It might surprise you to learn that ‘beer yoga’ has been a thing for a while now.

Participants focus on the bottle and take regular swigs of their beer, and some participants say that alcohol helps them feel more relaxed and flexible.

I can see how that might happen. I once stumbled into an early morning pilates class, still tipsy from the night before, and didn’t feel a thing – until later, anyway.

The trend has recently taken off in Australia, Europe, and Asia, but it isn’t the only area of fitness and wellbeing that’s incorporating a brew into the lifestyle.

At the end of a road race or triathlon, people are increasingly encountering a beer tent next to the bananas and Powerade, and it isn’t there just for onlookers.

Here’s NPR:

Magazines like Runner’s World and Muscle & Fitness are increasingly promoting the benefits of alcoholic drinks in articles like “7 Beers That Will Legitimately Help You Recover Faster” and “13 Healthy(ish) Beers to Drink After Your Workouts.”

“A high percentage of craft drinkers now say, ‘aligns with my fitness goals is one reason why I’m choosing a beer,’ ” said Bart Watson, chief economist at the Brewers Association in Denver.

The type of beer that you can or should drink if you’re incorporating it into your workout matters.

Watson pointed out that cold beer and camaraderie — even at 10 a.m. — is one of the reasons why some weekend warriors actually get off the couch, especially to take advantage of lower-alcohol and lower-calorie options.

The ideal alcohol content in your post-workout beer is below 5% ABV. The beer should also be light and refreshing, as a heavier beer will weigh you down. Sol, a light-tasting Mexican beer with 4,5 % ABV, is an ideal post-workout brew.

A study from 2015, published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, found that “a moderate beer intake has no deleterious effects on markers of hydration in active individuals.”

In other words, a couple beers — especially ones with low alcohol — are OK, especially because beer, like sports drinks, contains carbs, electrolytes and sodium, which has been shown to help with fluid loss.

Having a beer after the match, race or gym session has the added benefit of introducing a social element into your workout.

You probably didn’t need another reason to crack open a cold one, but now nobody can argue with you when you’re buying that case of Sol as part of your fitness routine.

After all, Sol encourages vitality, passion and independence, so it’s the perfect companion to your afternoon run.

Here’s to your health!

[source:npr]