Yoga doesn't have to be exclusive to the studio or gym. Yoga postures combined with deep breathing can be utilized anywhere.
A lot of us spend a considerable amount of time driving our cars, which can lead to achy backs, slumped shoulders, and tight leg muscles. Thankfully, yoga can serve as a counterbalance to what our bodies go through as we drive. Whether we have finished our car ride or have just taken a break from driving, here are a few postures we can do once we are out of the car.

Lateral Stretches
With one hand on the car, lift through the opposite side of the body until the torso starts tilting in the opposite direction. We can add in the arm if we would like, letting the arm reach up, or up and over. Continue lifting through the opposite side of the ribcage (this will help give a stretch to the muscles in between our ribs as well as prevent "crunching" on the corresponding side) and take a few breaths. Repeat on the other side.

Bent-Leg Forward Fold
It's very easy to think of forwards folds as these "toe touches" that we do with straight legs. However, such positioning can be a strain on the lower back. Instead, come into a forward fold with a deep bend in the knees and let the back relax. Stay there for a few breaths. If we'd like to straighten our legs, I recommend imagining pressing your feet so into the ground so that it feels like that sensation is what straightens the legs. This activates a slightly different set of muscles, reduces the chances of locking out the knees, and potentially gives ourselves a more stable forward fold.

Standing Down Dog
With our hands on our car, start walking backwards until we make some variation of an upside down letter L. Our knees can be as much bent as we need them to be. If we'd like to focus on a shoulder stretch, we can keep the knees bent and either continue walking out or let the chest sink closer to the ground. If we'd like to focus on a hamstring stretch/potential lower back release, we can keep a slight bend in the knees and think about tilting the tailbone up towards the sky (also known as an anterior tilt of the pelvis).

Standing Locust
Just like the lateral stretches, think in terms of upwards movement. Lift through the chest. If it is comfortable, the hands can clasp behind the back (hooking the thumb together is a great alternative). From there, find the stretch that works for you. For some, it means letting the hands travel behind us. For others, it means bending the elbows out to the sides or pressing the palms closer together. For others, it means not moving at all and simply breathing.

Standing Reverse Plank
Starting with our backs to our car, position our hands behind us. If we feel stable, we can walk our feet out slightly, press through the hands, and lift our hips & chest away. The head can slowly move back if that is comfortable (but be very careful not to "hinge" at the neck).

Shoulder Presses
Placing one hand on the car (perhaps a window) with the fingertips facing away from us, we can slowly walk away from the hand, or closer towards the car, or some variation of the two. Check in to make sure the stretch is comfortable and in line with your healthy range of motion. Shoulder range of motion differs greatly from person to person. Stay in this stretch for a few deep breaths and then repeat on the other side.
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Yoga can be a great way to reverse the effects of driving, both physically and mentally. Giving ourselves even five minutes after driving to reset the body and the mind could have a dramatic impact on the rest of our day.
A lot of us spend a considerable amount of time driving our cars, which can lead to achy backs, slumped shoulders, and tight leg muscles. Thankfully, yoga can serve as a counterbalance to what our bodies go through as we drive. Whether we have finished our car ride or have just taken a break from driving, here are a few postures we can do once we are out of the car.

Lateral Stretches
With one hand on the car, lift through the opposite side of the body until the torso starts tilting in the opposite direction. We can add in the arm if we would like, letting the arm reach up, or up and over. Continue lifting through the opposite side of the ribcage (this will help give a stretch to the muscles in between our ribs as well as prevent "crunching" on the corresponding side) and take a few breaths. Repeat on the other side.

Bent-Leg Forward Fold
It's very easy to think of forwards folds as these "toe touches" that we do with straight legs. However, such positioning can be a strain on the lower back. Instead, come into a forward fold with a deep bend in the knees and let the back relax. Stay there for a few breaths. If we'd like to straighten our legs, I recommend imagining pressing your feet so into the ground so that it feels like that sensation is what straightens the legs. This activates a slightly different set of muscles, reduces the chances of locking out the knees, and potentially gives ourselves a more stable forward fold.

Standing Down Dog
With our hands on our car, start walking backwards until we make some variation of an upside down letter L. Our knees can be as much bent as we need them to be. If we'd like to focus on a shoulder stretch, we can keep the knees bent and either continue walking out or let the chest sink closer to the ground. If we'd like to focus on a hamstring stretch/potential lower back release, we can keep a slight bend in the knees and think about tilting the tailbone up towards the sky (also known as an anterior tilt of the pelvis).

Standing Locust
Just like the lateral stretches, think in terms of upwards movement. Lift through the chest. If it is comfortable, the hands can clasp behind the back (hooking the thumb together is a great alternative). From there, find the stretch that works for you. For some, it means letting the hands travel behind us. For others, it means bending the elbows out to the sides or pressing the palms closer together. For others, it means not moving at all and simply breathing.

Standing Reverse Plank
Starting with our backs to our car, position our hands behind us. If we feel stable, we can walk our feet out slightly, press through the hands, and lift our hips & chest away. The head can slowly move back if that is comfortable (but be very careful not to "hinge" at the neck).

Shoulder Presses
Placing one hand on the car (perhaps a window) with the fingertips facing away from us, we can slowly walk away from the hand, or closer towards the car, or some variation of the two. Check in to make sure the stretch is comfortable and in line with your healthy range of motion. Shoulder range of motion differs greatly from person to person. Stay in this stretch for a few deep breaths and then repeat on the other side.
--
Yoga can be a great way to reverse the effects of driving, both physically and mentally. Giving ourselves even five minutes after driving to reset the body and the mind could have a dramatic impact on the rest of our day.