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Combination yoga holidays – part 3

Continuing our article on combination yoga holidays ...
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Adventure yoga, adventure activities and yoga
In addition to the ever popular yoga and walking holidays a host of other combination yoga holidays are now on offer, and why not, the relaxing stretches, strength building, flexibility, balance and breath control of yoga benefits a host of activities. To find the right combination for you go to our yoga holiday pages and check the list of activities shown below each review.

Diving and yoga holidays
A few companies now offer combined diving and yoga holidays where yoga is offered as a means to support and enhance the diving experience. Yoga practice is usually carried out on land before the dives take place, but it is also sometimes even practiced underwater! The courses will use all aspects of yoga; physical, breath control and yoga meditation; in particular pranayama, (yoga breathing) can help novice divers learn to control their breath during the dive. For more experienced divers yoga can help improve buoyancy, decrease air consumption and increase stamina and flexibility.

Yoga holidays with diving are available in Egypt and Thailand.

Surfing and yoga
Surfing and yoga make a great combination! Many top professional surfers are now turning to yoga to help their training; it’s great for building stamina and strength, not to mention flexibility, breath control and the sort of ‘Zen’ that’s needed to ride the big waves. Combined surfing and yoga holidays are taking off in Spain, Portugal, Australia, The Maldives, Mexico, Morocco, Costa Rica and other top surf destinations. You’ll also find surfing combined with yoga’s complementary close cousin, Pilates, with surfing and Pilates holidays showing up in Spain and Portugal for starters. With its emphasis on flexibility and core strength Pilates is another excellent activity to help you ride the surf – even better if you can pick a course offering all three; yoga, Pilates and surfing!

Skiing, snowboarding and yoga
Yoga can benefit your skiing or snowboarding experience by increasing energy levels, building stamina and core strength, and by improving flexibility, balance and co-ordination. Starting the day with a yoga session is an excellent way of stretching and warming up the muscles, thereby helping to avoiding skiing injuries. Ending the day by warming down with a relaxing yoga practice has the same benefits; while the yoga will also help set your body up for the actual skiing or boarding, as this excellent ‘Yoga for Skiers’ article explains.

A number of holiday companies now offer to combine the two activities and you’ll find yoga and skiing holidays in the French Alps, Swiss Alps and in various resorts in the US and Canada.

Other adventure combinations
Yoga practice compliments and benefits many, if not most, other active and sporting activities too, particularly those that call on flexibility and strength. You’ll find a few ready-made holidays offering yoga with climbing, skating or mountain biking for example. In addition many of the companies we list can arrange activities for you as add-ons to a advertised ‘pure’ yoga holiday, these tailor made combinations are an excellent way of combining your yoga practice with a particular activity that may not be catered for with a ready made package, or of setting up your preferred combination in the location of your choice.

Article continues – Creative and cultural activities with yoga >>

Text and photos © Travel-quest 2008