The first weekend in August is a long weekend in most Canadian provinces and territories and is welcome news for those who want more time to get outside and enjoy the height of summer. Me included!

Whether you hike, bike, paddle or swim, a regular movement routine or yoga practice will go a long way to improving both your capacity and recovery. More on that later.

Here are my top 5 tips for getting the most out of your outdoor adventures this long weekend and beyond.

1. Take time to cool down: Stopping abruptly at the end of a strenuous activity does not give your muscles the time they need to gradually adjust from an active to a resting state. Stopping suddenly will likely cause your muscles to stiffen up. Instead, gradually slow down during the last part of your activity to help your muscles make a smooth transition from activity to rest.
2. Hydrate and rehydrate: Staying hydrated will help your muscles recover faster and will help ward off exertion headaches that can sometimes occur from exercising at altitude, or when it’s hot and sunny. If you like to have a post-activity alcoholic beverage be sure to get your water on board first!
3. Stretch: Do some gentle stretches, spending some extra time on the muscles that worked the hardest during your activity. Include stretching and/or yoga post-activity and repeat again the next morning. This will speed recovery and you’ll just feel better and happier overall.
4. Nourish your Body: Within an hour of completing your activity, eat some nutritious food to replenish your body. This is when your body needs fuel and it will also process what you eat most efficiently.
5. Take Rest: Get a good night’s sleep after your activity. This is when the body repairs itself so that you can enjoy your favourite activities again!

And, of course, there is yoga!

Since I am a yoga instructor and movement coach, I have a bias towards including yoga in your activities. My personal experience is that a regular yoga practice goes a long way to improving your capacity and enjoyment of other activities you do.

When I first started yoga way back in the 1980s, I was a runner who never stretched, and I never followed any of the tips I shared above. When I added yoga to my regular activities, I noticed that, among other benefits, I became a better runner.

This year, I have been doing a 30-minute yoga practice before I teach at 6 am on weekdays, and I was pleased to observe that, through my practice, my core is supporting me better when I ride my bike. Win win!

Your yoga practice doesn’t need to take a long time or be arduous. Short, sweet and regular is the way to go. The key is to be consistent and make practice something you look forward to doing. In 20-30 minutes you can move through a full body practice that will help you feel better overall and support you in those things you love to do most!

If you want some ideas of what to include in your yoga practice and/or enhance your favourite summer activities, send me an email. I would love to design a short practice for you that I can record and post on my YouTube channel.

What’s coming up

AUGUST: Align & Shine Free Morning Yoga continues. There will be no class on Aug. 2 because of the long weekend. Find out more on my Offering Tree site https://noramaskeyyoga.offeringtree.com/.

SEPTEMBER: Back to class! I will be resuming online and in person asana classes after the Labor Day weekend. My intention is to shift to offering more classes during the day and to limit my evening teaching to once a week. I’m still working out the details and would love to hear from you if you have a strong preference for a day or time and what type of class you would enjoy the most. Let me know!

OCTOBER: The CAT Foundations course launches in October. This continuing education course is designed for yoga teachers and movement coaches who want to include the benefits of Critical Alignment Therapy into their classes and private sessions. This course will include both live and recorded content. I’m currently working behind the scenes recording videos and will have more details about this course on my website soon. If you are interested and/or have any questions, please send me an email at nora@noramaskeyyoga.com or reply to this email.

Om Shanti,

Nora