Posted on May 25, 2007
ON TOUR FOREVER: TOUR YOGA
NEW! Tour Yoga(TM) video down below.
This shouldn't come as a surprise: seven hours a day spent sitting in a cramped (albeit fuel-efficient) Volkswagen Golf does not do the body good. Still, long road days are the lifeblood of the tour experience, and cannot be avoided; this is why we have invented -- and now want to bring to you, reader -- Tour Yoga(TM).
Tour Yoga(TM) is a preparatory stage of physical purification that renders the body fit for the practice of higher meditation, efficient gas-station stops, and excellent shows at the end of each car trip. The postures incorporate the furniture of everyday tour life -- the car, for example, and the asphalt -- and are contemplative in nature.
Here, we demonstrate three of the most important Tour Yoga(TM) poses, or asanas: The Road Warrior One, a stretch of the upper thigh and calf muscles using the car as a focal point, The Car Cobra, an upward-arching exercise of the "core" Soaz muscle, and, of course, Downward-Facing Road Dog, an all-encompassing pose which stretches the shoulders, legs, and spine. In all these positions, hands and feet remain hip-width apart.
Some tips for the practice of Tour Yoga(TM):
A glass of fresh water or Cherry Coke should be taken before performing asanas.
Always perform asanas at gas stations and fast-food restaurants, as many times per day as necessary. Do not let anyone give you a hard time.
The breathing should be controlled and should always be through the nose. The benefits of asanas increase if pranayama is performed simultaneously.
Road Warrior One
Keep standing foot squarely on the ground and raise arms level with shoulder-height. Lean foward onto the car, but remember to keep your back straight.
Car Cobra
Raise the heels of your feet as you lean and lift into the car while keeping your arms straight. You should experience some sensation in your hamstrings.
Downward-Facing Road Dog
Keep feet hip-width apart and arms level with your shoulders. Do not curve or over-arch your back. Only when your back is perfectly straight is the pose accomplished. Don't let your head drop.
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