Yoga – you might think images of hot, tropical countries where people in parachute pants are stretching away. However, yoga, and the stretching associated with it, is well-known for their health benefits. This is especially when used in tandem with exercises as a way of sustaining the well-being of your joints, muscles and other important body parts.
If you have any questions about skiing, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today. We will only be too happy to give you our recommendations.
One of the main benefits of doing yoga for skiing is injury prevention. Skiing is a very intensive activity, our muse must perform intense movements and hold positions, all while in cold temperatures. Skiing is very heavy on your lower body, and your upper body is someone left neglected. A full-body activity like yoga can ground you and bring your body back into balance – this contributes to you becoming a better skier.
We recommend the following poses for skiing
1. Downward facing dog
This pose is something almost anyone can do, it is great for building core and stability. It works on stretching the back, as well as opens the chest. You can build upper body strength by going from the plank position and moving into downward dog.
2. Standing forward bend
This forward bend loosens up your hamstrings and lengthens the spine, as well as stretches your calves out.
3. Reclined cobbler’s pose
This amazing pose works to improve your hip flexor flexibility, this, in turn, improves all of your postures and lower back flexibility
4. Chair pose
This is a little bit like a squat – it builds strength in your quads, and improves flexibility to boot.
5. Warrior 1 (Virabhadrasana 1)
This striking pose stretches your hip flexors and your hamstrings, whilst strengthening your feet, glutes, ankles and quads.
6. Tree Pose (Vrksana)
This yoga pose is a good balance builder, which as we all know is so important for skiing. Hip and knee joints’ mobility is improved over time too. It also helps your quads, calves, ankles and spine.
7. Spinal Twists
This Twist improves your spine mobility, glute flexibility, as well as your outer thigh muscles, this is all absolutely essential for skiing, helping to avoid pain and injury.
8. Forward Kneeling Lunge
The post improves the flexibilities of your hip flexors, this contributes towards posture and lower back stability. It also improves the flexibility of your calves, which is so helpful when it comes to snow sports.
Yoga – defending against skiing associated muscles shortening
The muscles in your upper legs can be affected by shortening when skiing, this, in turn, can put a big strain on your knee joints, which often results in injury. Your quads become overdeveloped and can tighten your legs, shortening your hamstrings, this happens also to inner thigh muscles.
Yoga can seriously help with all aspects of skiing, and this is the reason why we recommend that you integrate it into your skiing training regime.
The best part of this is that you can do it without having to be near a slope, you can always find a space to train your body for skiing.
