Yoga on the road

by Marie (Gypsy Elf) Rodriguez, professional driver, Interstate Distributor Co.

ANYONE can do it!

Many things can make exercise and staying healthy a challenge for a truck driver. Limited storage and living space and few parking options make joining a gym or carrying exercise equipment difficult. However, it isn’t impossible to find ways to exercise.
     I began using resistance bands in the truck for strength training, but I wanted some variety in my exercise routine. I tried yoga and became hooked.
     “Yoga in Bed” is perfect for beginners, and it contains 20 easy asanas. The poses can be done in bed before rising and after getting in bed (or the bunk) before going to sleep. What I learned about yoga is that just about anyone can do it. Yoga can be practiced at the level comfortable to you. (Of course, always check with your doctor before beginning a new exercise regimen.) 
     Yoga is not only beneficial to the body, but the mind and spirit, as well.
     There are many different “schools” of yoga: hatha, ashtanga, kundalini, mantra, tantra, jnana, and raja, to name just a few.
     The most commonly practiced is hatha yoga, which is the technique I enjoy. It focuses on exercise, breathing, and meditation. The “Yoga in Bed” video introduced me to breathing techniques and body awareness.  Since I was already practicing pilates, I found a pilates and yoga DVD set and tried it.
     I hate to say this, but I didn’t enjoy it as much. There was nothing wrong with the video, but I felt unsure of myself; I didn’t know if I was doing the exercises correctly.
     Help arrived just in time. Shortly after trying my new DVD, we went on home time. My daughter-in-law informed me that our apartment complex was offering free yoga classes for tenants at the gym on Saturdays. The next day was Saturday. Yay!
     It was just what I needed. DVD training programs are convenient, but a beginning yoga student really needs an instructor to gain full benefit of the practice.
     From the videos, I had grasped the basic benefits and enjoyed greater flexibility and balance. But I was concerned about doing the asanas properly and gaining the most benefit from them.
     It helped for me to attend the class and get instruction in person. I explained to her that I would probably only attend her class once a month due to my job. My teacher patiently answered all of my questions and assured me that yoga can be practiced alone and that my once-a-month-attendance schedule would be fine.
     The reassurance she gave me and the knowledge she shared with me was just what I needed to feel confident as I continued to use the new DVD as a guide to grow in my practice of yoga.
     Thanks to yoga, my health and wellbeing has improved. I now feel calmer and more centered. I also have greater physical strength and flexibility.  I sleep much better, too.
     And best of all, I can do my yoga exercises every day, inside the comfort of my own truck!
     Try it!