As You Hit the Road for the Holidays

If you are an average Aussie, you will soon be on the road, heading out for your summer break. You may be visiting relatives in far-flung places or just going camping at a beachside locale. But no doubt you will be clocking up the miles, and sometimes you might just end up stuck in holiday traffic.

I often have to drive long distances, living relatively remotely as I do on Mitchells Island, NSW. My body pays the price, especially the with long hauls–down to Sydney, up to Northern Rivers and Queensland–and shorter trips to Port Macquarie or the Hunter Valley.

Yoga is my preferred antidote to counteract all the driving. And, massage and physiotherapy have been lifesavers, too.

A while back, I treated myself to a session with a skilled body worker in Sydney. Because I have two artificial hips, I have to be watchful that my hips don’t go out of alignment. Gifted instructor Gina Richter, gave me a great practice to reboot my hips as they had gotten a wee bit out of whack. She reminded my to pay more attention to my ‘core’ and avoid letting my left side dominate.

How much time do you spend in your car per week? Seven hours… ten hours? More?

There are the mandatory kids’ activities runs, work commutes and, as I’ve mentioned, holiday road trips. Or, maybe, like me, you live in the country, miles away from medical and other essential services. Being on the road will a physical toll on your body, in the same way that sitting at a computer does.

On the Road Yoga Sequence

Here area few stretches that you can incorporate into your driving routine, especially when there’s no time in your schedule to get to a yoga class:

1. ‘Rebooting your back’ – a stretch for muscle soreness

2. Half forward fold – for decompressing you spine and stretching hamstrings

3. Chest opener and shoulder stretch

4. Gentle twist

5. Stretch for spine and hamstrings

6. Lateral stretch for arm, ribs, waist, hips and hamstrings

7. And, even a little Backbend for upper back

Globetrotting naturalist David Attenborough describes his attitude to driving:

I don’t run a car, have never run a car. I could say that this is because I have this extremely tender environmentalist conscience, but the fact is I hate driving.