Travel Yoga!
Pose of the Month:
Travel Yoga-3 poses for spine health
Are you traveling in July?
July can be a month where families take a vacation together which could mean long car and/or airplane rides.
Sitting for long periods of time can make our bodies feel sore or tight, especially in our spine. With the summer months, many families take a vacation together which usually entails long periods in the car and/or airplane. This month I am featuring, "Travel Yoga". Three yoga poses to help your spine stay healthy and the best part...you can do them right from the seat of your car or airplane!
Pose of the Month:
Travel Yoga-3 poses for spine health
1. Spinal Flex
How to: While sitting in your seat, uncross your knees and ankles and place your hands on your knees. Inhale, and arch your spine while pushing your chest up to the sky. Exhale, and round your spine. Repeat 5-10 times. Kids can make cow sounds when arching their spine and cat sounds when rounding their spine.
Benefits: Increases flexibility in the middle and upper spine. Strengthens the belly muscles.
2. Seated Side Bend with Tricep Stretch
How to: While sitting in your seat, uncross your knees and ankles and sit up tall. Bring your right arm up beside your head and bend your elbow so that your right hand is reaching down the center of your back. Use your left hand to gently hold the right elbow. Inhale, sit tall. Exhale, and stretch over to the left, lengthening your right side body and stretching your tricep(under part of upper arm). Hold and breath for 3-5 breaths. Repeat 2-4 times on both sides. Kids can make Sssshhhhhhh sounds when stretching their side body or horse breath(relax the lips and blow breath out creating a vibration through the lips, and a horse neigh sound).
Benefits: Elongates the spine and gives your lungs and other organs space.
3. Seated Spine Twist
How to: While sitting in your seat, uncross your knees and ankles and place your left hand on your opposite knee. Place your right hand on the seat back or seat behind you. Inhale, and sit tall. Exhale, and twist towards your right, keeping the shoulders open and not slumped. Repeat on the other side. Do about 2-4 times. Kids can blow out their breath as if blowing out a birthday candle and hold the twist the number of their age. So a 6 year old, can count to 6 and hold the twist for 6 seconds!
Benefits: Increases flexibility in the shoulders and neck. Stretches and Strengthens the spine and increases blood circulation.