Are you planning to fly somewhere soon? The joys of air travel - we can zoom 3,000 miles across the country in just a few hours as I did 2 weeks ago, flying from Washington, DC to Los Angeles, CA. The downside, however is that since I am not YET able to go first-class, the section I sat in looked very much like the photo you see here - with double rows of 3 seats each. And, a long flight in narrow seats=body stiffness.
Actually, the seats above appear wider than the ones I sat in. Regardless, even if you get up and move around a few times en route to your destination, sitting in narrow seats for more than 2 hours at a stretch affects your body. Limited mobility causes you to get tight and stiff especially in your neck and shoulders and your legs, especially if the person in front of you has their seat tilted WAY back.
Although, as I shared in a post over 2 years ago, some people like actress Uma Thurman may be brazen enough to do yoga in the aisle of the plane and get away with it, most of us are not so daring. Thus, the key antidote to the stiff muscles you get after a long plane ride are to do yoga shortly after you arrive and settle into your hotel. This is exactly what I did two weeks ago when I arrived in Los Angeles. I unpacked my clothes and because I felt a bit stuffy after a long plane ride, I indulged in a steamy hot shower, lathered my body and rinsed off with that lovely sesame scented Neutrogena body oil that I adore. Fresh, clean, and lightly scented, I donned my yoga clothes, rolled out my lavendar travel yoga mat, and eased into my regime. I felt as if I were giving myself a mini-massage as the kinks began to unwind and the tightness in my muscles began to dissipate. I felt revived and refreshed!
You may not always be able to do yoga after you arrive at your destination, but, it you can carve out the time, you will enter your next set of activities feeling energized, flexible, and serene!
Yours for unwinding with yoga after a long flight,
Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the beginner's yoga at home coach (for regular, REAL people)
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