Whether you're meeting Santa by plane, train or automobile this Holiday season - do your body, and your mind a favor and get your stretch on before/after/or during your trip.
Check in with your breath. Take a ten minute break and try this easy flow for a more enjoyable and relaxing holiday.
1. Shoulder Shrugs
Whether seated or standing, throw your shoulders down and back and take a couple shoulder rolls up and down 5-10 times. And then switch directions. Car and plane rides are great places to practice good posture. Sit up straight and tall, engage your core and breathe. Maybe blink your eyes close and acknowledge any thoughts, feelings you are having and use your exhales to release tension and/or tightness physically, mentally or emotionally. Break up your trip with this quick exercise as many times as you'd like.
2. Triangle (Trikonasana)
Start standing. Step or lightly jump your feet 3 1/2 to 4 feet apart. Reach your arms out to a "T" and lengthen your spine. Drop your shoulders down and engage your core.
Pigeon toe your left foot in slightly and bring your right foot perpendicular to your left. Align the right heel with your left arch. Engage your thighs, point your right knee between big and second toe.
Exhale and reach your right arm long toward the wall in front of you. Keep length in your spine, hinge forward at your hips. Drop your right hand to the inside of right knee or calf and extend your left arm up toward the sky.
Spiral your heart up toward the sky and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Let the left hip come slightly forward and lengthen the tailbone toward the back heel.
Avoid crunching your rib cage, maybe even lift your right hand away from the ground a centimeter or two.
Keep your head in a neutral position or turn it to the left, eyes gazing softly at the left thumb.
Press into your left pinky toe to engage back leg and right big toe to engage right leg.
Stay here for about 30 seconds to 1 minute or 3-5 breaths (or longer).
Inhale to come up, engaging your inner thighs and core and reach the top arm toward the ceiling for a reverse triangle.
Reverse the feet and repeat for the same length of time on the left.
(pictured is revolving triangle)
3. Side body stretch
Stand up straight and tall. Toes and heels together.
Inhale reach your arms up over head and interlace fingers, releasing your index fingers toward the sky. Exhale throw your shoulder down, reach your biceps back behind your ears.
Inhale, lengthen your spine. Exhale reach up and over to the right.
Pull your knees into your quads to engage your legs and press through all four corners of your feet. Think of lifting your torso up and away from your lower body.
Check in with your arms, shoulders down, biceps back and engage your core.
Hold for 3-5 breaths (or longer).
Inhale come back to center and switch sides.
4. Figure four
Start with your feet hip width distance apart. With a slight bend in your left knee, place all of your weight into your left foot and cross your right ankle on top of left thigh.
Bend deeper into your left knee and tuck your tailbone. Keep your right foot flexed to help protect your knee.
Lift your low belly up and off of your thighs.
Throw your shoulders down and back. Hold for 3-5 breaths (or more). Option to twist (as pictured).
And/or, come onto your back do this posture laying down.
Supine, cross ankle on top of thigh and lift your left foot up off the ground, grabbing a hold of back of your left thigh or top of shin.
Use your right elbow to press your right knee away from your body; strength of your arms hug your left knee in toward your chest.
Switch sides.
5. Tree pose (Vrksasana)
Start standing in mountain (Tadasana). Transfer your weight into your left foot; spread your yogi toes and press into all four corners of your left foot.
Open your right hip, keeping toes on the ground. Tuck your tailbone and engage your core, standing up straight and tall.
Option to stay here, or if you have it, lift your right foot up to the inside of your left calf or thigh.
Keep your left leg straight and strong by lifting up through the arch of your left foot. Equally press your right foot into your left leg, as you press your left leg back into your right foot.
Any variation with your arms will do - hands to hips, heart center, or if you'd rather, arms up over head.
Find a non-moving point of focus.
Engage your core and breathe!
Hold for 3-5 breaths (or longer). Shake out your legs and switch sides.
Photos by Amie Hansen
This practice is not limited to just holiday travelers. And no mat is required. Wherever you are, whenever you need it, take a break and move your body. Get done feeling refreshed and ready to take on whatever holiday festivity is coming your way. Merry merry! Namaste