The way you move and breath is so important.  Everything from the exercise you do to the way you carry yourself as you walk around your home or work environments.  Choosing the most suitable exercise for both your dosha AND the season is a simple and powerful way to avoid the imbalances that can sometimes result in you becoming fatigued, foggy or sick.

As you’re aware, spring is kapha season.  The prevailing energy is slow, heavy and cold.  Harmonizing your mind and body with the energy of the environment around you, will start with setting an intention to balance kapha energy along with the qualities of your own unique constitution.

Kapha balancing mantra:  Energizing, Stimulating, Expression

Balancing kapha dosha through movement and exercise is all about energy and full self expression. The best types of exercise to warm up and melt kapha during this time of the year would be:

Walking and hiking, jogging, swimming, rowing, dancing, spinning, strength training, dynamic and warming yoga styles (even hot yoga), and faster paced active sports that pick up your heart rate a little.

You’ll want to lessen or avoid...

Endurance sports like marathon running, or high intensity fast-moving activities and sports like competitive cycling, racquetball, volleyball, and soccer.

If you’re a primary pitta:  You’ll want to ease into the intensity and do your best to keep from going overboard particularly in the later part of the spring as the weather warms.  Vary up your exercise program during the spring and alternate between intense and cooling workouts.

If you’re a primary vata:  Great time to warm up and build strength.  You’re natural desire for movement and action may draw you right into a varied and dynamic program of exercise and activities.  Be sure to temper your desire for variation with a bit of grounding and focus.  Also in order to avoid fatigue, focus on strength building to increase your endurance, build immunity and prepare you for fully shining your light as the summer rolls in.

This is where honoring who you are is going to be key!  Ensuring that your exercise routine feeds your body AND your soul is the ONLY way to stick to it for the long term.  Here’s a little advice for you based on your unique constitution:

Vata - Howdy vata!  Sticking to anything can be a little challenging for you.  So the key to keeping up your exercise routine is to pace yourself and include just a little bit of variety, but not too much.  Creating an exercise plan with a just a touch of wiggle room (i.e. at least one “anything goes” type workout) is a simple and effective way to infuse a bit of structure, establish a routine and keep you on track!

Pitta - Hello Pitta! Routines and structure are the name of your game and will definitely play to your strengths.  Your challenge will be reducing the intensity that naturally feeds you.  Allowing a bit of variation in your routine along with following up any intense activities with cooling ones will keep your pitta in check and help you stay cool, calm and on track.

Kapha - Hey kapha!  You might take a little more time (and a bit of prodding) to get going but you’ll most likely have no problems sticking to a routine.  If you can focus on what you’re committed to, find an accountability partner to keep you motivated and in action,  and stay connected to what’s most beneficial for your mind, body and life, you’re more likely to thrive through this season finding the energy to get you through the spring and over the hump into summer.

Take stock - What’s your current exercise routine look like?  How likely is it to balance your body and feed your soul through the spring?

Be Intentional - Consider what changes you can make to your current exercise routine to better support your mind and body during this time of year.  

Take action - Create a plan of action for incorporating NEW movement and activities into your daily weekly and monthly routine.  Build a system of support into your plan to ensure you stay on track.  Consider the best way of transitioning into your new routine over the course of two to four weeks.

Take notice (Don’t skip this part, it’s important) - Take note in your journal of your transition process and how you feel before during and after you’ve completed the transition to your new exercise routine.