Recommendations for Outdoor Fitness Retreats

The main benefit of a dedicated fitness retreat for me is to train outdoors in a group setting, act like a kid again, enjoy nature, and make working a social event. 

Here are my favourite destinations for outdoor fitness retreats at the moment:

Six Senses Zighy Bay,Oman:  This is a stunning resort with a luxury eco-concept that I stand behind.  They offer locally grown, organic cuisine that is healthy and deeee-licious! They have an incredibly indulgent spa for relaxation treatments, a dive centre on site with two boats for scuba diving, and personal trainers that give you the attention and encouragement that you need to push yourself without getting bullied by a drill sergeant. As if that’s not enough, you can choose from hikes, kayaking, mountain biking, and even paragliding!

Mii Amo, USA: This beautiful spa is nestled in the red rock canyon of Sedona, Arizona, not too far from the Grand Canyon.  Sedona is touted as a vortex of energy by local new agers and the spa embraces Native American elements in their treatments.  Guided hikes through the rock formations not only makes you fit, it leaves you spiritually revitalized!  The weather is almost always sunny and warm, but because it is much higher in elevation than Phoenix, you don’t get that scorching desert heat.

COMO Shambala, Indonesia:  In addition to the fitness facilities and spa located at the resort, Bali offers unique opportunities for outdoor adventure including volcano hikes, river rafting, rock climbing, canyoning, paddle surfing, and guided group challenges.  They even offer a fantastic biathlon where you trek through the rice paddies, then bike through the jungle gorges. Indonesian food is fresh, healthy, and can have a tasty kick!  Their juices are outstanding too!

Chiva Som, Thailand:  I love Chiva Som because it is a world-class spa with both Eastern and Western treatments, located on the beautiful,sunny beaches of Thailand.  It is a great retreat for relaxation and rejuvenation, but it offers excellent training facilities and fitness programmes too.  The instructors offer free form training and actually create an entirely custom workout regiment for you, like you deserve.  They take into account your goals and your injuries, but most importantly, they listen and they make working out fun.  For those of you that need some tough love, their boot camp retreat is excellent for a challenging workout and for camaraderie.  There is nothing like an intense session on the beach, then jumping right in the ocean to cool off!

Ananda, India:  Ensconced in the foothills of the Himalayas, Ananda Active, is a fitness retreat that is totally unique. They offer outdoor activities like trekking, white water rafting, and yoga.  They also have a decadent spa where they have designed relaxing and rejuvenating treatments to help you recover from your daily adventures.  As the spa is in India, the healing philosophy is based around Ayurveda, which is fascinating.  The pranayama (breathing) sessions improve your stamina while exercising and help to cleanse your body.

Let me know what you think about these suggestions.  Please tell me what your favourite spa is for an outdoor fitness retreat – I’m always in search of new resorts to add to my wishlist!

By Spa Samurai

Fad Yoga Vs. Yoga Retreats

Yoga has progressed from esoteric to mainstream and has now gone hybrid!  Yoga studios seem to be popping up faster than Starbucks and almost every fitness club offers various disciplines of yoga, so it’s never been easier to get started.  Yoga is now an established  form of exercise and wellbeing for the general public in Western societies. Fad yogas  are going viral!  There is Paddle Yoga, which is done on the water on a Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP); Broga, which is caters to men (who can’t touch their toes); Aerial Yoga, which infuses acrobatics; and even Snake Yoga, which incorporates live reptiles!

It’s no wonder that there is a backlash from purists who are seeking out dedicated yoga retreats to get back to basics to focus on the traditional principles of yoga that have proven themselves for thousands of years.  Yoga retreats are suitable for anyone from inflexible beginners to inverted yogis. Instructors offer personalized attention to every student by offering options for varying degrees of difficulty and correcting the positioning of postures to ensure safety.  Experienced instructors, often the most highly qualified in their field conduct small classes with individual attention given that is seriously lacking in many of the fad classes in pop up studios. 

Yoga retreats are for someone who is looking to progress in their practice through intensive yoga sessions.  Most retreats offer a variety of disciplines (e.g., Hatha, Ashtanga, Bikram, Vinyasa flow), but some retreats keep it simple and only offer the most basic yoga, such as Hatha Yoga.  Many specialty yoga retreats offer unlimited yoga sessions throughout the day for the hardcore, but most retreats offer morning and evening classes.  Sessions can be held both indoors and outdoors which is a unique experience not available in urban yoga studios.

In addition to the yoga practice itself, yoga retreats offer a closed environment without distractions where you can focus on your practice and be surrounded by like-minded people who offer a supportive social network.  Most yoga retreats serve strictly organic vegetarian /vegan cuisine and prohibit alcohol.  A restricted diet aids in advancing your practice through detoxifying the body. When you aren’t holding a pose or hitting your flow, you can participate in workshops on the breath (Pranayama), enjoy traditional Ayurvedic cleansing treatments, relaxing massages, and aromatherapy. 

A perfect compliment to yoga is meditation which helps to focus the mind during yoga and provide clarity and relaxation outside of your practice.  Meditation classes are available for all levels from beginners, so if you have never had the experience, it is the perfect time to start.  It is much easier to reach deep states of meditation while you are detoxing and away from the distractions of your life at home.

MY RECOMMENDATIONS -

I think that short  yoga retreats in spa settings are the best choice for beginners.  More experienced practitioners will find benefit from longer retreats in sequestered Ashrams where the focus is more intense. 

My favourite retreats at the moment are offered at –

• Ananda: This is the ultimate destination for serious yogis looking for stripped down yoga in the Himalayas – where it all began.
• Chiva Som: This is a fabulous spa in Thailand with programmes of varying length and is appropriatefor all levels.
• Absolute Sanctuary: This is a great choice for beginners and offers a variety of yoga styles for you to try out to determine which one best suits you.

I book my yoga retreats with Tracy at Healing Holidays.  She regularly practices yoga herself and she is up on the latest retreats.

By Spa Samurai