One of my favorite things about Summer is that you can get outside and play. This time of year brings out the kid in me and I love every second of it -- from enjoying every minute of daylight from these longer days to walking my favorite hiking trails to firefly gazing.
And one of my favorite things about yoga is how versatile and wonderfully complementary it is to all of those fun-time summer activities that I so enjoy engaging in. Regardless of your pleasure, yoga can get you warmed up and ready to enjoy it:
Hiking -- this is one of my personal favorites. If I'm having a bad day, I head out to my favorite nature preserve to spend some quality time in nature. It never fails to boost my mood and catapult me to a nature high.
- Before you head out into the woods or hit the trails, check out these tips for yoga for hikers.
- Often I'll do a few Sun Salutations to wake up my body before heading out on a hike.
- I also like warming up for a hike with a Vibrabhadrasana into Ardha Uttanasana Vinyasa -- I start standing with my feet a comfortable step apart, with the toes of my back foot pointed out at an angle. I turn my torso so that it's in line with my front leg. I inhale my arms up from the front while bending my knee to come into Virabhadrasana. I exhale while folding forward and straightening my knee coming to rest my hands on the ground on either side of my front foot. I inhale back up to Virabhadrasana and exhale my arms back down to the sides while straightening my knee. I repeat this about 3-4 times on each side to warm up my legs and back.
Gardening -- I admit I'm not green thumb, but I do get out in the yard to keep up with the landscaping. I like being out the fresh air and I like saving money on landscaping even more. For those die-hard gardeners out there, I suggest checking out this article on yoga for gardeners.
- Regardless of how careful I am, I usually come inside after gardening with a bit of lower back stiffness. To remedy that, I turn to one of my favorite poses -- chakravakasana. After 6 rounds of dynamic chakravakasana, my back is sighing with relief.
- If I've been working outside for hours on end, I'll come back inside and play on my favorite new toy -- the Om Gym. I'll stretch out my spine by hanging upside down for anywhere from 5-25 minutes. After a rest in savasana to rebalance my system, I'm feeling refreshed and limber.
Kayaking -- this is another one of my favorite activities. There's something so zen and wonderful about the paddling, and being out on the water is soothing in and of itself. Nowadays, there are so many wonderful yoga and kayaking adventures available. In fact, Kripalu is offering one later this month.
- One of my favorite ways to prepare for kayaking is a simple plank pose, which I hold for about a minute or so. It strengthens my arms and my core and warms me up from the inside out.
Tennis -- I haven't played tennis in a while, but I've been doing the next best thing this summer -- playing badminton. In fact, I've been playing a super duper version of badminton called Speedminton. Love it, love it, love it! Regardless of which racquet sport you prefer, check out Yoga Journal's article on Yoga for tennis.
- I like to prep my shoulders with a simple Tadasana Vinyasa -- I stand with my feet together and inhale my arms up from the sides to come overhead while at the same time raising my heels off the ground. I interlace my fingers flipping my palms up towards the sky and stretch at the top of the inhale. On an exhale I release my fingers and bring my arms back down to my sides and my heels back down to the ground. I repeat this about 6 times.
- When I'm done playing, I enjoy stretching my shoulders with a stretch from Kripalu yoga -- Puppy Stretch. One of my favorite ways to intensify this stretch is to press my elbows into the floor and bring my hands into Prayer position behind my head. Yum!
Golf -- outside of playing miniature golf when I was a kid, I have no experience with golf. My extent of the sport is living across from a golf course. Sad, but true. Luckily the folks over at Yoga Journal have it covered with their article on Yoga for golfers.
Biking -- I used to bike a fair amount before I injured my knee years ago. Somehow I never got back into it (what can I say -- I prefer to use what the Universe gave me -- my feet). Oddly enough, I often entertain the fantasy of moving to a seaside town in which I can bike everywhere. Hmmm...maybe it's time I go and buy myself a bike. Just thinking about it reminds me of all of those hours I spent each summer biking when I was a kid. Wonderful! Learn more about Yoga for cyclists here.
Swimming -- despite the fact that I usually bitch and complain about its maintenance, I am lucky to have a pool. There's nothing like cooling off on a hot day with a dip in the pool. And I absolutely love evening swims with the pool lights on. If you enjoy whiling away the summer days poolside, check out this visual feast of yoga poses for swimmers.
Sunbathing -- calling all sun worshippers -- your daily dose of Vitamin D awaits! I don't like to sunbathe longer for 10 minutes on each side because I get bored and I'm not a fan of sun damage. But I do enjoy soaking in the rays for a little bit. If you have the privacy, I highly recommend sunbathing au naturale. It's a decadent pleasure.
- How do I prep for sunbathing, you ask? Savasana , of course!
Regardless of what summertime activity you indulge in, yoga can help you prepare and wind down from the activity. There are so many wonderful sports out there like rock climbing, white water rafting, soccer, surfing, etc. -- I just included a small smattering in this post. For more inspiration, check out Yoga Journal's Yoga Cross-Training Guide.
Now stop reading and get out there and enjoy the childhood pleasures that summer has to offer!
Namaste!
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You are right but i would like to say that Yoga also brings peace of mind. I would like to share what i recently read in a book ‘Lucky Everyday’, where in the second chapter of the book, Lucky introduces the inmates of the prison to the fundamentals of Yoga. Like most people, they are ignorant of this ancient Indian practice and imagine it to be a series of poses where people either stand on their heads or on one leg, with arms folded and eyes closed. but eventually, they experience peace and tranquility through Yoga.
Posted by: Elizabeth Moore | August 06, 2009 at 07:37 AM