If you’ve come to read this article, chances are you love both travel and yoga. Yoga is a great way to keep fit while you travel. It can also be a fun activity to try in a new place. Yoga while traveling may take some getting used to but once mastered there are no better teachers than the people around us, nature itself, or even our own body!
Sure, the yoga you practice at home might be totally different from the yoga you do on vacation—but don’t worry, that’s a good thing! Yoga while traveling can mean a few things. It means challenging your mind to focus since you are in a new environment. New temperatures, change in elevation, humidity increase challenges your body in different new ways. Your routine will be challenged. Maybe you’ll try a different yoga than you usually practice – want to try Nidra or hot yoga? Go for it!
Ready to hit the mat? Keep reading for yoga while traveling tips!
Why You Should Keep Up With Your Yoga Routine While Traveling
Below are just a few favorite reasons to keep up with your yoga routine.
It helps you-
- relax
- sleep better
- increase flexibility
- manage stress more effectively,
- increase endorphins which increase your happiness
- strengthen your body and mind
More travel-related benefits are-
- Yoga can help with jet lag when you arrive in a new time zone.
- Yoga will unkink the spine and stretch out any tight muscles that may have developed during flight. You’ll feel more limber, especially after spending hours sitting on a plane
- Yoga while traveling promotes self-care and wellness. When we travel, it is easy to neglect our own needs.
10 Tips for Practicing Yoga While Traveling
1. Use common objects as yoga props
For example, use firm cushions, folded blankets, or a stack of books as yoga blocks. Use a scarf or long socks as yoga straps. If you need a bolster and you’re in a hotel, take two pillows and lay them side by side on top of the short edge of a towel. Wrap the towel around them to make a sausage shape, which you can use under your back.
2. Practice yoga on the go
Yoga while traveling does not need to be limited to the hotel room. For example, find a quiet corner of an airport, park, or beach. Pull out your mat, blanket, or whatever you need and get to it. No need to be self-conscious. Yoga is about you!
3. Find poses for small spaces
Try yoga poses that are good for practicing in tight spaces include child’s pose (Balasana), forward fold (Uttanasana), and down dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana). Or try yoga breathing(pranayama), eagle arms, or cat and cow sitting poses during your next flight. This will help keep your muscles relaxed on long flights.
4. Practice yoga in bed
Yoga while traveling is not just limited to the floor. There are many great poses or sequences that can be followed along from the bed. These are great to do to help ground you when you first wake up or to unwind and destress before going to bed. You can find a lot of great yoga in bed videos online if you need inspiration.
5. Sign up for a class in a local studio
Yoga studios are popping up all over the place, so you should have no problem finding a yoga studio wherever you’re headed next. Even if yoga studios aren’t everywhere, most major cities will at least offer some type of yoga class or teacher training course. My go-to is searching for yoga studios that offer drop-in classes. It’s fun to try a class in the local language. Even if you can’t understand, it’s easy to follow along watching those around you.
6. Schedule a set time in your day to practice yoga
There are so many distractions when traveling, having a time block and reminder will help you continue your routine. We suggest blocking the time on your phone or set an alarm. Pick a realistic time. Prefer to start your day on the mat? Need an afternoon stretch? or maybe you need it to wind down after a long day of exploring. If you pick when you need it and are most likely to follow the schedule, the more likely you will stick with it while on the road.
7. Practice online with Youtube videos
If you prefer to follow along when practicing yoga, try youtube or any online fitness apps. All you need is a smart device and wifi- or download a few before disconnecting. These are great because you can select what works for you. You can find videos ranging from 10 to 90 minutes, various sequences, yoga focused on specific areas of the body – like your back or your legs. It’s all there! Some of our favorite yoga YouTubers are Yoga with Adrienne, Yoga with Cassandra, and Boho Beautiful
8. Plan a travel routine
Select 10 of your favorite yoga poses and write out a yoga sequence that you can do in your hotel room. You can follow a specific yoga routine for your back, arms and shoulders, hips, or legs- which tend to get tight on flights. This will be great to have preplanned so you easily flow through them when you feel your body getting tense.
9. Pack smart
If you pack your yoga clothes, you might feel more inclined to practice. However, this does not mean you should just limit your packing to yoga pants and sports bras. You could wear leggings under a long skirt, or shorts with an oversized t-shirt. Or practice in what you have – your swimsuit on the beach or your hiking gear on top of the mountain.
10. Set Goals
Set yoga goals for yourself when you are traveling. This could include practicing yoga every day or trying a new pose each time you practice.
Final Thoughts
Traveling with yoga isn’t always easy, but it is possible. You can practice yoga while traveling no matter where you are or what the situation may be. It’s all about making your yoga experience work for YOU!
Do you like to practice yoga on your travels? Let us know if you have any other tips!
