Ana Forrest | Yoga for the Motorcycle Rider
Ana Forrest has been changing people’s lives for almost 40 years. An internationally recognized pioneer in yoga and emotional healing, she’s also a Medicine Woman and author of Fierce Medicine. Ana created Forrest Yoga as she worked through her own life traumas to find healing. Every year she travels the globe, teaching workshops, headlining at yoga festivals and running Forrest Yoga teacher trainings. She developed these Sadhanas, aka spiritual guidelines, to integrate into her daily practice, to optimize physical, emotional and spiritual health. When Ana isn’t teaching, she loves to ride her motorcycle into the wilderness.
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In this episode Ana will explain and demonstrate how to:
- Relieve neck and shoulder tension and pain.
- Relieve wrist pain.
- Strengthen your core.
- Detoxify.Choose to build a healthy life rather than sabotaging yourself.
- Nourish your heart and soul.
- Strengthen and open your heart.
Spend a long day riding a motorcycle without preparing properly and you’re likely to end up with neck, shoulder and back pain. Assuming a proper riding position, staying nourished and hydrated, taking rest breaks and deep breathing can prevent that and have you arriving at your destination pain free. Take a few minutes before you get on your bike to warm up a bit and stretch out. Take a few deep breaths before starting again after a break. It gets rid of road buzz and that “stupid” feeling. Based on her yoga expertise and her own riding experience, Ana’s got exercises that can be done before, during and after riding.
Tweetables (Click to Tweet)
“A few deep breaths during a break gets rid of road buzz and that stupid feeling,” Ana Forrest “Breath deeply through the twisties.” Ana Forrest
Resources:
- www.forrestyoga.com
- Fierce Medicine, by Ana Forrest
- @forrestyoga
- Forrest Yoga Facebook Page
Watch Now:
Author, writer, and student Liz Jansen combines her artistic mediums to create stories that inspire readers to embark on their own journey of self-discovery.
Ana / Liz – Good Stuff, Thanks! Sex with a log, ha – ha.
I would like to make a point and ask a question. The point I want to make is I believe it’s important for touring riders to have a bike that allows different riding positions in addition to the posture, stretching and exercises. I am able to do several things while riding:
Stand up
Sit back on the passenger seat
Put my feet back on the passenger pegs
Lean forward on my tank bag. This can be done different ways, using the arms as well as the chest. Cruise control is highly recommended.
My question is this: Do you have any specific exercises / recommendations to alleviate the top-of-the shoulder / base of the neck discomfort? It goes like this: If you drop your chin to your chest and feel back at the base of your neck, you will feel the big lump or vertebrae that is the location of the discomfort. After over 40 years of riding, I still haven’t licked this one, though it is much less of a discomfort with exercise and stretching much like those shown in the video, as well as a more comfortable bike (seat, fairing, electrics). The pain is more aggravating than debilitating. I’m not an iron butt rider, for example my ‘big tour’ of the year will be 5 days with an average of 400 miles/day to the destination, spend 11 days at the destination with some short rides; then 5 days back.
Hi Bill,
Sounds like you’re doing everything right. After that many years of riding however, you’ve probably underlying predisposition to discomfort. Your neck,shoulders and back have taken a lot of jolts and strain over time. Ana’s exercises work. You just may need to do them more often, and take more frequent breaks. Another thing that helps is staying well hydrated, and getting good rest.
I’m with you in all the different riding positions – I employ them all.
Safe riding!
Liz
Liz – Thanks for your response. Actually I’m more comfortable in my old age. The ‘aggravating’ knob at the base of my neck bothers me much less because of all the things I now do, and the more comfy bikes. I look forward to Aug. 4 when I’ll be heading East into the sun and you’ll be off on your wings. Ride Safe.
So we DO get wiser with age! Thanks Bill. I wish you wonderful and safe travels.
Liz