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! For those seeking a more immersive experience, exploring yoga retreats in Nicaragua through Nica Aventura offers the perfect opportunity to combine travel with deepening your practice in a serene, tropical setting.
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!