Automakers like to promote their vehicles by celebrating holidays in honor of Yoga Day (21 June), Citroën teamed up with the internationally renowned Yoga teacher, Michael James Wong, to create five unique ‘Car Yoga’ poses.
Citroën has partnered with global yogi and founder of BOYS OF YOGA, Michael James Wong, to create a series of new ‘Car Yoga’ poses to help Yoga-practising drivers and passengers unwind, and re-engerise before driving, during rest periods and at their final destination.
The ‘Car Yoga’ poses encourage drivers to switch off their engines and find their inner calm with in-car meditation techniques using some of the Citroën Advanced Comfort®features on-board.
With the summer holidays fast approaching and many Brits expected to pack up their cars for a staycation, ‘Car Yoga’ will help ensure a relaxing drive – whether that’s with the ‘Hands Up, Back and Forward’ move to warm up and engage the shoulders, or the ‘6 Point Turn’ Yoga pose to loosen the spine ready to drive.
For those wishing to stretch their legs, drivers can open their car door and loosen tight hamstrings with ‘The Ham Sandwich’ while resting against the soft Airbump panels on the sides of the car. Alternatively, the ‘The Rest Stop’ pose will help to re-energise the body after a long period of driving, or after being stuck in traffic which can highten stress levels.
During rest breaks, or upon reaching the final destination, there’s also the ‘Driver Warrior’ pose. Standing with both legs firmly grounded, you need to place your hands on the boot sill before extending each leg behind in turn. This pose will relax your legs after a long drive.
Citroën ‘Car Yoga’ – Instructions
Before attempting ‘Car Yoga’:
You must currently practice Yoga, do not attempt otherwise
Ensure your car is parked safely in a suitable location
Check your surroundings are safe and clear.
- Hands Up, Back and Forward
- Reach up and place your hands flat on the roof, press firmly into the ceiling lengthening the sides of your body in turn.
- Reach back and hug yourself, hold the outside edges of the seat, right over left, then left over right.
- Pull the chest forward, pull the chest back.
- Reach forward and grab the steering wheel, extending the arms and drawing the chest back.
- Move the chest forward on the inhale in a slight upward arch while drawing the shoulders down.
- Move the chest back on the exhale, arching the back against the seat creating a gentle curve in the spine.
- Repeat three times.
- Hands Up, Back and Forward is designed to stretch, warm and engage the shoulders, chest and spine ready to drive.
2. 6 Point Turn
- Start in a seated upright position and roll the spine down and forward curling the head toward the steering wheel.
- Then roll up to a seated position moving the eyes to the roof of the car arching the spine gently.
- Coming back to the neutral position, sit tall and take a twist to the right rotating the upper spine 90 degrees.
- Coming back through neutral again, rotate left to balance the pose.
- Finally, from an upright seat, place your hands on the steering wheel and bend to the right moving the head towards the door, and then back through center before bending to the opposite side.
- Finish the exercise in the neutral position.
- The 6 Point Turn is designed to warm up all six points of spinal movement: Front, back, left, right, twist L and twist R.
3. The Ham Sandwich
Exit the car and stand facing the side of the car
Move into a forward fold with bent knees
Move closer to the car until your upper back is touching the side
Keep the knees bent and then lean more into the door feeling the stretch in the back of the hamstrings
The Ham Sandwich will lengthen and deepen the hamstring stretch.
4.The Rest Stop
Roll out your Yoga mat with the nearest edge as close to the side of the car as possible
Lie down on your back with your bottom at the edge of your mat closest to the car
Lift your legs up the side and straighten your legs against the side of the full length of the car door
Stretch your arms out wide
Relax, breathe and stay for 3-5 minutes
The Rest Stop will help to rest, re-circulate and re-energise the body.
5. Driver Warrior
- Exit the car and open the car trunk.
- Start with both legs grounded, facing towards the car.
- Extend your body forward and place your hands evenly on the trunk sill.
- Ensure you are standing far enough away to extend one leg backwards parallel to the road and hold for 30 seconds.
- Alternate legs, making sure you maintain a steady pose and balance.
Driver Warrior will reactivate your legs after a long drive.