Yoga It!

Hours spent behind the wheel bring along with stress also back pains, sore necks, and headaches. Have a look at how you can fight the pain and get relief from stress while in the car.

13. 6. 2017 MODELS OCTAVIA

Our society has truly changed: everything is about progress, about being better, about moving forward. Time management is essential in these stressful days just to get as many things as possible done. At the same time everyone runs to the next yoga class in the evening. It seems as though the training bag is always ready to go. Just to get free your mind of thought. Just to: relax! Sounds quite simple, but why use more precious time to do so? A beautiful opportunity jumps at us almost every day: in the car.

Motorway service areas suffer from a very bad reputation: expensive but disgusting food, less parking spaces than people and crying babies who are desperate to be fed. But if you are lucky enough to have caught a good spot, use it! Get out of the car and stand straight. Contract your front thigh muscles to lift your kneecaps. Exhale and bend forward from your hip joints. Make sure to move your head and torso as one unit. Try to put your ribs down on your thighs. It’s too hard for you? Just bend your knees until the ribs reach your thighs. Then slowly straighten your legs if possible. This asana helps to stretch your hamstrings and your pelvis which are the protagonists when it comes to driving.

Done that?

Then bend your right leg until your thigh is parallel to the floor. While doing this strengthen your left leg. Stretch your arms away from the shoulder blades, also parallel to the floor. Avoid leaning your torso over the right knee to prevent injuries. Look over your right hand. This asana gives you self confidence and determination! And: come on, who doesn’t need determination when driving in the rush hour? Apart from doing all those asanas next to and in the car you can also use your partner in crime. Open the window and put up your straightened leg. You don’t feel anything? Then flex your right foot! Voilà!

Well, that sounds quite superficial. But the street is not just a street. It’s a war zone! Drivers always forget their good manners. They swear, they stress, they shout. If you find yourself in this kind of situation take the next exit and park somewhere suitable. Get out of the car and go into mountain pose. Concentrate on one spot. Now put your weight on your left foot and lift up your right foot. You can either put it on the left foot, shin or thigh. As far as you want to go. Make sure you never put your foot on the kneecap.