Nowadays you can find yoga classes in just about every town you visit, but that’s not all you’ll find. There are also many yoga teacher trainings held in the country, as well as retreats. Whether you are looking for a yoga retreat, wellness retreat, or even a fitness retreat, your chances of finding one in Costa Rica are high.
WHAT ARE FITNESS RETREATS IN COSTA RICA LIKE?
Though many retreats you’ll find center around yoga and wellness, some involve a bit more activity. All retreats are different, but a typical fitness retreat will involve daily workout classes, nourishing food, and free time to explore.
Aside from yoga practice, some fitness retreats may involve other types of movement such as Pilates, ecstatic dance, and even things like hiking or surfing. There is usually some free time sprinkled in to hit the beach, lay by the pool, or walk around town and shop for souvenirs as well. Meals are usually included and are typically comprised of whole foods and delicious, nutritious ingredients to fuel the body and give you energy for your activities.
WHY LOCATION IS IMPORTANT
Costa Rica is such a popular choice for retreat destinations because of its unmatched natural beauty. The biodiversity alone makes it a desirable destination for millions of people each year. Couple that with the holistic vibes, and you have a retreat-goer’s paradise.
Coming to a retreat in Costa Rica means that you are bound to spend a lot of time in nature. This can be extremely healing for many people. Imagine waking up each morning and having your daily practice surrounded by beautiful foliage, the sounds of the exotic birds singing, and the smell of the ocean breeze wafting through the air. Those are just a few of the things that attract so many people to this retreat destination.
Different Options For Fitness Retreats
As I mentioned, you can find several types of retreats in Costa Rica. You will most likely find a retreat to fit your wants and needs here. Let’s take a look at some of the different options for fitness retreats.
Exercise Retreats
Though not quite as abundant as yoga retreats, you can find some retreats that offer a more diverse range of practices. These might include things like dance, Pilates, HIIT workouts, Tabata, and more.
An exercise retreat is a bit more invigorating than a typical yoga or wellness retreat. It involves more movement and activity and is centered on working out and moving your body. It is a great choice to explore if you are into fitness and want to take it to the next level, or if you are just getting into working out and want to kickstart your journey.
We recommend Margaret Dunn of Mermaid Movement Wellness for custom exercise plans, fitness coaching, and custom retreats.
Wellness Retreats
Though some movement will more than likely be incorporated, wellness retreats often focus more on self-exploration rather than working out and being active. A wellness retreat will typically involve quite a bit of meditation and diving inward. You can find hundreds of wellness retreats in Costa Rica, each with unique themes such as self-love, deep healing, illuminating your inner goddess, etc.
A wellness retreat may be a good fit for you if you are on a journey of self-love, healing, or finding yourself. They are generally relaxing and rejuvenating and Costa Rica is the perfect place to find this type of retreat.
Yoga Retreats
One of the most popular types of retreats in Costa Rica, a yoga retreat will, as you probably deduced, focus on yoga, breathwork, and meditation. This restorative type of retreat is grounding and will deepen your yoga practice.
You may want to consider a yoga retreat if you are a yogi with experience that wants to deepen your own practice and hone your skills, or if you want to retreat, meditate, and go within. You will be doing a lot of yoga, along with other types of workshops and practices. It can be a very relaxing and rejuvenating type of retreat.
Pilates Retreats
This is another type of retreat that has gained popularity in recent years. Some Pilates retreats are combined with yoga, others are focused mainly on Pilates, and yet others combine several types of workouts.
Pilates is a way to strengthen the body, especially the core, so if you decide to do a Pilates retreat, be prepared to sweat. Daily movement along with any of the other activities the retreat has in store is a great way to connect with your body and mind. This would be a great choice for you if you are a Pilates instructor or practitioner, you want to learn more about Pilates, or you are looking for a week of strengthening and toning.
Conclusion
Fitness retreats are a wonderful way to spend a week or so submerged in a different culture and taking on transformational practices. You will not only strengthen your body but also your knowledge of what the body can do. Costa Rica is the perfect place to attend a fitness retreat because of its culture, the abundance of retreats available, and the magnificent nature that adds an extra layer to the experience as a whole.
Are you ready to take the next steps toward your career in massage therapy?
The Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy is the world’s premier study abroad program for massage therapy. We offer both a 600 hour and a 700 hour COMTA Accredited Massage Therapy course which satisfies the licensing requirements for massage therapy in most of the United States. Additionally, we offer continuing education for massage therapists.
