AD – This post about Yoga while travelling is an advertorial but all thoughts are my own
It’s been a hot minute since I shared any Yoga themed content but I’m thrilled to be talking about it once again today and also welcoming back a wonderful brand that I’ve been using and loving ever since I worked with them the first time back in March of this year on my Yoga Essentials for Beginners blog post.
Yoga can become a big part of your life – it has done for me. And whilst we’re at home or in the vicinity of our local Yoga class or studio, it’s easy to maintain a weekly or daily practice. But unless the year is 2020, we’re rarely sitting still. And all means of travel can have an impact on your Yoga practice.
I know I for one always feel a tremendous amount of guilt if I’m away for any period of time and haven’t managed to practice Yoga. If I don’t practice for a longer period of time, I always feel a little out of whack with my body and my mind until I can jump on the mat again and ground myself into the practice.
Yoga while travelling can be tough. But not impossible. Whether you’re away on a business trip, staying with relatives for a few days, on your well-needed Summer holiday with the family OR travelling for a longer period of time, it’s likely you’ll face some challenges in keeping up with your Yoga practice.
Here are 6 tips for practicing Yoga while travelling:
First of all, guilt is a no-go!
Let’s get this one out of the way first, then we can move on. Feeling guilty for not practicing Yoga while travelling is an extremely unproductive thing to do. Guilt is such a horrible and negative emotion and when the point of Yoga is to teach us to be kind and nurturing to ourselves and see the best in ourselves, beating ourselves up for not practices isn’t helpful in the slightest.
Have the right equipment for your travels and Yoga
Of course this will depend on where you’re going and what you’re doing but ensuring you have equipment that you need (and don’t forget, sometimes, you don’t need anything!) is crucial. This is where the brilliant brand Yoga Bliss come in handy. I’ve been using their Lotus Pro Yoga Mat since the beginning of the year and it’s been the best mat I’ve ever used – so I’m already a fan of their products!
But in the spirit of today’s post and talking about Yoga while travelling, I’d love to introduce you to their Yoga Backpack. This backpack is an absolute MUST for anyone who travels a lot but likes to keep up with their Yoga practice. The pouch at the front fits their wonderful Lotus Yoga Mat perfectly and it doesn’t make wearing the backpack uncomfortable either!
This could be ideal for you if:
- You attend Yoga classes before or after work and need a handy bag to carry your equipment
- You need something big enough to also carry Yoga props
- If you’re travelling and practice Yoga on the go
- You’re commuting and need to take your Yoga equipment on public transport
Of course this is ideal for a gym bag or a general rucksack for days out – I’m CERTAINLY going to be using mine when I go out for the day. Especially when my boyfriend and I attend race events at Brands Hatch and often need a rucksack to take lunch and drinks!
There’s various sized compartments including a main lined compartment for bigger items then smaller compartments for phones, keys and wallets etc. There’s also 2 handy mesh holders for water on the side. This rucksack retails at £34.99 which is SO worth the price for the size, quality and function you’re getting!
Remember that you don’t need much in order to practice
There is more to Yoga than flow and the asana. If you can’t access a space to roll out a mat and practice, use what you have. Here are some amazing Yoga with Adriene practices which are perfect for travel or if you can’t practice a full flow:
If you’re on transport, you can dedicate some time for some simple head and neck stretches. If you don’t have a mat, try a standing Yoga practice. And if you don’t have anything at all and everything is completely inaccessible for you to practice Yoga, don’t forget you still have your beautiful breath. You always have access to your breath.
Carve out the space and time for it
When we’re travelling – for whatever reason – and we’re busy, sometimes, these small practices that we cultivate for ourselves every day fall off the wagon. We get lazy. Or we get distracted. Or we’re trying to do ALL THE THINGS. Whether its a 10 minute meditation or a 40 minute full body flow, we need to make the effort to carve out that time and space for our practice, wherever we are.
Adapt your Yoga practice
If Yoga means that much to you and has so many benefits for you then we learn to adapt to our situation, our condition and our location. If you don’t have much time during your travels, then do a shorter practice. Choose a more gentle practice if you’re low on energy due to traveling. Or choose something that focused on a specific area of your body, if you’ve got aches and pains from travel.
Look out for classes local to wherever you are
And finally, Yoga is everywhere! So if you’re travelling or staying somewhere for a longer period of time, why not look out for classes local to wherever you are? Chat to the instructor and explain that you’re travelling and if you can attend for a couple of sessions!
Have you ever experienced difficulties practicing Yoga while travelling? How did you overcome it? In what ways did you adapt to your location and surroundings?
Wants some more Yoga content? Check out these posts!
I love this post! Thank you for sharing your insights! I completely agree, I just LOVE combining yoga and travelling. It’s just so hard easy to take your mat with you everywhere you go! And if you don’t have a mat… no problem! The soft grass is such a lovely and natural place to ground yourself and get in a good yoga practice all in one! Plus, practicing yoga in new places with the scenery of nature is so invigorating! I just don’t think I could travel WITHOUT going yoga… 😛 They go hand-in-hand!
Love this! Yes yoga on some soft grass is always a great alternative if you don’t have your mat!
I love attending yoga classes when away. These are great tips! My yoga mat is too big to drag around. I shall look into a more compact one.
Yoga Bliss mats are amazing for carrying around !
Great post! I experienced yoga while traveling for the first time over Thanksgiving break. I began a daily yoga practice on Jan 1, 2021 and I knew that when I went to visit my parents, that I would need to make sure that I planned ahead of time. I normally practice in the evenings, but during my stay, I did several morning sessions because it was the only time that I could fit it – knowing my evening activities would run late. I then had to do the same over Christmas break when I returned again. 😊
So glad you hear you started a daily yoga practice!
[…] Yoga While Travelling: 6 Tips to Help You Maintain a Yoga Practice — Jenny in Neverland […]
Great tips 🙌
[…] Yoga While Travelling: 6 Tips to Help You Maintain a Yoga Practice — Jenny in Neverland […]
Thanks for this 🙌🏻😍
I love yoga, it’s about the only exercise that makes me feel good and relaxed, but I’ve been slacking a bit recently. Great tips!
Coralle x
I’ve been slacking too sadly! I’ve had a rotten cold so no energy to actually do it. Hope you get back into it soon!
I never thought about all the things you need for yoga, since I’m more into meditation myself, but this post is super handy! That backpack for transporting a yoga matt could definitely come in handy for me as well.
Definitely handy! But you really don’t need much. If you don’t have props – use household items!
My yoga mat is the first thing that I pack whenever I am traveling. I do need to try yoga. Thank you for sharing and remembering me about yoga.
Hope you give it a go soon 🙂
I bought yoga mat last year but I’m so bad at exercising. I love travelling so this would be a great idea to add yoga while travelling 🙂
Absolutely! Get that yoga mat out!
def need this in my life! i love doing yoga – especially when we go to the beach on the weekends. it’s peaceful and relaxing. yoga has always been my “me time”. I also love how you mentioned not to have guilt over not practicing yoga. i think sometimes we place lots of expectations on ourselves.
I agree, I definitely do! I’ve been ill this last week and done no exercise or yoga and I started to feel a bit guilty!
Great tips! Love the yoga items…super cute! 🙂
Thank you 🙂
I’m glad I came across this post, I really need to get back into doing yoga. I love the backpack and these tips are really practical when on the go. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you :)?
Oooh this sounds right up my street! Definitely going to add this to my to purchase list!
It’s a great bag 🙂
I love your commitment to yoga and what better way then to continue this practice outdoors or on travels? This post is a great reminder to me to start yoga up again. I always feel so much better when I do. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! Practicing yoga outdoors in the summer is one of my favourite things to do x
I LOVE this backpack! I have a very basic yoga mat bag which I’ve been looking into upgrading. But In ever travel with my mat, so never thought I needed to. But I would love to go to some classes in the new year and even get to know other yogis.
It’s such a great bag – so convenient especially if you were travelling to and from classes!
There’s so many benefits to yoga, I wish I could like it more! x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
If you need any advice you know where I am!
Yoga is a good sport and therapy. A sometimes do yoga while traveling. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you x
I must admit, I am so bad when it comes to exercise and traveling! Though, I would like to look out for a yoga class on the beach. That would be awesome 🙂
Oh that would be dreamy!
OK that yoga backpack is excellent – it’d also come in very handy for travelling in general if you need a sleep roll, I love it when things can multitask. It’s a gorgeous design too. I wish this had been around when I did bootcamp, because I’d be going straight after work and just carrying my mat all day.
Cora | https://www.teapartyprincess.co.uk/
Oh for sure! I’m going to be taking this loadsss of places because it’s such a great size and so comfortable!