
Leg Extensions: Extend your legs to 90 degrees. This is great core work, but watch out that you don’t kick anyone.
Hold one knee to your chest while standing on the other leg.
Standing thigh stretch: Standing on one leg, take the other foot into your hand from behind. Make sure your knee is pointed down and your hips are aligned.
Tree pose: Standing on one leg, place the other foot onto your ankle, your calf or your inner thigh (don’t rest it on your knee, as this with time will strain your knee joint). Move the knee of the bent leg backwards to open your hip.
Read more from Alexa on surfartyoga.com.
