Resort Girls, are you looking for a year-round exercise routine that not only challenges your body – but also your mind and soul? Yoga is an excellent choice. It can be taken up at any age and stage in life and requires as little as 15 minutes a day. It’s an excellent way to kick start your day or it can be a staple to your exercise regime with hourly classes. You may even go further with your practice and take weekend workshops.
My love of yoga began five years ago, when I was going through some major life transitions. The stress was high, and my body needed a way to release that negative energy and wind down. And, since I was approaching middle age, I also wanted a way to build up physical strength and stamina.
To my luck, there was a beginner class offered in my plantation clubhouse and taught by a seasoned yoga instructor. I emphasize “beginner” because, as with any sport or exercise, you need to start slow, learn the basics and then move forward. You need to see how your body reacts and, trust me, yoga will let you know.
That is one of the beauties of yoga. You start to feel your body again. Your mind becomes alert to where you need to stretch more, bend more and build up more. You begin to view the world from many different angles by sitting on the floor, looking upward and downward and walking barefoot more often. It is truly a mind, body and soul experience and it allows your soul to begin to open to new possibilities.
Since then, yoga has become my main form of exercise. My body has built up strength, balance and increased muscle. I have found it is also a great way to add flexibility and stretching for other sports such as golf, tennis and running. Some take yoga just to enhance their performance in other activities or just to age more gracefully by achieving increased balance and muscle tone.
So, how can you begin your personal journey with yoga? Many of the plantations in Bluffton offer yoga as part of their gym exercise schedule. There are two studios, Jiva Yoga and Downward Dog, that offer classes on a per class open enrollment status. If you’d like to reconnect with nature and while practicing, you can hop in your car and rise and shine with classes at Coligny beach.
As a beginner, ask your gym or studio what classes they may suggest. Let your instructor know you are new to the practice. They will be able to guide you in proper poses and alignment and maybe even point out some moves to avoid while starting out. If you have had any operations or injuries, they will offer suggestions to modify positions as part of your training.
And finally, yoga opens your mind up to new possibilities and positive energy. It allows time for peaceful reflection, a few moments of quiet, and a chance to reconnect to your soul. In addition, breathing is an integral part of yoga which can also be used also be used to reduce anxiety.
I hope this article inspires all of you, both men and women, to consider yoga. It has a powerful impact by giving one strength, agility, centering, and mindfulness.
And I thank you for reading the premier article on “Living the Resort Life” in The Breeze Magazine, May 2018 Issue.
For the past few years, I have been sharing my stories about the Resort Girl lifestyle on this travel blog, and I am now excited to bring a series on “Living the Resort Life” to The Breeze magazine of Bluffton, S.C. as their Lifestyle Editor. If you have any need for these types of articles for your publication, please use the contact section of this site to inquire. Thank you again for reading this article and any inquiries.
(Photo of Monica Redman of Jiva Yoga, Hilton Head Island, S.C. by Christine Williams)
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