by Marvel Diva

Disney days can be tiring. If you’re like me (and I’m guessing you are) you want to be at the parks from rope drop, bright and early, until well after the sun has gone down. Even if you only do one day doing this it can be exhausting – let alone a series of days! The best trick I’ve found for keeping my energy up – and the muscle soreness away – is to stay loose. Stretching before and after you visit Disney is always a good idea!

I do not consider myself a Yogi by any stretch of the imagination (*ba dum tiss*), but through my time as a CM and guest in the parks, I came up with a go-to list of yoga poses for when you’re on your feet all day! You’ll notice I took some Pixie Dusted liberties with the pose names. Their real names are in parentheses!

Note: Don’t ever stretch more than you’re comfortable! I’m not a doctor – these stretches have helped me and aren’t intended to fix anything more serious than a tired, magic’d out body!

Geodesic sphere triangle pose (Trikonasana) 

Start with your legs shoulder width apart. Lower your left arm towards your left leg while reaching your right arm towards the sky. Stretch out the muscles that are tense after hiking around World Showcase. Don’t forget to switch sides!

The Goofy Split Stretch (Parsva Upavistha Konasana) 

All I see is Goofy whenever I’m doing (or looking at a photo of) this stretch. I feel a bit like a noodle trying to stretch like this, but boy is it comfortable! Sit down on the ground and spread your legs as far apart as your comfortable. Lean forward and to each side.

The Jack-Jack (Ananda Balasana)

Another name for this pose is happy baby – and my back is certainly happy whenever I’m in this stretch! I’d like to imagine Jack-Jack is too, when he’s not morphing into a ball of fire. This stretch seems tricky if you can’t grab your toes, but I promise it’s not! Laying down and grabbing your calves or thighs instead of your feet and rocking side to side helps me just the same.

Feed the Birds Pigeon Pose (Ardha Kapotasana)

Crook your right leg and slide your left leg straight back while seated. Honestly, there’s a lot of ways to do this stretch, but my hips always ache after days of standing in long lines! I find the most relief with this stretch – I try to make sure I do it before we leave the hotel in the morning.

Mickey Pretzel Pose (Supta Kapotāsana) 

My girlfriend told me I looked like a pretzel right when she took this photo 🙂

If my family is grabbing a snack and we’re chilling on a bench in ANY park, you will likely find me with an ankle across my knee doing the same stretch I’m demonstrating in the photo.

Minnie Bow Pose (Baddha Koṇāsana)

While seated, place the soles of your feet against each other and let your knees fall towards the ground. I place my hands on my ankles, anchoring my feet together, like the knot of a bow!

Downward Facing Pluto (Adho mukha svanasana)

If I’m in the parks, I always find the nearest curb to stretch my calves on – feet pain can be alleviated by stretching your calves – at least it has alleviated mine! When I’m not in the middle of a theme park, I start by laying down on my stomach and pushing up with my arms until my hips are high in the air. My mom and I are both fans of this one!

The Tired Tourist (Shavasana) 

I saved the best for last. What better way to relax your body – and start dreaming about the following day’s worth of magic! This one mostly just consists of laying down. My back is always much happier when I give it a chance to stretch out.

What are your favorite tips for keeping your energy up on a long EMH day? Let me know – I’d love to have something new to try!

Now that you’ve learned all your yoga poses you are ready to take on the parks! Contact Patricia at All 4 Dreams Travel today for your free quote.

Share this...

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter