Yoga anyone??

[Sheena]

So one of the benefits of working at the university is that I can audit any of the fitness classes they offer for free!

I have been looking at the course schedule, and they have a yoga class offered at the end of the day, which would be perfect with my work schedule.

Anyone else here take Yoga? Do you think it helps your skiing?

My second choice is a kickboxing class, but that is at the god-awful hour of the day of 7:30 am, and not sure if I can drag my but out of bed in enough time to get up and get there on time consistently.

 

[Ski Spirit]

I used to go to a yoga class after work and I loved it! Afterwards, I felt totally refreshed. Now, I do yoga about 3x/week with a DVD. Yoga definitely improves flexibility and that helps skiing overall....although I can't say I'm aware of anything specific.

 

[ski now work later]

Yoga is a fantastic complement to any sport training. I try to get to yoga whenever I can and to do some yoga moves and stretches at home too!

 

[Pequenita]

Depending on the level of training the instructor has had, yoga can vary from detrimental to beneficial to your skiing. I started practicing yoga at a gym years ago b/c I was too cheap to actually get a pass at a studio; the instructor was not that great, and did little to help with body alignment and did not look closely at how we were supporting ourselves during basic poses such as downward facing dog. I remember a thread on here where -- Lisamarie, I think -- discussed the proper positioning and placement of weight on the hands/wrists during that pose and how many of her clients had injured their hands/wrists during yoga. I also think that jumping into yoga without a "basics" class can lead to people over-stretching/pulling muscles. Anyway, when I finally started going to a studio, it was completely eye-opening.

A good flow or hatha yoga class lead by a well-trained instructor will strengthen your entire body -- including core -- and increase your balance. It will train you to breathe in a certain manner, and you will learn meditative techniquest (I think that skiing itself is pretty meditative!).

I'm an advocate of yoga, but I really do caution you on the hand positioning thing. I'd check out whether the instructor at the university's fitness center has been trained through Yoga Alliance or some other nationally-recognized group or teaches at a local studio. I just think that there's a lot of room for injuring oneself at yoga and that some people who teach it really shouldn't.

 

[Jilly]

Our Dragon Boat Team is using Yoga for core building especially during the winter months. I've yet to get to a class as the main one is Saturday morning and way too early. I guess I'm not dedicated enough to that sport right now. I'd rather go skiing Saturday.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

I currently do the Les Mills (started out of New Zealand, now world-wide) fitness programs at a club. Body Flow is a combination of Tai Chi (forgot where to put the apostrophes in this!), yoga and pilates. Very good balance, flexibility and strength training. I also do Body Pump (weight training) and Body Step (step aerobics) --- NOT ALL ON SAME DAY! This combination of classes probably just saved my hiney - I did a huge digger yesterday and did a one point landing on my left hip. OW :yell: I'll live, just a big bruise.

But for my buck, the best all-around conditioning I ever got was - (ready?) Jazzercise. Fabulous leg and core conditioning - if you have never tried this and like dancing, TRY IT. Wish there were classes anywhere near where I live, no such luck. Really made my legs ready for skiing!

 

[Sheena]

I'm an advocate of yoga, but I really do caution you on the hand positioning thing. I'd check out whether the instructor at the university's fitness center has been trained through Yoga Alliance or some other nationally-recognized group or teaches at a local studio. I just think that there's a lot of room for injuring oneself at yoga and that some people who teach it really shouldn't.

Thats good advice. Thanks!

I was curious about pilates, so I decided to try a class at the Y. The instructor did not even notice what anyone was doing or how they were doing it, I had no idea if I was even doing any of the poses right, and he taught the class by placing a stack of papers with poses on them and then would flip through the pages and tell us which to do next. Bad experience, and bad teacher!

 

[Lisamarie]

A bad teacher can ruin any discipline. That being said, many women need to be extremely cautious about the amount of flexibility training they choose to do. In many cases, women are more flexible than they are strong, which can be the cause of a number of serious injuries. For example, excessive stretching of the hamstrings can weaken these already weak muscles. This is the express route to an ACL tear. Also, avoid the full lotus position like the plague. Having that much flexibility in your knee joints can turn aq simple fall into an MCL tear. Keep in mind that ski balance is dynamic, whereas some, but not all yoga techniques involve static balance. For example, I don't think that you will ever see a skier stand on one leg at the top of a trail chanting "OM!"
;)

 

[Pequenita]

For example, I don't think that you will ever see a skier stand on one leg at the top of a trail chanting "OM!"
;)

I am so going to do this at Solitude and have another Diva take a photo of me.

I had a yoga breakthrough last night! After about a year of ramping up to this, for about 2 seconds, I did this without the assist of a wall:

Yay core muscles!

 

[HotChocolate]

I am so going to do this at Solitude and have another Diva take a photo of me.

If you do that with skis on I'll chant Ashanti...for ya!

I do Hatha 3x a week to counteract the effects of weight training and to just plain relax. I'm so hyper!

P.S. It also has a positive effect on your sex life.

 

[Native Vail Gal]

GOOD LORD!!!!! and good for you!

 

[Native Vail Gal]

I take a Yoga class, but I take what I would consider the "remedial" yoga class. I've had a hard time following directions and getting my body into positions that the instructor asked us to do after my accident, so my PT suggested a certain class for me. So I went!

It is a Yoga class for those over 65! The Senior Class! It was perfect! :D Directions are nice and slow for me, and they give you alternative movements if I can't get my head, neck, etc. into certain positions. She is really patient with me due to my inability to follow directions (yes...we laugh a lot!)

I think YOGA has helped me mentally, physically and in life during the past 4 years. It makes me feel more serene!

I highly recommend it!!!!

 

[HotChocolate]

Here are some extreme "yoga" moves.

Ouch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZNWEXEka60

 

[robynb]

Yes, yoga definitely helps with balance and flexibility. I love it. Helps with relaxation as well. Just be careful not to overstretch or go too far. You can definitely do some damage if you're not warmed up enough or try too hard.

 

[altagirl]

I spent about a year going to the chiropractor for mid-back pain. Basically I had a huge flat spot in my back between my shoulder blades that was sending shooting pains through my shoulders. Eventually, the doc told me it was probably just permanent. I'd asked at physical therapy and they gave me some stretches to assist with it, but also said if it had been like that for so many years it was not likely to improve much, the stretching would just serve as pain management.

I went to yoga for about 6 months, and then went back to the chiropractor for something else and he was like, wait a minute - how'd you fix that??? It's not perfect, but yoga has worked better than anything else did on that flat spot in my spine.

It also has helped a lot for my IT band issues.

 

[robynb]

I am so going to do this at Solitude and have another Diva take a photo of me.

I had a yoga breakthrough last night! After about a year of ramping up to this, for about 2 seconds, I did this without the assist of a wall:

Yay core muscles!

Beautiful!

 

[robynb]

I spent about a year going to the chiropractor for mid-back pain. Basically I had a huge flat spot in my back between my shoulder blades that was sending shooting pains through my shoulders. Eventually, the doc told me it was probably just permanent. I'd asked at physical therapy and they gave me some stretches to assist with it, but also said if it had been like that for so many years it was not likely to improve much, the stretching would just serve as pain management.

I went to yoga for about 6 months, and then went back to the chiropractor for something else and he was like, wait a minute - how'd you fix that??? It's not perfect, but yoga has worked better than anything else did on that flat spot in my spine.

It also has helped a lot for my IT band issues.

I did Bikram for a year or two and worked out a lot of issues and acquired some other issues. I think the heat combined with the yoga helped some things. Had to quit though, I have a tendency to overstretch which was definitely a bummer and also not so sure if it's such a good idea to practice in such a hot room.

 

[jaydog]

Here's a cool concept: yoga for skiiers. The instructor of the yoga class I attend usually has a general how's-everyone-feeling at the beginning of each class. Last winter, I happened to mention that I was sore from my first skiing day of the year. She perked up and said she'd try to tailor that night's class for sore skiing muscles. Sure enough, I felt much better afterward. One of the poses (I don't remember what it's called) is so helpful -it stretches the groin, a difficult area to stretch- that I've mastered it while wearing ski boots, so I can eke out a few more runs even after my legs have turned to noodles.

 

[climber.girl1]

I've been doing Bikram yoga for a few months now, and I really like it! I think the standing series really helps strengthen my quads and hamstrings, which is a big help especially for learning to tele.

The other thing I really like about Bikram is that it's SO intense that ANYTHING you're stressed out about just kind of goes away because for 90 minutes you are ONLY focused on getting through the next 90 minutes! It helps me realign my priorities in a big way.

 

[Pequenita]

Here's a quick primer on the different types of yoga, from Runner's World's perspective.