All About Spa Yoga

What do you get when you combine a hot tub with yoga? Absolute bliss. A new emerging trend combining the unique exercise powers of yoga with the hot and humid conditions of a spa is boasting a host of health benefits for both the mind and body. At Imagine Backyard Living, we believe that this new practice can help you capitalize on your backyard environment and encourage you and your family to come together and revel in the joys of an active lifestyle.

Yoga in Your Hot Tub

Spa yoga is unlike any other form of exercise. Yoga itself has a rich history that encourages spiritual contemplation. Through the intentional act of holding poses, the body builds an ability to maintain flexible positions while also developing an inward strength, balance, and concentration.
The additional element of a hot tub brings a warmth that can enhance the practice of yoga. With both the heat and humidity of a spa, these conditions allow for increased flexibility and mobility as well as aid in enabling stress relief and the release of tension.
To get started, here are a few key poses you can use to start your own spa yoga routine (as always, it’s important to check with your primary care provider to ensure safety before starting new activities). Also, don’t forget to warm up before diving in! This means that you should do a few jumping jacks or take a light jog to get your blood moving and let your body know that you are ready to do work.

Tree Pose

This popular yoga pose is excellent for working on balance. To incorporate tree pose into a spa routine, be sure to start in the middle of your spa and stay clear of edges. Bring one leg up and position your foot perpendicular to the inside of your other leg so you are forced to balance on one foot. Bring hands together and concentrate on your breathing. Repeat on the other side.

Chair Pose

Just like its name, the chair pose is another pose that works on balance and also helps elongate back muscles for a solid stretch. To hold this pose, start off in the middle of your spa and raise your arms up towards the sky with your palms pressed together. Then, bend your knees and sit back as if there was a chair behind you. Once you are almost parallel to the ground, hold the position. It should be difficult but not impossible. Again, work on breathing work and let the mind relax.

Half Moon Pose

This advanced pose is similar to a standing back-bend. Root your feet into the middle of your spa and slowly arch your back with your head looking up. Bring your arms up and feel the stretch.  Go slowly and try to keep your hands pressed together.
The low impact environment of water, combined with heat from the spa can aid your body in reaching new positions and increased flexibility. Be sure to take a nice soak in your spa after a yoga session to relish and bask in your relaxation once done!