A simple sequence could make you feel better on holiday
Quick and easy-to-follow sequences to keep you fit and energised on holiday.
You've got in shape for your holiday, and the last thing you want to do is ruin all of your hardwork.
Barbara Currie’s Secret Holiday Workout is a 15 minute daily sequence of exercises that can be completed anywhere, anytime.
Ensure you keep your fitness levels up as well as your energy with this workout.
Whether followed as a sequence or as individual poses; whether on the beach, by the pool or in the airport queue, this is your secret holiday weapon.
Shhh… Here’s the secret…
1. Salute to the Sun
Don’t start your day without it! This is your “stay young” insurance policy. After 30 years of teaching yoga to literally thousands of pupils I can tell you now that in my experience people who do this sequence daily for life, quite simply walk younger, stand straighter, look better, are more radiant and have more energy and vitality than those who don’t.
Salute to the sun gives you energy, it stretches your body from top to toe, its brilliant combination of clever stretches and deep breathing traditionally done facing the sunrise in the east prepares your body to start the day. It will keep your spine tremendously flexible by stretching it forwards and backward. It will stretch out your ham strings and calves, stimulate blood flow to your head and neck, release tension in your chest, tone your throat and jaw, and slim your midriff and waistline. It will keep your knees flexible, release tension in your lower back, stimulate your abdominal area and release tension in your neck. All this in less than 5 minutes a day!!
Do remember to move very gently and slowly and don’t strain.
- Stand straight with your feet either about 12” apart or together (the latter is more advanced for a stronger stretch). Place your hands in prayer. Inhale slowly and deeply and slowly exhale through your nose.
- Inhale deeply and lift your arms up above your head and keeping your eyes on your thumbs, relax and bend backwards exhaling in your maximum position.
- Inhale and slowly return your upper body to an upright position and stretch your arms up in the air. Keeping your head up, back flat and straight legs bend forwards slowly and relax in your maximum position without strain, aiming eventually to place your hands by your feet keeping your legs straight (If you find this difficult in the beginning stages then let your knees to bend a little to allow you to place your hands on the floor).
- Keeping your hands on the floor inhale and stretch your right leg back and look at the sky.
- Exhale and stretch your left leg back.
- Now take your knees to the floor, then your chest and then your chin.
- With your lower abdomen on the floor and your hands either side of your body at shoulder level, inhale and slowly lift your upper body from the floor and stretch gently back into the cobra position.
- Keeping your hands and feet in the same position tuck your toes under, press down on your hands and lift your bottom in the air as you exhale and stretch your heels down towards the floor and gently take your head between your arms and lower your head towards the floor.
- Inhale and draw your right foot forwards placing it near your hands.
- Exhale and bring your left foot forwards. Now drop your head and lift your bottom in the air aiming eventually your chin to your shins with your hands flat on the floor by your feet.
- Inhale and slowly lift your head and arms from the floor and slowly return to a standing position. With full lungs slowly stretch upwards and then backwards exhaling in your maximum position.
- Inhale as you return to an upright position. Place your hands in prayer, exhale, relax and repeat – this time taking your left leg back first in position 4.
2. Abdominal Lift
- Stand straight with your legs about a foot apart and place your hands on your upper thighs.
- Inhale very deeply and then exhale fully.
- Keeping the air out of your lungs pull your abdominals in and up. Hold for a count of 10 then release the abdominals. Inhale and relax and repeat twice.
3. Jaw Exercises
Yoga is excellent for the tone and firmness of the jaw and throat and the backwards bends and twists are ideal. However there are times when we will need to speed things up a bit so here are my 2 favourites. They do absolute wonders for firming the jaw and getting rid of a double chin.
Jaw Exercise 1
- Sit with your back straight and grin from ear to ear.
- While grinning let your head carefully drop backwards and keeping it there, still grinning, open and close your mouth very slowly 3 times.
- Slowly return to an upright position and relax and repeat twice.
Jaw Exercise 2
Some people don’t get a double chin but instead experience sagging in the middle portion of the neck – the so-called turkey neck. This movement is an excellent aid to correcting this and giving you a beautiful firm swanlike neck.
- Sit straight and gently drop your head back.
- With your head dropped back gently take your bottom set of teeth up towards your nose (you won’t make the connection so don’t worry). Hold this position for a count of 5 then relax and repeat 3 times.
4. Bottom Toner
This is simple and can easily be done while queuing!! Stand straight and simply tighten your buttocks, hold for a count of 5, relax and repeat 20 times.
5. Upper Arm Toner
This is genius and so easy to fit in with your life. Stand straight, place your hands at the top of a work surface in either your kitchen or bathroom (ie it should be strong and at waist height). Stand about 3 feet in front of the counter with your feet flat on the floor and make sure it is non-slip.
With your back straight, bend your elbows and slowly take your body towards the counter then slowly return to a standing position. Repeat 5 times to start with, gradually building up to 10 per day.
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