Whether you’re heading on a business trip to Berlin or jet-setting to Greece on a family holiday, there’s nothing more exciting than exploring a new place and getting away from reality. However, sometimes travel can be anything but relaxing! Travel can often cause a lot of stress: getting stuck with a middle seat on a long flight, getting lost in a new city, not understanding the language, missing your connection… the list goes on.
That’s why it’s so important to maintain your yoga practice while traveling, and at Yogaia we are passionate about helping you bring yoga with you no matter where you go!
Yoga is all about creating balance in your body and mind, helping you to relax and handle stress more gracefully and remain more present to the experiences happening around you. During a time when you’re eating and drinking more than usual—and probably sleeping less than usual—even just 10 minutes of yoga or 5 minutes of meditation a day will do wonders in enhancing your holiday and keeping anxiety and stress at bay.
Join Stephen Ewashkiw in ‘Yoga for Travel’, a class you can download and enjoy while travelling. Traveling by plane, train, or bus can leave you feeling stiff, sleepy, and sluggish. With these simple yoga poses you can refresh your body and mind, no matter where you are — check it out now!
Check out our favourite tips to stay relaxed while travelling by getting on keeping up your yoga practice, even when it feels impossible to stick to your exercise and wellness routine:
- Designate time for yoga. While planning your trip, make sure you schedule the days you will click on the Yogaia App and roll out your mat! Once you’ve unpacked (and before you head to the pool bar), set alarms for the trip as a reminder. Keep yourself more accountable by asking a friend to remind you—or better yet, practice with you! (HOT TIP: We recommend scheduling in a practice once you get off the plane and a few hours before you leave for the airport as flying is quite stressful for the body.)
- Pre-download classes. Before you leave for your trip, download all the Recorded Classes you want to try on the Yogaia App so they’re literally a click away—even without WiFi. When you arrive at your destination, log on to WiFi and see if there are any Live Classes you fancy joining that will work in your new time zone. Find a sunny spot in the nearby, clear some space in your hotel room, and invite your family and friends a group yoga class to start off your holiday on the right foot.
- Anything is better than nothing. Missed a class? Don’t beat yourself up! Just book in for tomorrow and enjoy yourself—this is your holiday, after all.
- Pack the right gear. Bring at least one pair of yoga pants and a comfy top with you, preferably in a bright colour so your yoga teacher can see you clearly when practicing a Live Class. (Plus: travelling in yoga pants is SO comfortable!) There’s also nothing like practicing yoga on a good mat, so we always recommend bringing along a quality travel yoga mat, which is lighter and more compact than regular mats, to make your practice safer and more comfortable.
- Get outside and explore! Whether it’s in a tree-filled park or a quiet beachside boardwalk, all you need to practice yoga is your mat and your Yogaia App. Don’t have space to bring a mat? Find a grassy patch nearby, borrow a mat from the hotel gym or simply practice on the carpet or with a towel on the floor. You can take your yoga class ANYWHERE with Yogaia, so as long as it’s a flat and stable surface with adequate cushioning, you’re good to flow!
Practicing yoga while you travel has the power to make your holiday even more enjoyable and relaxing—we hope you have an amazing trip and can’t wait to see you on the mat!
Share a photo of where you practice Yogaia on Facebook or Instagram with #yogaia so we can follow your travels!
MEET STEPHEN EWASHKIW
Hey, I’m Stephen. I teach inspiring, exciting, sweaty, challenging, educational, yoga around the world. My goal is to give you the courage and clarity so you can start living your OWN adventures.
In my classes, I use clear instructions and demonstrations to teach you how to skillfully refine your poses and how to improve your techniques. You’ll learn anatomy and alignment while developing mindfulness that you can use in yoga class and in the rest of your life. Come to your mat prepared to focus on form.
I am Yoga Alliance Registered (RYT 500, ERYT 200). I studied with Darren Rhodes and Christina Sell for my 200-Hour Teacher Training in Anusara yoga. I graduated from Noah Mazé’s YOGAMAZÉ 300-Hour Teacher Training in Los Angeles; Noah’s training is arguably the most effective, intensive teacher training in yoga. I regularly travel to London, Berlin, Helsinki, and Hong Kong to lead workshops, so you’ll see me popping up at the Yogaia studios all over the world.
