Hope everyone enjoyed their Fourth of July festivities. I took the opportunity to reconnect with family and stuff my face with barbecue. And now I’m officially on vacation! This week my workouts will be all about leisure−mostly walking around vacation spots. Any yoga on vacation will be low impact, low time commitment and focused. The asanas streamlined to unwind specific muscles after a long day of walking around.

Targeting Weary Muscles at the End of Day

Holiday exercise is more aspiration than a reality. I can’t count the number of times I’ve wasted space in my suitcase for running shoes, only to abandon them in lieu of sleep. After site-seeing all day, the last thing you want to do is hit a gym. Mustering the willpower for yoga (when all you want to do is crash) can even be a challenge. But I can usually manage a modest session in the hotel room. The key is keeping it simple. Try asanas that don’t require a mat. Do the routine in your pajamas. The fewer excuses you have, the more likely you are to complete it. In the morning I am always grateful. Going to bed on unstretched muscles then waking up stiff are no fun! Do a little routine to unwind and your body will thank you.

Access the Yoga Flow Routine

Here are a few of my favorite full-body stretches from today’s sequence

→ Summer Vacation Stretch
(click for full flow sequences and printable worksheets)

Recommended Music Selections

This week’s vacation jams have been all about Queen Bey and her Husband. I’ve been visiting with Dear Sis and we’ve been wearing out their new album. But it’s not all appropriate for nighttime relaxing. Here is a short mix of cuts from The Carter’s and others to perform today’s stretch sequence.

.Namaste

EDIT: Next week, no Namaste.  I’ll be flying around and enjoying the summer air.