How Yoga Has Made Me A Better Skier

Though I've coached and participated in a number of physical fitness regimes, yoga has given me a gratitude for and awareness of my body that has made it my practice of choice for more than five years now.

While the benefits of yoga are numerous and well-documented, I've personally come to notice a hopeful and authentic benefit over the last few Idaho winters as I've more frequently clicked into my skis -- and found more freedom and joy than ever.

HAPPY SKI BUM

Here are some of the ways I credit the practice of yoga with shaping my shred:

Thigh Highs.  Lunges are one of the most common poses in a yoga practice, and the wonderful variations on this pose really allow for an awareness of where your hips align and how to properly engage the muscles - especially interior muscles such as the adductors - of the thigh. In yoga it's a common cue to contract the muscles of the thighs. When skiing, the notion of "internal rotating the thigh bones" has helped me head downhill more confidently, versus using my quads to brake my motion and steer me into some rickety skids along the mountainside. Furthermore, many yoga poses encourage squaring the hips toward the front of the mat or in line with each other. Having an awareness of where my hips are centered over my skis has increased that delicious awareness.

Ski Bum. I'm gonna say it: Yoga can give you a great butt. And this largest muscle in the body - the gluteus maximus -  is the main support for your lower body - your legs and thighs. My clients groan as we shift our hips back into twisted chair pose, transferring weight into our heels, tucking in our lower bellies to protect our backs, and engaging the glutes while we rotate our upper bodies into a deep twist. Having a strong backside will certainly help you face the frontcountry.

Shredding to the Core. I've been a fitness instructor for more than a dozen years, and no matter what form of exercise I'm coaching - be it a team training to run a half marathon, a sweaty HIIT class with a ton of burpees {the "full body dance!"}, or a class of moms pushing babes in strollers - an awareness of the core is always at the forefront. So much of our form, balance, and overall strength are benefited from the awareness of the center of it all -- our core muscles. These muscles go beyond just the "six-pack" of our rectus abdominis and wrap - with latissimi and obliques - like a girdle around our middle, and when our core muscles are engaged in whatever type of activity we're participating in, we'll have a stronger foundation, better balance, and less injuries. Most importantly, the core muscles are responsible for keeping our bodies stable, and stability is a must when you're facing those sweet, snowy slopes. You may poopoo the plank pose as much as I did 12 years ago, but now it's one of my go-to poses in nearly every practice I teach, as it sets up a full-body foundation for awareness that can radiate from our core to our legs, shoulders, and even fingers and toes! 

Snow Toes. In yoga classes, I cue participants to find the "four corners of our feet" when in standing poses. We envision and connect with the mound behind our big toe, the mound behind our little toe, and the two sides of each heel. Finding the corners of my feet has helped me realize that I often displace my balance by being too far forward onto my toes, or leaning too heavily back toward my heels. When strapped into ski boots, the temptation (for me, at least) was to lean into the ball of my foot too much. Since I've learned to be present with my whole foot in its boot, I've felt more stability and control, and I've lessened the need to tense up my tootsies.

Your Best Breath. In Vinyasa yoga practice, breath and movement are linked. We so often take our breath for granted; as we journey through our days and nights we hardly have to consider its constant presence. Once we begin to notice and appreciate the benefits that come from our awareness of breathing - how, say, we hold out breath when we're nervous or upset - we can utilize the gift of conscientious breathing to help guide our glide down the hill. Sometimes, all it takes to ease into a particularly steep slope or unfamiliar run is to just   b r e a t h e. 

The Right Stuff. Just like the important connection of breath and movement during an asana (pose), it's also important to unite mindset and equipment on the hill! Our skis, boots, and poles have been specifically formulated to do a lot of the work for us. Once I learned to trust my muscles and movement, I then had to learn to trust the edges of my skis and the security of my bindings. When properly fitted and tested, our equipment can handle so much of the "work" that goes into our downhill experience! Why stress out my calf muscles when my boots are only going to hold me up? Why cramp my quads when my ski edges are capable of guiding and gliding the best way over the snow? Admittedly, this is a much easier task than it sounds, especially for those of us who didn't learn to ski as wobbly, trusting toddlers. 

Om Is Where The Heart Is.  It's all about the ways we can learn about, and trust, our bodies and what they can do for us. Yoga is one way to get an intimate understanding of that ways in which our bodies can balance, position, move, open, lengthen, and find strength -- all of which are necessary qualities when we hit the slopes. 

Apres-Ski. Yoga has proven to be an excellent practice for prepping my body to perform on the mountain, and it is an equally - and deliciously! - important way to stretch and release after hitting the slopes. I recently hosted an Instagram Live yoga for skiers practice that you can watch on my feed. It targets and unwinds those lower-body joints and muscles that do so much for us - whether we're shredding the gnar, or heading into our daily lives. 

I wholeheartedly encourage everyone - no matter your body type, flexibility, age, or fitness level, to find a yoga class that makes you feel amazing. Your body will thank you in ways you'll continue to notice every day!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Boise Goat Yoga (@boisegoatyoga)