Featured Sequence: Travel Mini Sequence

by Nina

My chiropractor, Dr. Claire-Marie Holman, in Berkeley, California is also a yoga teacher. (I get adjustments for my scoliosis—for some conditions, yoga can only do so much.) As part of my self-care, Dr. Holman discusses my home practice with me, recommending certain poses for their therapeutic benefits. When I recently went in for a treatment, I was in between trips. So I asked Dr. Holman to recommend just a few poses for me to do while I was in the road, when I have less time to practice than I do when I’m home. She came up with a three-pose mini practice for me. I liked it so much that asked her if I could share it with my readers on this blog. She generously agreed.

So without further ado, here is Dr. Claire-Marie Holman’s travel mini sequence. The poses (and the thinking behind them) are the three she suggested for me. The order of the poses seemed obvious to me so I just went with my gut on that. And the timings are my suggestions.

1. Cat-Cow pose for six rounds.

This pose is an excellent warm-up for the second pose in the series, Downward-Facing Dog pose, and helps restore a back that might be sore from sleeping on strange beds (or different beds every night). So far, we’ve only featured the chair version of this pose (see Seated Cat-Cow Pose) on this blog. But, if you can, try the full version, with your hands and knees on the floor, and a blanket under your knees.

Start with your spine in a neutral position. Then, as in the chair version, on your inhalation, start moving from your pelvis, tipping your hips downward toward the floor. As you continue to inhale, gently lift your spine and lengthen into a gentle backbend. Lift your breastbone forward and up and allow your head and neck to lengthen out and back, coming into the Cow backbend.

As you exhale, start moving from your pelvis, releasing your pelvis in the opposite direction, moving the back of your waist upward toward the ceiling. As you continue to exhale, allow your middle back to move back as well and drop your chin toward your chest, coming into the Cat forward bend. Repeat for six rounds, moving with your breath.

2. Downward-Facing Dog pose for 30 seconds to 2 or 3 minutes.

This pose is one of best all-over stretches for shoulders, legs, and hips, which all get tight from the hours of sitting still required by traveling. As a bonus, you strengthen your shoulders, arms, and upper body while you’re at it. So far, we haven’t featured the full version of this pose, but John Schumacher has a good video of this on youtube.

If full Downward-Facing Dog pose is too challenging for you, try Half Downward-Facing Dog pose at the wall (see Half Dog Pose at the Wall) or the version with your hands on a chair seat (see Downward-Facing Dog (Chair Version).

3. Legs Up the Wall pose for 5 to 15 minutes. Come out if your legs fall asleep.

In addition to being a great anti-stress pose (who doesn’t get stressed out while traveling), this pose also stretches your hamstrings with gravity. And if you use a bolster or folded blankets or bathroom towels under your sacrum, with your tailbone off the support, this pose restores the curve to your lower back, providing an antidote to hours of seated positions. I can’t believe we haven’t featured this one yet, but we will soon, I promise.

We’re showing two versions of the pose today, one with just a folded blanket and the other using a bolster with a folded blanket underneath it and a second folded blanket under the spine. Try both versions to see which one is more comfortable for you. If they are equally comfortable, try the higher version, as this may enhance your relaxation. If this pose is uncomfortable for you, try Easy Inverted Pose (see Easy Inverted Pose).

Thanks so much, Claire-Marie! Readers, if you try this sequence, let me know what you think.