Ski Fit 3: Yoga's Got Your Back
Backbending poses have the added bonus of increasing spinal flexibility. With strong back muscles and a flexible spine, you’ll be all set to ski.
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What do yoga and skiing have in common? The need for balance, flexibility and focus.
Yoga helps cultivate these qualities, so it follows that practicing yoga can help improve ski technique. Let’s face it – we love skiing for its adrenaline rush. But the other side of this coin is the potential for injury. Think of yoga as insurance against injury and one of the best ways to improve your skills on the slopes. It does both by addressing your body’s imbalances and fostering strength and flexibility. Yoga also encourages a focus on the breath. By being able to concentrate on your breathing, transitioning your movements with grace, and cultivating an awareness of body balance and alignment, any level of skier will get more out of their time on the mountain and be less injury-prone.
Welcome to a six week series designed to get your body ski-worthy so you can hit the mountain with confidence. These mini yoga-practices will target body parts that are critical to good form and technique, and when practiced together will stretch and strengthen these key areas in anticipation of the start of ski season.
SKI SEASON STRENGTHENERS: YOGA’S GOT YOUR BACK
Our previous yoga and ski session focused on core work; it follows that next up is the back, to address opposing muscle groups. These two body areas go hand in hand – chances are, if you’ve got a weak core, your back isn’t strong either. It’s a good idea to alternate core work with back work to balance things out and simultaneously strengthen both places. Backbending poses have the added bonus of increasing spinal flexibility. With strong back muscles and a flexible spine, you’ll be all set to ski.
Try these yoga moves to increase your back’s strength and flexibility during ski season; aim for 3-4 times a week all winter.
CHILD’S POSE to COBRA
Position 1: Child’s pose
Sit back on your heels, tops of feet flat on the floor. Reach your arms out in front of you with fingers spread wide and palms pressing into the floor. Rest your forehead on the floor (or if it doesn’t touch, let your head be heavy).
On an inhale, come forward with your upper body so that your hips touch the floor and your chest lifts. Your arms are close to your sides with elbows bent; be sure not to let your shoulders lift towards your ears, move them down your back instead. On your exhale, return to Child’s pose. Repeat this sequence 10 times, with 10 deep breaths.
Position 1: Down Dog
From child’s pose (previous sequence), tuck your toes under and lift your hips up and back. Press the floor away with your hands, keeping the fingers spread wide. Straighten your legs as much as possible and let your heels be heavy.
On an inhale, come forward with your upper body, but don’t let your hips touch the floor. Keep your arms close to your sides with the elbows slightly bent (arms are mostly straight). Lift your gaze. On an exhale, move back to Down Dog. Repeat this sequence 10 times, with 10 deep breaths.
Lie on your stomach with your forehead on the floor, and your feet as close together as possible. Start to press your hips into the floor as you interlace your fingers behind you. On an inhale, lift everything up and tuck your chin in slightly; squeeze your hands together as you lift them away from your back. Use your inhales to keep lifting up, and your exhales to hold the lift. Float back down on your fifth exhale. Repeat and hold for another 5 deep breaths.
Lie on your stomach with your forehead on the floor. Bend your knees and reach back for the tops of your feet. Press your feet into your hands and let your legs do all the work to lift your upper body and thighs off the floor. Keep pushing your feet towards the ceiling. Float back down on your fifth exhale. Repeat and hold for another 5 deep breaths.
Stand on your knees, with your feet and knees hips width apart. Take your hands to your lower back and fan your fingertips out. Press your hands into your back and lift through the chest; take your head back so that you are looking straight up at the ceiling. Hold for 5 deep breaths; come into Child’s pose for a few breaths and then repeat.
Stand on your knees, with your feet and knees hips width apart. Take your hands to your lower back and fan your fingertips out. Press your hands into your back and lift through the chest; drop your right hand to your ankle while keeping your left hand on your back. Hold for 5 deep breaths, then switch sides. Come into Child’s pose for a few breaths and then repeat.
Stand on your knees, with your feet and knees hips width apart. Take your hands to your lower back and fan your fingertips out. Press your hands into your back and lift through the chest; take your head back so that you are looking straight up at the ceiling. Take both hands to your ankles, and let your head release back. Keep the hips moving forward as the chest lifts. Hold for 5 deep breaths; come into Child’s pose for a few breaths and then repeat.
Margaret Burns Vap is a yoga instructor/entrepreneur, and the founder of Big Sky Yoga Retreats, offering yoga and outdoor fitness getaways in Big Sky & Bozeman, Montana.
Visit bigskyyogaretreats.com for Winter 2009 yoga and skiing retreat dates.
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