Breathe the Tension Out of You for Better Posture

I do a lot of yoga, but even with that I still have issues with tension in my shoulders. It likes to reside in my right rhomboid (the space between my shoulder blade and my spine). I've tried numerous stretches and massage techniques to try and relieve this pain, but they don't usually solve the problem completely.

I recently came across a breathing technique called the SIP breath. This is a technique put together by Michaelle Edwards of Yoga Align. How this breath works in relieving pain is so simple yet amazing. When I first tried it I was sure it was too easy to really work, but when I noticed that my pain was gone, I was convinced.

When we have poor breathing habits, meaning that we either have shallow breathing (this is my issue when I get stressed) or we have a tight belly (which makes it harder for us to breathe properly), we cause a shortening of the front body, pulling the head and shoulders forward. Any time our body is out of alignment, pain is sure to follow. A focused breathing exercise will improve your posture by aligning your spine from the inside out. Good posture, less pain. You're correcting the way your body breathes, which will get rid of tension (caused by improper breathing), allowing a proper breath to happen naturally. This will prevent poor posture from reoccurring because you'll train your body to breathe right.

Tension in our bellies, whether it's from over developed abdominal muscles or emotional issues, is the first thing to address. If you love to workout your abs, back off a bit. It's great to have strong abs, but don't aim for that six pack, especially if you're a woman. You want strong enough abs to support your spine, but you don't need to be rock solid. Tight abs can inhibit the downward contraction of your diaphragm (highlighted in green in the image to the left), causing you to breath shallow. Your muscles work harder because they aren't working like they're designed to which causes tension. Over time this pulls your body forward into a slouched position.

As mentioned in other posts, our body is connected by fascia, when movement of the fascia is restricted in one spot, it affects another. Notice how many muscles and connective tissues are connected to our diaphragm, which is our major breathing muscle. If it's tight and constrictive, it would make sense that the rest of our body would be as well. Free the breath, free the body.

When we exhale, tight abs cause the whole front of your body to curve forward because it's too tight to maintain an upright position. The tension in the diaphragm and it's connected tissue pulls the body downward. This happens every time you exhale and we don't even notice that it's happening. On our inhale the body lengthens, but if we aren't breathing properly, on the exhale we're pulling our body in and down. When this happens every time we breathe, over time our posture is perpetually in a slumped position, no matter how hard we try to pull it back. You can't force the body to hold a proper position. No matter how many strength exercises you do, if you don't change your breathing pattern, your body will continue to slump forward. It's like trying to swim up river. You keep working hard, but can't seem to make any progress.

The other issue that causes tension in the belly is emotional issues. We tend to hold all our negative emotions in our belly. Ever notice when someone is down and out how slumped over they are? When stressed we clench and forget to breathe or take shallow breaths. Next time you have something intense going on, whether or not it lasts a few moments, days or weeks, remind yourself to breathe and do the SIP breath. Your posture will thank you.

Now for the technique. It's pretty simple once you get the hang of it. If it seems like a lot of work at the beginning, it is. You have to retrain your body to breathe correctly. Once your body memory kicks in, you'll be breathing right and your posture will respond accordingly. It happens amazingly fast with a little bit of effort put in. I noticed a difference in just a few days. Doing this breath should be a life long practice. Be aware of your breath and work on it because stress will always be a part of life, trying to pull you down.

SIP Breath Method

• Lay on your back with your knees bent, feet hip distance apart.
• Place your hands at your side (arms angled in a V shape), palms up, fingers wide open.
• Press your arms into the floor, move your shoulders away from your ears and begin to inhale like you're sucking through a straw. Another option here is to place your hands on your rib cage for a few breaths to feel it expand and contract.
• Feel the rib cage as it expands your body.
• Exhale and make a SSSS sound, moving the air out slowly, feeling the rib cage and abs contracting slightly. Since you're laying down your body won't subtly curve forward like it may normally do when exhaling. This generally goes unnoticed when we're breathing, so pay attention to this if you try this breath standing up.
• Keeping your back flat, knees straight or pushing your belly out like a balloon (which is taught in most yoga classes) will inhibit your ability to breathe properly. Take a moment to notice how much harder it is to breathe when you try to get your belly to inflate like a balloon. It doesn't feel right because we're asking our body to do something that isn't natural. The belly should rise naturally, don't force it.

You can do the SIP breath while standing too. When exhaling focus on pulling your shoulder blades down your back. Lengthen through the spine to maintain your natural curve. Notice when you do the SIP breath while standing in a proper posture, if you feel any tension or pulling in the body as you exhale. That sensation is the tense muscles and fascia that would normally pull you forward if you weren't paying attention. The SIP breath will help release this tension. It's like stretching with your breath.

When doing your yoga practice, if you can't take a SIP breath in a pose, then that posture isn't suitable for your natural alignment. A lot of the yoga poses out there, specifically the ones that put us into pretzel like positions, aren't doing us any favors. They're more for show and ego. They stretch our connective tissue setting us up for arthritic problems down the road.

Rule to follow: if you can't breathe or feel uncomfortable in a pose, modify it or don't do it.

There are a lot of yoga breaths out there that I've tried. This one by far is my number one choice. It has helped me get rid of a chronic pain I've been dealing with for years. A pain that no amount of stretching, massage or chiropractic treatment has ever relieved.

 The way you breathe has a powerful impact on your health. This affects the way we age and our emotional health. Make time in your life to do this breath anytime you feel tension or pain arising and make it part of a daily practice. The results will amaze you.

Yoga Challenge?

Since it's January, the month where we all decide it's time to get in shape, I've noticed a lot of yoga challenges out there. The word yoga and challenge seem to contradict each other. Yoga is a lifestyle, it's about making subtle changes. Sure you challenge yourself along your journey, but it's a lifetime practice, not one to be limited to 21 days.

Yoga studio's, like all fitness facilities, need to grab onto new students any way they can. They do have bills to pay and competition is fierce. January is a particularly sensitive time for those that don't have a regular fitness routine so they're more susceptible to fitness pressure. They're feeling the diet and exercise pressure that is so intense this time of year. But is yoga contradicting its own traditions by turning yoga into a challenge? I think so.

I think it's great that studio's are trying to lure in more students. It's also great that they're trying to get people to practice daily. However, I think that by challenging them to do it, they're a little off base. When someone fails at a challenge, they feel awful. If they fail at the yoga challenge, yoga is likely to get tossed on the pile of diets and other exercise fads that they never followed through on. Yoga may never enter their lives again.

My solution to this, don't have a 21 day continuous challenge, but have them practice twice a week for a month. Or if it's a daily practice, have it vary throughout the week so they aren't doing a vigorous practice every day. You can't expect someone who doesn't have a regular practice to suddenly start doing yoga everyday, your setting them up for failure. It's like trying to climb a mountain when you can barely make it up the stairs in your house.

Whether or not you're a beginner or an advanced student, there are some precautions you need to take with practicing everyday. This mostly applies to the more vigorous practices such as power and vinyasa flow. I love these practices, but they are harder on your joints. Depending on your daily practice, you could set yourself up for developing tendonitis. Pain caused by your practice is another thing that could cause you to fail at this challenge. When people enter into yoga they think it can't hurt you, but like any exercise, you do have the potential to hurt yourself.

Yoga isn't a competitive sport. Challenging someone to do something is competitive. Yoga is about learning to let go of your expectations and paying attention to what your mind, soul and body really need. You wipe away all the crap and find your true self underneath. Making it a competition to do so isn't a wholesome path to doing that.

Everyone's path to yoga is unique. If you are in the midst of a yoga challenge, or are considering doing one, please be kind to yourself. If there is a day that you don't feel like practicing, don't. If you have pain, modify or take a day or two off. In place of your daily practice, meditate or do a few simple stretches. All challenges are set up different. Some are a week, some are up to a month. All generally require a daily physical practice. Find one that fits your goals and fitness level. You truly will succeed at a yoga challenge if it makes yoga a life long part of your life, not if you do yoga everyday for 21 days. Don't consider it a challenge, but a goal. If you neglect to practice one day, don't be hard on yourself. Letting go of beating up on yourself is a yoga practice in itself.

My challenge to you...let go of stressing yourself out about challenges. Set goals and enjoy the journey. It's amazing the stuff you can learn along the way when you don't have the pressure of failing.

Controlling the Chaos

Looking back at the times in my life when I felt overwhelmed or things just kept falling apart, I noticed the one thing lacking. My yoga practice. When I say yoga, I don't necessarily mean just the physical practice, but the practice of being in the moment. No matter how hard we try to control our life, with to do lists and plans, chaos still ensues. It's just part of life. Taking the time to slow down and do something deliberate can have a major impact on the pace of your life.

Bringing order to our life is good. But it doesn't completely solve our persistent problem of never having enough time to get it all done. Living under the belief that if we make it through today, tomorrow will be better, is a good way to set yourself up for disappointment. Believing that tomorrow will be a better day is good, as being optimistic is always better than the alternative. However, if you put all your belief in the fact that tomorrow is going to be the day when it all falls into place and then it doesn't, well we all know how that feels.

I'm a firm believer in looking for the positive in situations. But what I believe in more is seeing the reality. The reality of my life is that it's very busy. If I sit around and dream about the day when my life will slow down, where I can leisurely enjoy a yoga practice every morning, I'm going to live a life of never being present. Constantly wishing my life is something different than what it is isn't living. It's simply existing.

It's no surprise that we often feel overwhelmed. Running from one errand to the next, going to work, cleaning the house, plus our endless to do list. It's easy to let this schedule consume you. Instead of enjoying what you're doing in the present moment, you're stressing about what needs to get done next. You're missing out on a moment in ten years you'll wish you could get back. Maybe not going to the grocery store, but that coffee you had with a friend or watching your kid at practice. Being present in these situations allows you to fully enjoy them. Not to mention the person you're spending it with will enjoy you more if you're fully there.

There is always the option of changing our lives to be what we want. But that typically takes time. During that time, what you do with your life is up to you. You can choose to day dream all the time, waiting for your perfect life to arrive, or you can make the best of what you have. Living in the moment is more fulfilling, even if our life isn't perfect. Don't live for tomorrow, live today. Cherish each moment, even if it's in a chaotic moment.

Embrace your chaos. Take the time to figure out the things in your life that will always be hectic. Don't fight those things or try to change them, but run with them. Chaos is energy, get caught up in it and enjoy it for all it's worth. Don't think about how it's draining you, but find ways to enjoy it. Find the things that you do have control over and slow them down to an easier pace. By embracing the chaos and slowing down what you can in your life, you'll find balance. Letting chaos control you makes you feel weak and worn out. Working with and embracing the chaos makes you feel empowered. Think of a surfer riding the perfect wave. Instead of fighting it, he's going along for an amazing ride.

The next time you have a ton of places to go, make a point not to rush. Instead of mindlessly driving like a madman to get from one place to the next, enjoy that time in the car to either listen to your favorite music, a book on tape or have a genuine conversation with whoever is in the car with you. Notice how much better you feel when you get to your destination if you don't rush. The world will not end if you are a few minutes late every now and then.

Consider breaking your day into sections and be sure to live each part fully. If you find your mind wandering to what's next, bring it back. Chaos can only consume you if you let it. If you feel your day getting out of control, stop and take a few deep breaths. By deliberately slowing down you gain back control over your day.

Even if you can only get in a ten minute practice each day, a regular yoga routine allows you to stop and be present. When we're in the midst of a busy day, it's hard to slow down. However if you take a few minutes to find your breath and do a few stretches to work out the stress, you're better prepared to face the day. Finding peace in the chaos allows you to enjoy the hectic pace of your life more.

Chaos will always be in our lives. How you chose to live with it can drastically effect your life. If you fight it, it will only consume you. If you embrace it, you have control over it. Let go of the stress and enjoy the ride.

Getting More Out of Triangle Pose

Triangle is one of my favorite poses. When I'm feeling like I need a quick stretch it's my go to pose. It's also one of the poses that I see done wrong the most in class. Some where along our yoga journey, we come to the conclusion that we need to touch our toes or the floor in a pose for it to be good. We let our egos get the best of us. The problem with this, is you're compromising the structure of the pose and losing out on the benefits.

Every body is going to be a bit different in Triangle pose, but some of the basic principals are the same. Check out this link to see how to properly get into the pose. Once you're in the pose, there are a few things you'll want to check.

Are your hips open or tipping toward the floor? When we're in a hurry to get our hand to our shin or to the floor, we lose some valuable stretch in our hip and side body. When we're tight in that area and we reach for the floor, our hip will turn down (as seen in the picture to the left). You may feel triumphant that your touching the floor, but you're losing some valuable stretch in your hips and torso. Experiment with this and see any difference you notice.

Your first priority is to open up your hip completely (even if you're practically standing up) and then find an appropriate place for your hand. Make sure not to place it on your knee. Another thing to be aware of is the arm that is up in the air. It's easy to let it drop back. Keep it straight up and engage it. The more you reach towards the ceiling, the more stretch you get.

Make sure you have an appropriate stance. If your feet are spaced too far apart you won't feel stable in the pose and you can easily over stretch. You want to space them enough to get a good stretch without straining yourself. The heel of your front foot should line up with the middle of the arch of your back foot.

Figure out if you need to work on strength or stretch. This will vary from side to side. We tend to have a strong side and a weak side. For the side that is weak, don't put any weight on your hand. Instead of placing it on your shin or thigh, place it to the inside of your thigh with no weight on it. Make sure you don't collapse in the pose. Hold it for as long as you can breathing your yoga breath the entire time. For stretch do your regular pose and focus on alignment.

Find something new in the pose each time you go into it. Nothing is worse for your yoga practice than doing it without thought. Every time you go into a yoga pose think and feel every movement. What can you tweak to get a better stretch? Each time you do a pose it's a new thing to experience. Our bodies are different every day. Be curious and explore that.

Remember the little things. If you have a weak neck, turning to look up may be too much. Gaze down at the floor and work towards looking up. Lift up the arches of your feet. If you're hyper-flexible in your knees, do a little micro bend to protect them. Feel expansive in the pose, like energy is shooting out of your fingers and toes. To work on balance, close your eyes. Engage your legs, they're the base of your pose. There's a lot to each pose, but eventually it will all come naturally. You'll create a little pose checklist in your brain.

Don't be afraid to modify. I think yogi's who modify have the best practice. They put aside their ego and do what is best for their body. The picture to the left has a great modification. Using the block allows you to focus on alignment and is great if you have hyper-extended knees as it takes some of the pressure off of your legs.

Triangle is an open and expansive pose. There's a saying that if you're doing a proper triangle you could fit between two panes of glass. Triangle is like any other pose, you have to do it one step at a time. Pay attention to the differences with each side of your body and focus on your breath. It's a beautiful pose with lots of benefits, enjoy!

Focus: Improve Your Concentration and Lower Your Stress

Have you ever been to a yoga class where you suddenly realize that you're anything but present? Instead of focusing on your breath, you're thinking about what bills to pay or what you're having for dinner. I'm a notorious multi-tasker. In fact, I pride myself on the amount of things I can juggle all at once. As I get older, I'm finding I'm not as good as I used to be. At one point I chalked this up to getting older, but I've come to realize that isn't the only component.

An interesting article was written in the Journal of Experimental Psychology regarding the risks of multi-tasking. It says that when we multi-task, we may actually be creating more work for ourselves (as it's a lot for our brain to juggle and we make mistakes) and persistent multi-tasking can lead to burnout, depression and anxiety. Our brains are designed to do one thing at a time and do it well. Multi-tasking every now and then is fine, but doing it on a daily basis can cause issues.

It took me awhile to figure out what I wanted to do for my New Years resolution,  I finally decided that it's going to be working on my focus. To figure out if focusing is an issue for you, do this test. I want you to count to ten. Inhale and on the exhale count one, inhale and exhale count two all the way to ten. See how far you make it. I got to two and my mind had already left the building. I've got my work cut out for me.

By increasing your focus you'll lower your stress levels. You'll do this by working on one thing at a time and doing that thing well. Less stress leads to less anxiety and depression and that can make you a happier and healthier person. Below are some suggestions on how to become more focused.

Make a plan: If you have a plan in place for your day, a list of all the things you have to do, you'll be less anxious about what you have to get done. Half the time my thoughts get interrupted by something I need to do or I forgot. If you have a plan, you're less likely to forget things and be able to focus more on your task at hand. If something does come up, make a note and continue focusing on your current task. When you finish the thing you're working on, put the forgotten task down on your schedule.

No matter how small the task seems, write it down so that your brain can let it go. OmniFocus is a great ap that helps you organize your to do list. It only works on iPhone. Check out this link to find a similar program for you Android. If you don't have a smartphone, a daily planner works just as great.

Breathe and count: It's hard to train your brain to focus when it's used to doing 10 things at once. Doing the breathing exercise I mentioned above (count to ten with your breath) will help to teach your brain to slow down and concentrate more. Make sure to be patient with yourself, it takes time to change. As soon as you realize your brain has wondered, start back at one. Keep track to see, how over time, you manage to get to a higher number. This will boost your confidence. This exercise is great to do when you're feeling scattered. It will focus your mind so you can concentrate more on what you're doing. Taking a few minutes to focus your mind can save you time lost fixing mistakes later.

Do your yoga: Yoga is wonderful for helping your focus. When in class keep your mind present. Focus on the breath and pay attention to your body. You'll begin to notice that not only will your mind feel better, but your body as well.

Decompress and disconnect: I just got back from vacation and barely used my phone. I came back so relaxed! By constantly checking your emails, texting and keeping up on social networks, we're not allowing our brains any downtime. Our brains are like computers, they need time to reboot. If left on all the time, problems begin to happen. This is where meditation is great, read a book or just have some quiet time to take a walk.

Turn off your background noise: Whether you have the TV or radio on at work or at home when cleaning the house or making dinner. Try turning it off and just focus on what you're doing. When we're doing something, especially when it takes a lot of thought, and we have noise in the background, it can distract us. By doing your task in a quiet environment, you're brain will function better.

Learning to focus and do everything with intention takes time. Persistence is necessary. I'm sure there will be times when I'll want to give up or when I'll get frustrated, but I'm confident that if I can stick with this, my life will change for the better. Being organized and present will give you a sense of calm. Calmness is happiness.

Tips For New Yoga Students

I remember my first yoga class like it was yesterday. Luckily I had some experience from doing yoga videos, but I was still nervous. I went to a class at Core Power Yoga, which is a heated studio (98 degrees and humid) and crammed into a room with 50, yes 50 other people. My mat was literally an inch from the people on all sides of me. It was so hard and hot that I spent most of the 90 minute class in child's pose. I anxiously watched as beautiful muscled bodies bent and contorted into these amazing poses. All I could think was what did I get myself into! I felt weak, out of shape and not the least bit relaxed when it was over.

I'm happy to report that despite my intense experience, I didn't let the first, second or third hard class scare me off. I kept going. Something about yoga drew me in. Nine years later I'm still practicing and although I don't do Core Power Yoga anymore, I still love what yoga has to offer. When I first started practicing I did a lot of things wrong and did damage to my body. I honestly wish I knew then what I know now.

If I could go back and talk to myself nine years ago, to let myself know how to safely practice yoga, this is what I would say.

Focus on strength, not stretch: When everyone thinks of yoga, they think of how flexible it makes you. While being flexible is great, being overly flexible isn't. Your bones are connected with ligaments and your tendons connect the muscles to bones. When you over stretch your muscles, the next thing to stretch is your ligaments and tendons. This causes destabilization in your joints, which can lead to pain.

My point, don't have a goal of touching your toes. Have a goal of being able to hold plank or being able to do a forearm balance with a strong core. Don't flop into poses, but find a way to incorporate strength into the pose. If you're really tight, have a balanced practice of strength and stretch. Be smart, if you think you're doing something that is hurting your body, it probably is.

Focus on doing the pose correctly: When you're doing a flow class, especially in power yoga when you move quickly (usually one breath per pose), it's challenging to make sure you're in correct alignment. Over time you keep going into the pose wrong and your body adapts to that. This happens because your muscles have memory and they automatically go to the wrong position because they have done it so many times. This can lead to postural issues and pain.

The yoga teacher won't yell at you if you fall behind in the sequence, so take your time and get into the pose correctly. If you're unsure if you're in it right, ask the teacher, they're happy to help. The most incorrectly done pose is chaturanga. Most new students aren't strong enough to do a push up so their stomach reaches the floor before their chest, this causes damage to the shoulders. If you can't do this pose correctly, you'll need to make adjustments. Also check out your carrying angle, it's essential to healthy shoulders.

Do the yoga breath: There's a lot to learn when you first start yoga. Coordinating the breath with all the poses is kinda like tapping your head and rubbing your belly. The yoga breath is the most important part of yoga. It relaxes the body and mind by engaging the parasympathetic system. A good yoga breath can tone your abdomen and keep your lungs healthy. If you aren't exhaling fully, you leave stale air in your lungs which can lead to illness, especially if you're prone to bronchitis or other lung infections.

When you first start yoga the breath is often an after thought. You tend to hold your breath while doing a difficult pose, which engages your sympathetic system and stresses you out. Make it your primary focus. Why? Well when you're in class and worried that you aren't keeping up or doing the poses right, you may get anxious. The breath calms you and you're more likely to take your time and do the pose right. Believe me, your body will thank you.

Don't be a robot: By this I mean be present in your practice. Don't just do yoga for the workout. In order to get all the benefits of yoga, you need to really do yoga. That means don't think about what you're doing later that night and move through the poses on autopilot. Pay attention to your breath and what your body is doing. Is it weak on one side, do you get pain in certain poses, if you do why?

When we're present in our practice we notice things we otherwise wouldn't. This will prevent you from injury and allow you to make adjustments so your body will get stronger in the proper position rather than in the wrong one.

Being a new yoga student is hard, but don't give up. Find a teacher and class you like and stick with it for at least 10 classes. If you can, find a yoga specifically for beginners or take the easiest class. Don't go big and start with an intermediate or advanced class, you'll only set yourself up for frustration. If you're really uncertain about going to your first class, try some videos. I did videos for two years before my first class. Keep in mind when you see an advanced student doing some amazing pose, that they too were once a beginner. We all have to start somewhere, but if you're mindful and have patience with yourself, yoga will change your life, I guarantee it. 

Travel Yoga

I’m currently on a plane traveling to the Dominican. My day started at 4am and I won’t get to my destination till around 3pm. Needless to say by the time I get to where I’m going, my body will need a good stretch. Traveling can leave our bodies feeling tight and out of alignment. Cramming into small seats and long periods of sitting do not make for a happy back or neck.

Those of you who have a regular practice, the act of traveling can throw a wrench in your yoga routine. The typical time you set aside to practice will be taken up by early starts, TSA lines and flights. If you generally practice at a studio, you’re now saddled with the task of finding yoga at your new destination. The good news, yoga is popular and you can find it just about anywhere. Not all studios and resort teachers are created equal. The resort teachers, at least in my experience so far, are the worst. Most are not trained, but just learned a few yoga poses and teach off of that. If you're looking for a more experienced and properly trained teacher, check out www.yogaalliance.com to see if you can find a good teacher in the area you’re headed to. 

Another option for finding yoga is to check out the billboards at a local library, community center or coffee shop. Classes are generally posted there. If you’re staying at a hotel, check with the concierge, they should have information on local classes or studios and how to get there. There is of course always an internet search.

If you aren’t up to finding a studio or lacking transportation, consider taking an online class or do a yoga video. Some hotels offer yoga videos On Demand. They’re a bit different than the real thing, but your body will still appreciate it.

I used to travel with my yoga mat, but the reality is that it takes up a lot of space. There are a variety of yoga travel mats available. They’re thin and fold up easily and can even fit in a large purse. Most are washable, a must if you end up doing yoga outside or in a hot studio. They're well worth the investment, especially since you can carry it with you while you fly, allowing you to stretch on your layover. 

It's important to stretch throughout your travel day if you want to arrive at your destination not feeling like you travelled there in a clown car. Yoga rooms are becoming more prevalent at airports. They provide a quiet, private space that you can stretch out in. If one isn’t available try finding a hidden nitch somewhere out of the way of traffic. You’ll probably get a few stares, but who cares. You won’t see any of those people again and you’ll feel great on the next leg of your trip. If you’re unsure of what poses to do, do a few sun salutations, this sequence will work out most of the kinks.

If you don’t have time to stretch on your layover, below are a few stretches that you can do in your seat. 

• Eagle Arms: extend your arms out in front of you and bend them at the elbows so your fingers point up. Wrap your left arm under your right and wrap your hand around the grab the palm of your right hand. Lift up your elbows slightly. Do both sides.
• Seated twist: sit up tall and make sure your knees are in line with each other. On you exhale twist to the left, resting your right hand on your left knee. To get a deeper twist, cross your left leg over your right and then twist to the left. Do both sides.
• Seated crescent moon: sit up tall and raise your left arm up, lean over to the right. Do both sides.
• Toe taps: tap your toes up and down, do both feet. This gets blood circulating.
• Tennis ball massage: massage your feet by rolling the ball up and down your foot. You can do pressure points on your back as well. Do this by placing the ball on a spot on your back that is tight. Sit back to apply pressure. Close your eyes and take some deep breaths.
• Seated four square: Place your right ankle on your left knee and fold forward. Do both sides. You can also twist towards the bent knee (do this while sitting upright).
• Neck stretches. Turn your head to the right and slowly nod up and down 5-10 times. Do the other side. Interlace your fingers behind your head and allow the weight of your arms to pull your head down. Maintain a straight spine while you do this, don’t slump.

Once you get to where you're going, if your legs or feet have swollen, try legs up the wall pose. This will help drain any fluid. This pose feels great for tired legs too. Do a few sun salutations to help work the kinks out so you don’t go to bed all bound up.

Traveling is great. You get to see exciting places, meet new people and get out of your comfort zone. Incorporate these yoga techniques into your traveling so you can enjoy your trip in comfort. The other cool thing is you never know what great things you'll find, that you would've otherwise missed. when you go out of your way to find a yoga class.