Yogis: How do you take your practice outside?

[CBDB]

The weather is getting better, and having embedded a daily yoga practice into my weekly routines since YWA’s January BREATH series, I am becoming increasingly aware that I want to rekindle that feeling from last year and have an outdoor workout experience, yoga or otherwise.

So I could of course swap yoga with the NHS Strength and Flex Week 5 podcast, or do these podcasts outside in addition to the inside YWA practice. It’s always an option.

But I’d love to try and see how I could take the daily YWA experience outside.

So this is my conundrum, and I though I’d ask a few questions about what other Yogis do in relation to this issue:

1. Do you do Yoga outside? Do you do YWA outside? When, how, where, what time of day and what time of year?

2. Have you found a way of following fitness videos outside in gardens and parks? Which ones, where?

3. Do you do yoga without any instructors and how do you remember the flows? Do you take a ‘cheat-sheet’?

4. Do you resort to viewing a video outside on your smartphone and how do you keep the data charges within limits. Or do you resort to subscribing to the paid version of YouTube to be able to download videos and watch offline?

5. Taking a yoga mat outside, how do you make sure it’s kept clean for inside practice? Do you have two mats, for instance or do you have a picnic blanket for under a yoga mat? Do you have a props bag?

6. Are there any yoga podcasts that could be followed, and is there a YWA way of listening audio only, if one does not have WiFi reception?

Anyway, just thought I’d ask all sorts of questions currently swirling around in my head, in case others have some brilliant ideas or experiences they can share.

Any thoughts, ideas or creative and imagined solutions all welcome!

Happy working out, everyone!

[Slinkymalinki]

In fine weather I often do yoga/Pilates in my garden - morning or after a run. I use an old yoga mat on either grass or decking. When I first started practising at home, I wrote down the exercises I liked or that were useful for certain parts of the body & put them in an order so I could refer to them. If I didn't know the names I just described them! You can also buy yoga cards with positions & descriptions on them which might be useful.

The FitOn app has a good range of different types of exercise including yoga & is free. In the garden I am still connected to the wi-fi too. I've taken part in outdoor yoga with the group I went to pre-lockdown but it's also quite popular in summer in open spaces in my area so maybe look out for free outdoor yoga practices where you live.

I haven't followed any fitness regimes in a public park but often use a tree, lamp post or wall to stretch when out running.

Hope this is useful -where there's a will there's a way! 🙂🧘‍♀️♥️

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to Slinkymalinki]

Brilliant! Thank you! Yoga cards 👍🏽! And I never thought of doing Yoga straight after running, as I usually have a stretch and shower after. Great stuff! 🙏👍🏽

[Slinkymalinki in reply to CBDB]

Yoga is great after a run! Adriene has some good ones- pre & post run & yoga for runners.

[cheekychipmunks in reply to Slinkymalinki]

I agree Slinky. I almost always do a session after my run. Perfect stretch! 🥰

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Hi Slinkymalinki and cheekychipmunks , Do you do normal stretches AND yoga after your runs, or just go straight into Yoga?

[cheekychipmunks in reply to CBDB]

I do a cooldown walk then go straight home for yoga. (I’m not very good at stretching I must confess .... 🤭)

[Slinkymalinki in reply to CBDB]

I'm similar to cheekychipmunks - cool down walk then yoga but if I'm pushed for time, will just do a few stretches. I always add a few stretches to the yoga routine which target my particular niggle though!

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to Slinkymalinki]

👍🏽🙏✔️

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to Slinkymalinki]

👍🏽🙏✔️

[dijep 30D Graduate]

Oh loads of questions they're CBDB 😂Funny that you should ask as during my zoom yoga this morning the teacher suggested we should all be outside on the grass doing the Sun Salutation 🌞As my grass was really frosty and very wet I wouldn't fancy it 😂

Having said that I do yoga outside on the lawn, when it's drier, doing a Sun Salutation early in the morning outside with a gentle breeze and the birds singing is wonderful. I tend to stick to sequences I know or just "do what feels good" as I remember YWA saying. You could always note a few poses down on paper and take that out with you.

Last year I also did yoga in the park opposite Tewkesbury Abbey when I was away with the campervan, much to some dogs confusion 😂

Not sure if that helps at all 🤣

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to dijep]

Ohh I love that picture!!! Brilliant. Yes, just sat down and made a list of poses for Sun Salutation. I just never did them without following a video. So that’s going to be another new experience!

[H4CS]

I have just done the two catch up practices in my bedroom with four windows open and sun streaming inside.. almost like being outside! But if it warms up I have a deck and wifi in the garden, might ask hubby to hook a tv screen up but I dont know how difficult that will be 😅

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to H4CS]

Nice!!! Yes, I’ll be exploring over the summer which solutions are possible and which work for me, but it sounds like you have a brilliant solution already!

[annaruns]

I have a lovely patio and the benefit of living in the Caribbean with nice weather most days - so often do yoga outside. Usually around 5pm when it’s cooler but still nice out. I take my mat onto my patio and do YWA al fresco. I use my wireless earbuds and my smartphone but have wifi outdoors. So I’m not sure this is relevant to your practice 😬

Pic of my outdoor yoga setup just for kicks (this was earlier in the day on the weekend - so not quite as many shady options!)

Yoga mat on patio

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to annaruns]

Beautiful! Yes, wifi outside makes a lot of things easier. And it’s another reason for having wireless headphones! Great! I’ll have to have a think if/how I can consider this for my context. Big Thanks!

[Cowladyrunning]

Funny, I was thinking thoughts like this! No chance of wifi or 4g in our garden so am now thinking, having read these great replies to your questions, I'll learn a short sequence and try that maybe with written reminder! I only have 1 mat but maybe will try an old sheet on floor first.

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to Cowladyrunning]

Yeah, I’ve got a yoga mat on picnic blanket idea I might try out. 💡

[CookieM]

Last summer, when it was really hot, I used to just take my yoga mat onto the patio or lawn in the late evening, then with my bluetooth headphones and my mobile phone, I just followed the audio for whichever video it was for that day! [I've done enough of her videos to usually follow with actually looking at the video, but I had my phone there just in case!] Our wifi starts to get a bit dodgy more than 5 metres from the house, but is usually ok on the patio and just beyond (which is where my garden bench is!).

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to CookieM]

Nice. Sounds like a great solution. In our case, our wifi extends into the wrong direction at the moment, but maybe the solution is yo get a wifi booster. Thank you!

[cheekychipmunks]

It’s yummy doing yoga outside CBDB, and I try to do so regularly throughout the summer, usually accompanied by one of my daughters. We also do HIIT together out in the garden too. 😀

We either set up on the lawn, or on the patio. I put my old soft cheapie mat under my good one if on the patio, both for comfort and to keep the good one clean. Our dog often walks over it though, so I have a home made yoga mat spray which I use afterwards (Adriene’s yummy recipe!) 😀

I prop my iPad up to use for the videos which works well. Sometimes I’ll use my Bluetooth speaker, but the volume is loud enough without too.

I don’t know whether you can download videos for use without WiFi I’m afraid. I’m sure there’s a way around it as people practice in all sorts of weird and wonderful places! 🧘‍♀️ 🙏🏻 ☀️

It’s so much fun. Enjoy! 🥰

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Mmmmhhh 🤤 🌳🧘🏾‍♂️🌳🏞 sounds brilliant! Two mats ✔️👍🏽. Summer, here I come!

[cheekychipmunks in reply to CBDB]

Yes, just a cheap and cheerful thicker one is great for padding! It’s useless as a yoga mat (even though it is one) as it’s so slippery.

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold]

Here is one solution I have tried out indoors, but that should theoretically work outdoors:

this free app (Yoga for Beginners, by Daily Workout and Fitness Studio) allows you to set two custom workouts in its free version, and I have put a YWA Sun Salutation of 20min in there. This is suggested to work without WIFI, and had voice instructions and a choice of music and voices.

That might be all I need for when I do something outside. Not quite as good as having YWA there with me, but it will work at a pinch. And it has the advantage of me not having to remember or look at a note 📝 to remember the sequence.

I’ll report back once I have taken it outside, but will have to first resolve my Yoga mat situation. 🤣

Thanks to everyone so far who has contributed with ideas and experiences. It’s great to read other Yogis’ solutions! 🙏🧘🏾‍♂️👍🏽

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold]

Finally, a month after posting this I’ve done it!!! 🙌🙌🙌🙌 I’ve taken my practice outside (including hubby). healthunlocked.com/strength...