Summer of Yoga

Sunny Summer days set the scene for a lot of fun fitness activities. No one knows this better than ToeSox Ambassador Amy Ippoliti. She's an avid outdoor enthusiast who loves biking the Rockies and swimming alongside giant sea life. Her passion lives in nature and on her yoga mat. She understands how important it is to pay attention to both, especially yoga during Summer months. Yoga Tones the Body Many turn to yoga as a stretching tool to support a more vigorous form of exercise, like surfing, running or biking. What you may not know is how much yoga can shape and tone your body. "Yoga will strengthen people in different places depending on the kind of practice you do and the poses toward which you gravitate," says Ippoliti. "If you’re like me and you practice a lot of Utkatasana (chair or fierce pose) on purpose, you will strengthen your glutes and hamstrings, which are typically the weakest link for yoga practitioners! In general a balanced yoga practice will not strengthen any one particular area, but it will evenly tone the entire body." Benefits of Summer Yoga "It’s really easy to let go of your yoga practice in favor of being in the great outdoors," Ippoliti warns, "but don’t let that temptation stop you from consistently getting on your mat. Summer yoga is the best." If you're thinking about skipping your sun salutations, Ippoliti reminds us that a Summer yoga practice has three main benefits:
  • Warmer temperatures, leading to greater flexibility and range of motion
  • More efficient metabolism from getting outdoors and waking up earlier, leading to greater energy levels on the mat
  • Injury prevention, since people pursue athletic activities more intensely in the summer!
School may be out for Summer, but yoga is always in session. Continue or start your yoga practice today. Your body and mind will reap major benefits. Meet Amy Ippoliti on Instagram for more travel, yoga, and inspirational photos.