Yoga as a form of stress buster has gained popularity in recent times. More and more people are going for a yoga holiday including families. The emphasis on the yoga techniques differs depending upon your requirement.
Types Of Yoga Holidays
If you want to follow yoga in its purest form there are yoga retreats catering to your need. However, there are some who want a family vacation included too and in such cases, yoga assumes a slightly lesser emphasis and revolves around your vacation schedule. These are the ‘Beyond Yoga’ retreats where you get the best of both worlds; a family holiday as well as yoga.
How Do You Prepare For A Yoga Holiday?
Your body is going to undergo some change in its daily routine during the length of your yoga holiday. It is essential to acclimatize your body to this change by incorporating the following habits at least a fortnight before your holiday.
- Get Introduced To Basic Yoga
It is essential to get a basic knowledge of yoga through a few classes wherein you learn what yoga is all about and are familiarized with the key poses. You get aware of the class format and terminology used.
- Be Clear On Your Aims
You need to be clear on the objectives of your trip as to whether it is to de-stress, lose weight, learn something new, relieve specific aches and pains etc. If you have clarity in your aims then the yoga trainer can help you better.
- Lessen Dependence On Technology
You need to be off your mobile devices, laptops during the tenure of your stay at the yoga retreat. Prepare yourself mentally to be cut off from your business world for a while.
- Eat Right Foods
Your days at the yoga retreat will entail a change in your diet and hence it is better if you let your body get used to the type of food that will have to be eaten. Hence, consume light foods which are easily digestible and do not weigh you down and reduce intake of processed foods, alcohol, refined food items etc.
What Are Benefits Of Your Yoga Holiday?
Yoga offers two fold benefits to you; physical benefits and psychological benefits. Both are detailed below:
- Physical Benefits
The secondary muscles and joints of your body are targeted in yoga which increases their flexibility; for eg, muscles of calves, hamstrings, back, hips and shoulders. The various yoga postures lead to a strengthening of the core as well as peripheral limbs.
The yoga postures involve a lot of stretching of muscles and this leads to enhancement of muscle tone. The deep breathing exercises give a good workout to the lungs enhancing cardiovascular performance.
Spinal alignment and relief from back aches caused due to the sedentary lifestyles are the greatest advantages of yoga.
- Psychological Benefits
Yoga involves concentration while doing the various postures with the mind being trained to remove all irrelevant thoughts from it. Seasoned yoga practitioners are able to detach their mind from the effects of external stimuli and achieve a sense of oneness with Universe. In this process, you automatically get de-stressed.
The body is stretched to its limits by a repetitive working of the relevant yoga postures. At the same time, your breath has to complement the postures and the emphasis on deep breathing helps to calm the mind and improve its alertness.
Summarizing; get acquainted and trained in the yoga postures from a certified trainer and reap the benefits of this ancient form of fitness technique.