The Benefits of Outdoor Yoga
Doing yoga outdoors has benefits that go beyond just changing up your routine. Research shows that spending time in nature can lower stress hormones, boost mood, and improve focus. Combining that with yoga (which already supports flexibility, strength, and mental clarity) gives you a double dose of well-being. Being outside also makes it easier to disconnect from screens and the busyness of daily life, helping people feel more present during their practice.
Fresh air and natural light play a significant role, too. Studies suggest that exposure to sunlight helps regulate sleep patterns and increases vitamin D levels, both of which support overall health. Practising in an open space encourages deeper breathing, and breathing cleaner air can feel noticeably different compared to the recycled air of a studio or home. Many people also find that natural elements, like the sound of birds or the feeling of grass underfoot, make it easier to relax and stay mindful.
There are also physical perks. Uneven surfaces such as grass or sand can activate muscles that you might not use on a hard floor, challenging your balance and core strength and improving them over time. Practising in a larger, open environment can also encourage a sense of freedom. You’re not restricted by walls or mirrors, making movements feel more expansive and natural.
The Best Yoga Poses to Reduce Muscle Stiffness From Work
Sitting all day tends to round the back and shoulders, shorten the hip flexors, and put pressure and tension on the lumbar and sacrum. To maximise your yoga time outdoors, try these targeted exercises to combat the effects of a long day of sitting.
Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Shvanasana)
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The Downward-Facing Dog strengthens the arms, shoulders and back while also stretching the hamstrings, calves and arches of your feet.
- Get on all fours on your yoga mat. Your hands should be directly under your shoulders, and your knees should be under your hips.
- Press into your hands, tuck your toes under, and lift your knees. Bring your bottom up towards the ceiling.
- Keep your knees slightly bent, lengthen your spine and tailbone, and keep your heels slightly off the ground.
- Press firmly into your hands. Pay attention to your hip and shoulder placement while keeping a balance between both sides of your body. Keep your head in line with your upper arms.
- Hold the pose for 20 seconds, then release.
Child's Pose (Balasana)
This calming pose is a good default pause position. You can use the child’s pose to rest and refocus before continuing to your next pose. It gently stretches your lower back, hips, thighs, knees and ankles and relaxes your spine, shoulders and neck.
- Sit back on your heels with your knees together.
- Bend forward and walk your hands in front of you.
- Rest your forehead softly on the floor.
- Keep your arms extended in front of you or bring your arms alongside your body with your palms facing up.
- Let your upper body fall onto your knees and focus on releasing tension in your back. If keeping your knees together feels uncomfortable or makes it hard to place your forehead on the mat, you can spread them a little bit apart to create more room.
Hold the pose for up to 5 minutes. For support, use a blanket under your thighs, torso or forehead.
Bird Dog (Parsva Balasana)
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This exercise is excellent for building stability and strength through the back and core, as well as improving coordination.
- Kneel on an exercise mat with your knees hip-width apart and hands firmly on the ground, about shoulder-width apart. Activate your core.
- Point one arm out straight in front and extend the opposite leg behind you, forming a straight line from your extended hand to your extended foot. Keep your hips squared to the ground. If your lower back begins to sag, raise your leg as high as possible while keeping your back straight.
- Hold for a few seconds, then return to the starting position. Keep your abs engaged throughout the entire exercise, and work to minimise extra motion in your hips during the weight shift.
- Switch to the other side.
- Aim to complete five reps on each side or 10 reps total. Add additional sets of 10 for a maximum of three sets of 10. As a variation, you can do a set of 5 bird dogs on one side, then switch to the other side to complete a set.
Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
The cobra is essentially the reverse of sitting; it gently stretches the hip flexors and abdomen while extending the spine, arching your back instead of rounding it.
- Lie on your stomach with your hands under your shoulders.
- Press into your hands to slowly lift your head, chest, and shoulders. Your elbows should remain firmly by your ribcage, not splayed to the side.
- You can lift partway, halfway, or all the way up, depending on what your spine currently allows..
- If you’re not feeling quite enough of a stretch, drop your head back.
- Hold the pose for 20-30 seconds, then release while exhaling.
- Slowly move your hips from side to side to release tension from your lower back.
Supine Spinal Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)
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- This is an excellent stretch for your obliques, spine, and even shoulders.
- Lie on your back with your feet in the air and your knees bent at a 90-degree angle.
- Slowly twist your torso to lower your legs to the left side while keeping your knees as close together as possible.
- For greater awareness and stability, you may place a pillow under both knees or in between them. You can also use your left hand to gently press down on your knees.
- Keep your neck straight, or turn it to either side. For a full stretch, turn it to the opposite side of your legs.
- Hold this pose for at least 30 seconds and breathe deeply. Repeat on the opposite side.
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Wearing compression enhances the mind-body connection, giving you better awareness of how you move and position your joints. Additionally, they can relieve some of the pain you may have built up while sitting and protect you from further pain and injury. Last but not least, they boost circulation, reducing the rate of muscle fatigue so you can hold more challenging poses for longer.
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To sum up
Doing the right yoga poses outdoors (and with the right support) can give you a mental reset, a better mind-body-nature connection, and improved strength and flexibility, counteracting the effects of office life. Whether it’s a short session in the park or a full practice by the beach, moving your yoga mat outside can make the experience feel fresh, energising, and restorative.
