Yoga snacks for summer activities

After a year of keeping our interaction circles and our travel routes intentionally small, we are now starting to venture out into the world, only to discover that our bodies have lost some of their endurance and agility. There are new body aches and creaks that might slow us down, uneven energy supplies that make us run out of juice more quickly, and nagging mental uncertainty that keeps us wondering “Is it safe?”

Don’t let those concerns slow you down. There are so many things we can do outside in the summer that benefit our bodies and our souls. Venturing out into nature and enjoying it at the pace that feels comfortable to you, helps you limber up your body, recharge your batteries, and expand your mental horizons. Whether it’s walking, hiking, biking, gardening or simply lounging around outside, we all need to take this time to refuel ourselves.

If your body is not feeling up to the task, there are proven yoga moves you can use to get yourself limbered up and ready to go. It doesn’t take long – 5 to 10 minutes of intentional movement is usually enough to get you ready for most non-competitive activities. Of course, different parts of your body need to be attended to depending on what activity you choose – some activities put more stress on your hips, others on your knees, yet others on your back, and so on. That is why it helps to have a general idea about the physical demands of the activity and which body parts need to be prepared for it. That is why for the next three months we will be offering short yoga “snacks” (short practices) that you can do wherever you are, in standing position, to make your body more activity-ready.

We will introduce the first installment of this series Yoga snack for hiking this Sunday. If you would like to follow along, please sign up for our bi-weekly emails at Happy U or subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you are already signed up to our Zoom in Within Series, there is nothing else you need to do. We will resume Zoom in Within series in September to continue our deep dive into our physiology.

So far, we have planned yoga snacks for hiking, biking, beach walking, gardening, lounging, and paddle boarding. Are there any other activities that you plan to do and would like us to design a yoga snack for? Please let us know in the comments below. Join us for this low-key summer video series and I hope to see you on the trail!