Feeling tense from a day of traveling? These yoga poses from the founders of Sky Ting Yoga are guaranteed to open you up and relieve lower back pain.
After a long flight or car ride, we usually feel pretty yucky. So we tapped yoga instructors Krissy Jones and Chloe Kernaghan, co-founders of New York City-based Sky Ting Yoga, for a routine you can do while traveling (or at the office after hours of sitting at your desk) to bring movement into the body and let go of all that accumulated tension.
The sequence starts in child’s pose and flows through mainstay positions like downward dog, boat pose, and pigeon pose, and includes a deep forward fold that helps relieve lower back pain and open up the hamstrings while relaxing the nervous system.
The flow transitions to a rounded plow pose—another restorative pose for your lower back, especially after sitting on a plane, bus, or chair for way too long. (Here, score more yoga poses that can help alleviate chronic back pain.)
Flow through this 15-minute sequence wherever you are and you’re guaranteed to feel like a new person. Then get on with your vacation—especially with flight prices predicted to drop.
Why You Need to Plan Your Next Fit Trip Now
It’s time to pull out the beloved rollaway suitcase, um, stat. Why? Affordable vacations are about to hit, just in time for that end-of-summer fit trip you’ve been dreaming about. According to research from travel site Hopper.com, the price of a plane ticket for flights within the U.S. is going to drop nearly 10 percent over the next few months.
Thanks to a combination of cheap fuel and seasonality—remember, summer is travel’s peak season—tickets fell 6.6 percent in July and Hopper predicts they’ll fall another 8.2 percent by October. These are the best prices in two years, according to the report, making autumn the perfect time to take a fitness vacation.
Whether you’re looking for an adventure, an active girl’s weekend, or time to unwind, there’s definitely a fit trip that can give you what you need and help you return healthier and happier. Looking for inspo? Try one of these 7 travel destinations that answer the call of the wild. If exploring a new city is more your speed, check out the 8 best hotels for healthy travel.
Just want a beach and some glorious sun (and maybe a margarita or two)? These gorgeous vacation destinations make relaxing priority numero uno. And if getting out in nature is what revs your engine, make sure you explore the 9 most fitness-friendly national parks (hey, it’s the National Park Service’s 100th anniversary!), or check out the 11 American hiking trails you must see before you die.
If you still need a reason to schedule some time off, remember that vacations really are great for your health. They reduce stress, improve body coordination, boost mood, and can even help you use muscles that normally don’t get a lot of action—all while you’re having a blast in a beautiful place. Plus, traveling can help you lose weight and come home with new skills to help those healthy changes stick.
Normally vacations can be pretty expensive, so take advantage of this little blip in the airline market and find yourself someplace sunny and sandy (or wild and windy, or exciting and energetic). Because once the holiday season hits, prices will spike once more. And hey, wherever you go, give us a shout—we’d love to see what your idea of the best fit trip is.
