We love taking long road trips: hopping from one destination to another with snacks stocked up for the road and a curated travel playlist to give us company. However, one thing that irks us is the subsequent – and almost guaranteed – sore muscles from being behind the wheels for hours at a stretch. If, like us, you’re looking for ways to ease your muscles, then try these seated yoga asanas on your next road trip. By Bayar Jain
1. Neck Rolls
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Although easy, this is an oft-forgotten yoga posture. If you’ve got a stiff neck and shoulder from sitting upright throughout the journey, simply loosen these muscles by rolling your head a couple of times each side. To begin, sit up straight, and tuck your chin towards your chest while simultaneously relaxing your arms and shoulders. Next, look up and repeat the routine a few times. Then, slowly turn your head from one side to another, and end by touching your ear to your shoulder on each side. If you wish, you can even use your arms to help pull your ears closer to your shoulder.
2. Gomukhasana or the Cow Face Pose
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This asana is great to stretch your shoulders and arms, two muscles that could start to ache from long drives. With your feet planted flat on the floor of the car, and your body relaxed but not slouching against the seat, raise one of your arms and try to reach the centre of your back with it. Use the other arm to push the elbow in deeper and closer to the centre of your head. Hold this posture for a couple of minutes before repeating the process with the other arm. You can even choose to fold your arms in a namaste behind your back for the same results.
3. Paschimottanasana or the Seated Forward Bend
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The biggest casualty of road trips is your back, and this easy asana revives it within minutes! If possible, push your seat behind to make some room. Next, with your feet roughly hip-width apart on the floor, hinge forward to bring your head on your lap, keeping your back as straight as possible. Alternatively, if you can’t bend down completely, you can even bend enough to rest your arms and head on the dashboard or seat in front of you.
4. Matsyendrasana or the Half-Spinal Twist
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Another fairly easy seated yoga asana to ease the muscular strain on your spine – especially your lower back – the seated spinal twist also facilitates better flexibility. With your feet hip-width apart on the floor and your spine straight, twist your upper body to look towards the rear end of the car, as though reversing without rearview mirrors. To deepen the stretch, grip the seat with your arms and hold the posture for a few minutes. Repeat the same by twisting in the other direction as well.
5. Seated Eka Pāda Rājakapotāsana or One-legged King Pigeon Pose
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A long drive is bound to result in aching knees, especially when you need to constantly shift gears. It’s times like these when this yoga asana comes to the rescue. Simply raise one of your legs – hinging from your knee – and place the ankle on top of the other knee. Using your arms, pull ankle of this bent leg closer to your body to deepen the stretch. Repeat on both sides, while simultaneously focussing on your breath.
Related: Here Are 5 Indian Road Trips You Have To Take In 2020
Bayar Jain
Senior Content Manager
Equipped with a degree in Sociology (Honours) from the University of Delhi, and a post graduate diploma in English Journalism and Mass Communication from Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai, Bayar enjoys sharing stories of people, places, and different cultures. When not typing her travel tales, you can catch the hobbyist photographer capturing the next frame, dabbling in arts and crafts, or gushing over puppers and kittens.
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