Escapees January-February 2023

of soreness and injury. You have probably noticed this change in your own skin. A few weeks later, they told me they were feeling the bene fi ts of yoga in everyday RV life, and laughed at the realization that their preconceived notions about yoga were just myths after all. They were becoming RV yogis. What about those ah-ha moments? The morning Rob announced that he didn’t struggle to put on his socks, he received a round of high fi ves from his classmates. He shared what a big deal this was for him. He said, “I was starting to get some persistent aches in my hips, hamstrings and feet. I’ve had chronic foot pain. Now all these areas were improving. I never thought I would be able to see the fl exibility bene fi ts of yoga so quickly.” “The meditation part of class helps me relieve stress, he added.” The chair yoga classes have given me a great awareness of my posture, sitting and standing properly for better spine health.”

“I didn’t struggle to put on my socks!” That was Rob’s ah-ha moment. Mike’s ah-ha moment came while replacing his RV awnings. But how did these two regular guys get there? R ob and Mike are two Escapees RV Club members who, reluctantly, tried yoga at the 2021 Florida Winter Home Base Hangout. Both had heard about the health bene fi ts of yoga such as increased strength, fl exibility, balance and stress relief. But, what surprised them most was how yoga bene fi ted their RV life, too. They saw yoga classes going on at the gym, and they were encouraged to try yoga by their wives and doctors. They had seen the photos of the crazy yoga poses on social media, and they knew other guys that did it, but they weren’t sold on it. And now, yoga was being offered right outside their camper doors at the Florida Home Base three days per week. There was no way to get out of it. None of their previ ous excuses, such as they were going to turn into pretzels, was going to hold up. There would be other guys in class, so, at least, there would be strength in numbers. The other guys were RVers, too, and they would just stay in the back of the class and try not to be noticed. Newbies They came to their fi rst class cautiously. Surprisingly, they weren’t total newbies! They had learned many of the stretches back in the days of playing soccer, football, basketball and other sports. Who knew that these were really yoga poses? Both Mike and Rob retired early to enjoy RV life and participate in more outdoor activities like biking, hiking, kayaking and pickle ball. With a few birthdays in their rear-view mirrors, these activities were not as easy as they used to be. Even though they are both fi t, they couldn’t escape the normal aging processes we all endure. As we age, our bodies dehydrate and stiffen. Our tissues begin to lose their moisture content, causing them to be less supple, and increasing the risk

“I didn’t think it was something I could start later in life and continue for the rest of my life. Now I realize that is a myth. Grab your guy friends and get them to a yoga class!”

As for Mike, he de fi nitely wasn’t relishing the task of replacing his RV awnings, and he was thankful that some friends helped. But afterwards, he told me, “During the job, I noticed it was not as dif fi cult to lift, bend, twist or climb as it had been before. My core was tighter, my arms stronger and my hamstrings were looser.” Over a camp fi re a few nights later, I asked both men how they felt yoga helps RVers speci fi cally. Rob said, “I do most of the heavy lifting on the outside of the rig. I’m an Escapees event host. Hosting activities involves a lot of setups and break downs for events and chopping fi rewood for camp fi res. I’m always carrying and lifting things, getting out or putting away supplies in the storage bays,

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January/February 2023 ESCAPEES Magazine