Prepping for your destination yoga teacher training

by Hannah Liot, Zuna Yoga 200 hour yoga teacher training student

Traveling is a wonderful experience, especially when you can combine it with an amazing yoga event. However, the travel part doesn’t come without some stress. To ease any anxiety, we put together a few yogi reminders and tips to help you prepare for your next trip. Keep these things in mind whether you’re getting ready for the teacher training in Gili Meno, dreaming of your training program later in the spring or tossing around the idea of signing up for a 200, 300 or 500 Zuna Yoga teacher training.

The first and probably most stressful part of traveling is actually getting there. Whether you are traveling for 24 hours or 4 hours, flights can be tough on the body and leave you feeling cramped and stiff. Deep vein thrombosis is also a major side effect of flying. It’s a serious, potentially life-threatening medical condition where the circulation in the body decreases and the blood clots. It can occur from a combination of sitting for long periods of time and air pressure change. However, doing a few simple Yoga poses and stretches before, during and after your flight can stimulate your blood flow, ease jet lag and help reenergize your whole system. 

Three amazing poses to try while you are seated: 

Seated twist

Simply hold onto the seats around you and twist your torso. This pose helps to create a deep stretch in the back and also gives your organs a soothing massage, helping your body to re-energize. 

Gomukhasana (cow face pose)

For this posture position your arms so that your hands meet between your shoulder blades and lean back slightly, feeling the stretch in your arms, upper shoulders and back. This pose also opens your chest, which will balance your body from the concave position the airplane chairs naturally put us in.

Aginstambhasana, Ankle to knee Pose or Fire Log Pose

For this posture place your foot on your knee. You can do this with one leg at a time or with both legs simultaneously. To feel a little more, you can deepen the stretch by leaning forward. This posture is great for creating circulation in the legs and creating space in your hips, which can become very tight and stiff after sitting for a few hours. 

If you’re up for it, there is also a small and easy standing sequence to try. You can do it in the aisle, or find a peaceful space in the back of the plane. The sequence helps stretch and soften the body, stimulate blood flow and calm the mind. 

Start in Tadasana, Mountain Pose. Take a moment for yourself and connect with your breath. With your breath, move to Uttanasana, forward bend. Exhale to Ardha Uttanasana, half forward bend, with your back straight and head looking forward. On your next breath move to Utthita Trikonasana, Extended Triangle Pose. Take a few breaths here and repeat on the other side. With the next breath, move into Vrksasana, treepose. While here, practice some equalized breathing techniques. Inhale for a count of 4 or 5 and exhale for the same amount of time. Finally, relax back into your chair. For the sake of helping you to relax, lets call it seated savasana. Let your thoughts peacefully drift away and fall into a deep sleep for the rest of the flight. 

The other challenging aspect of traveling is packing. You have to make sure you have all the essentials, without overdoing it. We put together a short list of items that are fundamentals when you do an exotic destination yoga teacher training or retreat. 

Things to check off your packing list: 

• Lightweight Yoga Clothes 
• Yoga Mat (Jade's Travel Mat is our fave) & Cleaner (we love Herbal Essentials yoga wipes)
• Sunscreen & hat, you don’t want to be sunburned while doing downward dog!
• Mosquito repellent. Bug bites are the worst!
• Swimwear and a beach towel. Even though the main focus is yoga ,there will always be a time to jump in the ocean, waterfall or river nearby. 
• Sarong. They can be used for anything from a beach cover up to blanket during savasana.  
• Refillable water bottle. Stay hydrated and help the environment!
• Adapter for electronics. You’ll want a charger so you can upload those exciting photos of you finally mastering that challenging yoga pose!
• Notebook & Pen. To study and takes notes with or to keep a personal journal with. 
• Required Reading for your yoga teacher training

Borobodur 

Lastly, when you are traveling it can be difficult to find the unique and special places to visit. Even choosing which sights to see with limited time can be overwhelming. Since you are taking the time and energy to go to a destination yoga teacher training or retreat, it’s nice if you can maximize your time abroad and explore the surrounding area. Always contact Zuna Yoga for suggestions, were happy to help! As for the Zuna Yogis who will be coming to Gili Meno and Bali, we wanted to share some of our favorite places around Indonesia!

• Borobodur, the largest Buddhist temple in the world, located in central Java. Just an hour's flight from Denpasar, Bali.
• Air Panas Banjar natural hot springs in the tropical Balinese forest next to a beautiful Buddhist monastery. 



Balinese hot springs

• Visiting the Yogi community in Ubud and going to see the stunning Tegenungan waterfall just outside of the town. 

Traveling is a wonderful experience that should involve a limited amount of stress. As you prepare for your next big adventure, connect to your inner yogi and keep these tips in mind. You will have an unforgettable trip!