Yoga for Skiing and Snowboarding

It's time to get ready for your winter holiday! The snow has fallen, and we are getting ready to welcome you to the slopes, in fact if you haven't yet booked your accommodation get in touch!

Whilst you have been dreaming of your winter escape we teamed up with Emily Ruth Yoga to help you get ski fit and learn some yoga poses. These poses will help you recuperate and make the most of the mountains whilst you are here! If you feel like taking a class whilst in Morzine or would prefer a chalet visit Emily can help, take a look at EmilyRuthYoga for more information. Over to Emily...

​Life is all about balance and that’s especially important in winter sports. Heading out into the mountains day after day needs to be complimented by allowing yourself down time to rest and unwind. Yoga is a great way to heal your body and relax your mind, and I honestly couldn’t think of anything better to go alongside Skiing and Snowboarding.
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Here are few poses that will help your body recuperate after a day on the mountain as well as strengthen it before the season begins.

1. Childs Pose | Balasana

​This pose welcomes a soft stretch in the lower back, hips and through the front of the ankles. By reaching the arms forward you can find space in the side body, stretching down the outer edges of the arms and opening through the shoulders.
Taking a few deep grounding breathes here allows you to calm the mind, releasing stress.

2. Low Lunge | Anjaneyasana

​This pose is great for getting into and stretching the psoas and hip flexors, both areas that become tight when skiing and snowboarding! You’ll strengthen your quadriceps and glutes, whilst creating a little more core awareness and balance. Ease into this pose slowly, take your time and move with awareness to avoid injury.

3. Plank Pose

​A full body strengthener - plank pose strengthens your core muscles, as well as the muscles surrounding the spine, this is great for getting Winter ready and protecting your body through strengthening first. The added bonus of strengthening your arms and wrists means you’ll have no problem carrying your skis or board to the lifts in the morning!

If the full variation is too much to start off with, you can lower the knees and still gain many of the same benefits.
 
4. Pigeon Pose | Eka Pada Rajakapotasana

​Depending on how tight your glutes and hips are this can be a love/hate pose, but it’s oh-so-worth while! Not only does it allow physical release, but once you surrender into the pose you’ll find mental relaxation too. Stretching into the glutes, hips, psoas and quadriceps, as well as the back when you fold forwards. This pose is great for counteracting the tensions built up through mountain sports. Move carefully into it, paying particular attention to the knee especially if you have any previous injuries.

5. Reclined Hero Pose | Supta Virasana

​This pose can be moved into in stages, as the full variation might not be available to you straight away.

Hero pose is super relaxing, opening up the front body stretching into the quadriceps, psoas, and abdomen as well as the ankles and knees. It also helps strengthen the arches of your feet, which feels amazing after a full day in ski or snowboard boots.

Take your time and build your way from seated variation towards reclined. If you have a bolster or pillow to place behind you it can help to find a place of comfort.

Thank you Emily! You can also follow Emily on facebook and instagram for inspirational and helpful posts!

Don't forget - whilst Emily is a yoga expert none of us are doctors, undertake these poses at your own risk and if you're not sure, get checked out by a physician first!! Happy Yoga'ing!!!