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With busy schedules, the commute to work, school run and a house to keep in order it can be difficult and sometimes a big ask to find some time to exercise.  It can be a struggle to try to fit it all in, but Matalan have collaborated with fitness guru Niki Wibrow to create an innovative exercise routine that kills two birds with one stone, bath yoga.

Yep, you read that right, bath yoga, and it’s not as crazy as it sounds!  The bathroom is one of the most frequently used rooms in the house and we tend to take baths to relax so why not incorporate some exercise into the equation too.  The warm water will help to stretch out your muscles, create a calming and stress free atmosphere. 

I was asked by Matalan Direct to try the bath yoga routines at home and admittedly I was skeptical because it does sound like a strange concept even if there appears to be some logical sense to it.  There are two videos, one for fitness and flexibility and the other specifically for after work, both are roughly 25 minutes long.  

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What surprised me the most is that not all the exercises are performed in the bath tub, like the name would suggest. They can easily be down outside of the bathroom if you’re not keen on practising yoga in there and besides not everyone has a bathroom large enough to swing a cat in let alone practise yoga.  However, I gave it the benefit of the doubt and took it seriously. 

I’m not really a bath person, and when I do have a bath it’s more of an indulgent treat.  This is the main reason that I’m happy that 80% of the routine is done outside the bath tub and can easily be done elsewhere.  The workout in the water is designed to encourage relaxation and I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

Do I think that there is a place for bath yoga? Well, it certainly isn’t going to be for everyone and there are plenty of other yoga routines that stimulate relaxation outside the bathroom.  The routine itself is great and I would happily do that again, but I wouldn’t necessarily be in a rush to do the part in the bath simply because I’m more of a shower gal.  Either way, it was interesting to try a different style of yoga and I understand the theory behind it but not sure how well it will transfer to everyday life. 

Have you ever heard of bath yoga or anything similar? Do you think it’s something that you would enjoy?

*Sponsored by Matalan Direct, but all opinions are my own