The coronavirus pandemic has everyone feeling stressed! We all need some form of relaxation and/or meditation to help us cope. Hydrotherapy and yoga are two tried and true methods of helping reduce the effects of stress on our bodies and minds. Why not put them together! By doing yoga in your hot tub, you can combine the heat and support of warm water with the relaxation and calming of yoga.

Why do yoga in a hot tub? The water of a spa supports some of your body weight making your yoga practice low impact. The heat of the water increases circulation allowing you to achieve deeper stretches while encouraging more complete relaxation of the mind. 

 

The benefits of yoga in a hot tub:

• Manage fatigue/improve sleep
• Relieve chronic and/or acute musculoskeletal ailments
• Greater flexibility, balance, strength and range of motion
• Stress and tension relief
• Awareness of the present moment
• Build and tone muscles
• Improve cardiovascular health
• Speed healing of injuries
• Increase focus

Who can benefit? Everyone can benefit! Anyone who immerses themself in warm water with an intention of moving, breathing and relaxing, will enjoy the possibility of a greater mind-body connection. This is especially beneficial for athletes, those with stiffness/arthritis, people with physical limitations, those with balance issues and people seeking stress management.

 

A simple water yoga practice:

• Merge with the water: Sit with your feet on the bottom of the hot tub. Close your eyes and feel the water on your skin. Wiggle your spine, pushing against the water in all directions. Start with small movements and gradually widen them. Flow with the water. Loosen up your body. Add in your arms and neck. After a few minutes of motion, come to rest. 
• Breathing: Take a series of deep breaths. Lengthen your back muscles. Drop your shoulders. Fill your lungs. 
• The wave: Stand in the center of the spa with feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your right arm by your side. Raise your left arm over your head. Push your left hip out, leaning to the side and creating the letter C with your body. Hold for several seconds. Breathe. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side. 
• The cliffhanger: Sit on the edge of a seat with your hands beside you for balance. Straighten your back. Bend your knees and lift them toward your chest. Stop when they are parallel with the water. Slowly straighten your arms until they are in line with your legs. Hold for a few seconds. Breathe. 
• Spinal twist: Sit tall and straight. Stretch your arms out in front. Cross your right arm over your left. Bend both arms and reach your hands to touch opposite shoulders. Relax your shoulders. Gently twist from side to side looking over one, then the other shoulder. Breathe. Return to starting position. Cross your left arm over your right and repeat. 
• Seated staff pose: Sit on the edge of a seat. Lift your legs to 90-degrees. Slowly bend over at the hips. Hold. Breathe. Repeat a few times.
• Boat pose: Begin in seated staff pose (see above). Instead of bending forward, place your hands on the seat firmly and raise both legs further while balancing on your buttocks. Hold for about five breaths. Release and repeat.
• Heart opening: Sit with your feet on the floor of the spa. Stretch both arms out in front of you with palms pressed together, just under the water. Drop your chin to gently stretch the back of your neck. Press the back of each hand against the water as you open your arms wide. Let your chest expand. Tip your chin up and forward slightly to stretch the front of your neck. Exhale as you tilt your head down and bring your arms together. Repeat several times.
• Cross-legged twist: Sit up tall on the edge of a seat. Cross your right leg over your left, keeping your left foot on the floor of the hot tub. Set your right hand on the seat behind you. Reach your left hand over your right thigh. Twist slowly to the right, looking over your right shoulder. Hold. Breathe.  Face forward and uncross your right leg. Cross your left leg over your right and repeat the rest of the sequence.
• Clock pose: Stand in the center of your hot tub with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold both of your arms out straight and together in front of you. Twist to the left using only your torso, not your pelvis. Twist back to starting position and repeat on your right side. Breathe.
• Squatting jack pose: Stand in the center of your hot tub with your feet shoulder-width apart. Stretch your arms out to either side, palms face up. Bend your knees and begin to squat, while raising your arms above your head. Touch your palms together pointing towards the sky. Hold. Breath. Slowly lower your arms to starting position, palms up, as you come out of the squat.
• Tree pose: Stand in the center of your hot tub. Raise both hands above your head and touch your palms together. Lift your left leg and place the bottom of your foot on the inside of your right thigh with your toes pointing towards the ground. Hold. Breathe. Lower your left leg and repeat by raising your right leg.
• Hand to toe pose: Stand up straight in the center of your hot tub. Lift your left leg and grab your toes with your left hand. Extend your left leg out of the water while holding your foot. Turn your head to the right and breath deeply. Lower your left leg. Repeat on the other side. 

Hot tub yoga supports a commitment to wellness, enhances your physical and mental suppleness, improves mobility, decreases tension, relieves aches and pains and reduces the stress of the body and mind. Make time to practice hot tub yoga. You’ll feel more flexible, energetic and peaceful.  

Need a new way to exercise? Looking for a quality hot tub? Call Alberta’s premier hot tub store, RnR Hot Tubs at (403) 203-0860 or fill the request form. We are a leader in spa technology and education. We’re a trusted provider in Alberta, ensuring quality, longevity and affordability to all of our customers. With over 200 hot tubs available for sale, we’re the spa shop for you. Owned by service professionals with over 30 years of experience, we help make your hot tub purchase exceptional.