Who would have thought; yoga and alpine skiing?
Skiing is an adrenaline rush down a steep hill while yoga is calm and peaceful earth-bound practice.
Skiing can be quite demanding physically on the body while yoga can heal and restore the body. When we look at these vastly different activities in that way, yoga becomes the perfect “counter practice” to skiing.
Skiing is a sport that asks a lot of the physical body, including balance, flexibility and concentration. Add the cold climate and muscles and tendons are at risk. The hips and the knees are the driving force behind skiing. Strong quadriceps and tight hamstrings can tax the knees excessively. The front of the body becomes overdeveloped and the hip flexors overused, which can cause strain on the lower back. These imbalances put the skier at a greater risk for injury. Through regular yoga practice, the muscles around the knee and calf remained lengthened so there is less pull on the joints.
For this and other reasons, warming up the body with yoga can help you prepare for the slopes. Using proper alignment, Asana (poses) lengthen, stretch and strengthen the muscles. Pranayama (breathing techniques) help broaden the rib cage and prepare the lungs for deeper breath. The regular practice of meditation helps increase concentration and focus. The skier who integrates yoga into his or her life, can help improve technique and performance, and keep the body safe. The skier will then be prepared for any terrain or condition.
In today’s active world, athletes require balance between strength and flexibility, endurance and concentration, so that they can be more productive in their sport.
Combining yoga with skiing enables skiers to build self-awareness so that they can stay connected to the breath, the body and the full extent of their potential. By staying focused during a yoga practice, you can stay focused anywhere.
Namaste
Shirlee Williams
Certified Yoga Instructor
Specialist in Yoga Therapeutics
