How to Keep Up Your Practice this Summer
Summer heat can take a toll on your yoga practice, but it's important to keep up your routine even as the temperature rises. As you’re well aware, yoga has numerous benefits for both your mind and body, and maintaining consistency in your practice is key if you want to truly reap the benefits. With some modifications to your practice and taking advantage of some Razz Yoga’s resources, you can continue to make your practice a priority—even in the summer heat.
Commit to Class! A no-brainer, but with summer schedules always in flux, whether because of vacations, more time outside, or having the kids at home, it’s essential to prioritize your time on the mat. Commit to class like you would a doctor’s appointment and make it a calendar-worthy event. We also find that summertime is a great opportunity to try new classes and teachers. Teachers take vacations too, and having substitutes is a wonderful way to get to know some of our other staff members. All of our instructors will deliver well-rounded, thoughtful classes and we encourage you to try them out!
Take a workshop or training. Summer is a great time to experiment with more in-depth offerings. We have our upcoming Radiant Child teacher training coming up in August, which is designed for anyone who works with youth—whether as caregivers, teachers, therapists or yoga instructors—who are looking for yogic tools they can bring to the children in their lives.
Attend classes on your schedule with our On-Demand Library. If attending a class seems challenging or impossible, the next best thing is to use our on-demand library of pre-recorded classes. You can practice whenever you want in the comfort of your own home! With a variety of teachers and styles, you can choose a practice that suits your interests and needs. Our on-demand library is included in the Razz Unlimited Yoga Membership, and is $29 for anyone else. (Your first week is free, so give it a try!)
Modify Your Practice. Lastly, one way to keep up your practice is to modify it to suit the summer season. If you’re feeling excessively hot, try using cooling techniques such as pranayama and meditation for a few minutes before practicing. One of our favorite cooling pranayama practices is the Sitali breath, which not only cools the body but also soothes a Pitta imbalance that can often be exacerbated in the summer months.
To practice: Find a comfortable seat. Form the letter “o” with your mouth and then curl your tongue lengthwise and gently stick it out of your mouth. Inhale across the tongue as if drinking through a straw. Then draw your tongue into your mouth, close your eyes and exhale through your nose. Notice the cooling air on your tongue with each inhale, and imagine releasing excessive heat with your exhale.
If you find that you’re feeling anxious about travel plans, try grounded standing postures to bring you into the present. A few favorites include: Mountain (tadasana), Tree (vrksasana) and Yogic squat (malasana). And if you only have a few minutes to practice, start with a few sun salutations and then see what your body needs. We love to take our home practices outside in the summer months, especially at the start of the day when the temps are a little cooler and the distractions are fewer as well!
As always, if you need help getting started with classes at Razz, or would like help creating a home practice, reach out to us! We often work with our students in 1:1 private sessions to help them build a home practice that creates consistency and reinforces your commitment to the practice.