Early morning, fog filled hikes in San Luis Obispo hit different in the summer.

Summer is the season of barefoot mornings, long golden evenings, and the call to be outside more. It's the time of year when sweating feels less like a chore and more like a celebration — of sunshine, strength, and the many gifts of the summer sun.

Summer isn't the season to push harder — it’s the time to move slower. I know, I know, not everyone likes the idea of slowing down. Our culture tells us that more is always better and that it's always time to grow, grow, grow and never time to slow, slow, slow. You can see this mindset everywhere - at work certainly, in our cultural obsession with youthfulness, and in the fitness media world. Maybe you too love the habit of busy body, I know I do. As a lifelong doer, busy body, it’s hard for me to slow down too. Yet, my body is telling me it’s time, and maybe it’s time for you to slow it down too. I mean the earth is cyclical and has its rhythms and patterns. The more we align with the energy of the season, the easier life will feel. I have already had my first cold sore of the summer reminding me that less midday sun and more rest are necessary too. Think about it: nature shifts from the moisture and blooms of spring to summer sun vibrance, manifesting all those intentions we planted in spring. Our bodies, too, can connect with this phase of expression and radiance. We don’t need to always be in go-go-go mode.

In Ayurveda (yoga’s sister science of lifestyle and nutrition) summer aligns with pitta — the fire element. Too much heat (literal or internal) can lead to burnout, irritability, inflammation, and exhaustion. So instead of trying to match the sun's intensity, we do the opposite. We move to cool, calm, and ground ourselves.

I am here to gently nudge us to keep moving this summer, but with a little more grounding and intention. Your body still needs daily love, and summer is the perfect time to make movement feel playful, flexible, cooling, and even — dare I say — fun.

Your movement should feel like a sigh of relief. Like shade after sun. Like the breeze at golden hour.

So let’s swap out intensity for intentionality. Here’s how to move mindfully and joyfully through the summer season — without overheating body or soul.

🌿 Slow is the New Strong

Dial it down. Choose cooling, spacious movement practices over sweaty, fiery ones. Think of ways to slow down your usual movement practices. If you are looking for summer movement motivation, try slow yoga, leisurely walks, and swimming over hot, long, midday cardio or boot camp / HIIT workouts. This isn’t the season to max out — it’s the season to move gently, maintain what you’ve built, and enjoy the fruits of that summer sun.

Consistency matters more than intensity. And your nervous system will thank you.

☀️ Embrace the Early (or Late) Hours

Beat the heat by shifting your movement routine to early mornings or sunset sessions. There’s something magical about walking when the world is still waking up — or cooling down. It's like meditation in motion, minus the sitting still part.

Pro tip: bring a reusable water bottle and a hat. Hydration is your friend. Dehydration hurts in so many subtle ways.

🧘‍♀️ Chill Flows & Gentle Breath

Find a quiet patch of shade and move and play. My son loves kicking the soccer ball back and forth or playing catch. I love a chill yoga session outside. My hubs loves the pickle ball. My daughter likes to do chalk art and swing. All of this done under the shade of trees is just bliss.

Slow yoga is just perfect for a hot day under a tree! Grab a mat (or a beach towel), and move through a slow flow of yoga postures or stretches. Or skip the flow and just breathe deeply and enjoy the fresh air medicine and take a little afternoon siesta. Summer is perfect for more traditional or slower styles of practicing yoga like hatha or yin, or even a restorative flow. Think seated stretches, lots of forward folds and longer holds. Keep your breath soft and full to help downshift your nervous system.

This is the time to tune inward, not push outward.

Bonus: no studio fees, and the soundtrack is chirping birds.

🌊 Water is Medicine

Move in water or near it. Swim in the ocean, wade in a creek, splash around, or take a cool shower. Water play counts as movement and mood-boosting magic. Wading through tidepools, building sandcastles, or drawing epic mandala sand art works muscles you didn’t know you had. Even just sitting by water can soothe your overheated system. Water balances the pitta fire and invites playfulness and ease.

I call that sneaky, soulful movement.

👣 Barefoot Grounding

Let your toes breathe. Walk barefoot in the grass, sand, or even your backyard. Grounding (aka earthing) helps regulate your nervous system and gives your joints a break from structured shoes. In Ayurvedic tradition, connecting to the earth element calms the mind and regulates heat in the body. Bonus: your fascia loves it too. Just watch for bees and sharp rocks, friend.

Pro tip: early mornings and evenings are your barefoot-friendly windows.

🚶‍♀️ Walk With Intention

Walking remains a summer MVP — just shift the pace. Try a sunrise stroll with iced tea in hand. Skip the power walk; instead, go slow enough to hear birds and notice shadows. This is nervous system regulation disguised as exercise.

🌺 Nourish, Don’t Deplete

In Ayurveda, summer is a season to protect your vitality. Avoid overexertion, especially during the midday sun (10am–2pm). Movement that depletes or overheats can leave you irritable, scattered, and fatigued.

Choose practices that leave you feeling replenished, not wrung out.

🤝 Move Together

Summer invites connection. Invite a friend for a walk-and-talk. Join a sunrise yoga class. Plan a movement date with your kids or partner. Summer is social — make your movement social, too.

🚴‍♀️ Pedal for Pleasure

Whether it’s a fancy new e-bike or a slightly squeaky hand-me-down bike, summer is prime time to ride. Cruise to farmer’s market, a friend’s house, or nowhere in particular. This is my favorite way to move with my kids in the summer rather than overheating and wearing them out on a sweaty hike. Last weekend we had so much fun riding to the library for books and to different neighborhood parks for a change of pace. My little guy is still on a strider bike and he made it all the way to the library, like two miles! But when he gets tired, we do let him get on the family bike with dad and strap his little strider bike on the family bike. There is always a way, people!

🍉 Bonus Ritual: Cooling Body Oil

Try a self-massage (abhyanga) with coconut oil — it’s naturally cooling and grounding. I love doing this after a shower and hot days spent outside. Your skin will love you, and your nervous system will sigh in relief.

🔁 Keep It Gentle, Keep It Going

Your body doesn’t always need intensity; it needs consistency. It’s not always a good time to chase more goals, even if our culture tells us it’s ALWAYS time. The seasons of youthful productive energy need to be counterbalanced and cannot last forever. Perhaps connecting with the energy of summer can be more about celebrating the peak season of sun and the goals that we already manifested enough through spring. Lets spend a season celebrating before we march on to the next goals!

You can show up for yourself in small, mindful ways.

Let summer movement be a balm, not a burn.

⬇️ Drop your favorite cooling summer emoji in the comments!
🧊 🌊 🧘‍♀️ 🐢 🍉 🌿

Stay soft out there,
Rox 🌞