It has been a year into the Covid-19 pandemic, where restrictions have affected the way we spend our layovers in outports. As we are not able to leave our rooms now, I always think about how I can make my layover more meaningful. Exercise is one of the best ways to occupy our time, and for me, it is Yoga.

Practising Yoga

What you need is a mat, a small space in your hotel room, and some relaxing music. For beginners, you may want to carry a yoga brick to help ease the practice.

Our job nature is very special, our body needs to be flexible to work and move around in small spaces. Here are some yoga poses to strengthen your muscle and improve flexibility.

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Stretching poses: holding for 30 seconds and keep breathing

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Neck stretching:

1. Lean your head to the right side and extend your left arm away from you. Place your right hand on top of your left ear
2. Pull your head and extend your left hand until you feel the stretch on your left-hand side of your neck
3. Hold this position for 30 seconds then gently release (remember to breathe deeply while holding the position)
4. Repeat the same procedures on the other side

Shoulders extend stretching:

1. Kneel with your toes together and your knees a width apart
2. Put both hands behind your back and interlock your fingers and extend them towards the floor
3. Squeeze your shoulder blades as much as you can; open your chest, and pull your hands backward
4. Hold this position for 30 seconds
5. Keep your chest open, and breathe slowly and deeply then release

Child pose:

1. Kneel and bring your feet together
2. Rest your forehead on the floor, reach your arms forward and relax
3. Relax your elbows
4. Gently close your eyes. Bring the attention to your breathing. Inhale to bring your forehead forward and exhale to bring the hips closer to the heels.

Benefits:

• Calms and give relaxation to the Body & Mind
• Improve Blood Circulations
• Release the Tension in Chest, Back & Shoulders

Cobra pose:

1. Lie down on your belly. Keep your feet together or separate to hip width apart, pointing your feet to the back
2. Place your hands underneath your armpits. Bend your elbows and squeeze them in
3. Inhale to drag your chest forward a little and push your hands down to lift the chest up. Extend your spine upwards.
4. Once you’re up, keep your elbows slightly bent and shoulders away from the ears. Keep your belly tucked in

Benefits:

• Stretches the shoulders, lower back and abdominal muscles
• Improves lower back flexibility
• Opens the chest, improve cardiopulmonary function

Pigeon pose:

1. From the downward facing dog position, raise your right leg up and place the right knee forward on the floor and flex your right foot. Your right thigh will then be roughly paralleled to the side of the mat.
2. Hug your leg in toward the midline. Square your hips. Walk your hands back next to your hips, exhale to fold forward
3. Inhale, and exhale to fold forward and deepen the stretch
4. To exit, walk the hands back to push back up to Downward facing dog
5. Repeat on the left side.

Benefits:

• Deeply stretches the hip joints and muscles in the legs
• Relieves sciatica
• Helps to reduce stiffness in the back and hips
• Balances the blood pressure

Figure 4 stretch:

1. Lie on your back with legs extended in front of you.
2. Lift your right leg, bend your knee, and hug your leg. Pull your leg towards your chest for five seconds.
3. Raise your left leg straight up towards the ceiling (or as high as you can). Bend your right knee outward, and place your right ankle against your left thigh. Using your hands, pull your left leg towards your body and hold for 30 seconds.
4. Repeat on the other side

Benefits:

• It is a safe and effective way to stretch the hips, particularly the piriformis muscle.
• Relieves tension in the muscles of the lower back, hips, and hamstrings
• It opens the hips and reduces the symptoms of sciatica

Fancy a yoga session with Gary? Click here to watch his video or

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