Ski Season Strengthening V: Balance
Posted on Tuesday, December 15th, 2009
By now many of you have gone skiing for the first few times this season, and are probably sore as a result. As I’ve explained earlier in this series, yoga and skiing share in common the need for balance, flexibility and focus. Think of yoga as insurance against injury and one of the best ways to improve your skills on the slopes. 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.
This is the fifth part of a six-week series designed to keep 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 to keep you in shape for ski season.
Get Your Balance with Yoga
Balance and alignment – both are indispensible for gliding down a mountain on two slippery sticks. Balance and alignment are also the cornerstones of a yoga practice. The way that you stand on your skis is going to affect how you get down the mountain; think about positioning yourself in as natural a stance as possible. This means feet hip width apart, knees soft, upper body and shoulders relaxed. The only thing that won’t feel natural is the position of the hips; they should be tipped forward slightly (ski boots help with this). If we lean back and the hips tip back, your feet are going to come out from under you. It’s a good idea to take a few moments to align yourself at the top of a run. From this alignment your balance will be kept in check, but if you also practice yoga balancing postures regularly, you will notice a big difference on your skis.
Try these yoga moves to improve your balance during ski season; aim for three to four times a week all winter.
TREE
Option 1. Stand tall with your feet slightly apart. Shift your weight into your left leg, firmly grounding down through your left foot. Take hold of your right ankle with your right hand, and place your right foot on the inside of your left thigh, above the knee. Press your foot into your thigh as you press your leg back into your foot; think of creating equal pressure between the two. If you’re having trouble getting your foot to stay, hold onto the right ankle with your right hand as you bring the left hand up to heart center; otherwise, bring your hands together at heart center. Keep your gaze soft, with your eyes focused on a point in front of you on the ground. Hold for five deep breaths and repeat on the other side.
Option 2 (more advanced). Stand tall with your feet slightly apart. Shift your weight into your left leg, firmly grounding down through your left foot. Take hold of your right ankle with your right hand, and place your right foot on the inside of your left thigh, above the knee. Press your foot into your thigh as you press your leg back into your foot; think of creating equal pressure between the two. Bring your hands together at heart center for breath, and then extend your arms overhead. Keep your gaze soft, with your eyes focused on a point in front of you on the ground, or challenge your balance by taking your gaze up to your hands. Hold for five deep breaths and repeat on the other side.
DANCER
Stand tall with your feet slightly apart. Shift your weight into your left leg, firmly grounding down through your left foot. Take your left arm overhead, reaching up through the fingertips, as you turn your right palm up. Reach back with your right hand for the inside (arch) of your right foot; bring your knees as close together as possible. Take a moment to balance here. When you feel balanced, push your right foot into your hand, letting the leg lift up and back behind you (try not to let it move out to the side) and allowing the strength of your leg to do the work. As your leg lifts, your upper body will start to come down; keep your chest lifted and your left arm by your ear. Hold for five deep breaths and repeat on the other side.
EAGLE
Stand tall with your feet and knees together. Extend your arms out to the side on an inhale, and on your exhale bring your right arm under your left, crossing above the elbows and then bringing your hands as close together as possible. Bend your knees deeply, as if you were sitting back in a chair. Cross your right leg over your left, squeezing the thighs together and making sure there is no space between them. Squeeze your arms and legs together and hold for five deep breaths, then repeat on the other side.
Option (not shown): If you are well balanced, try to hook your foot (of lifted leg) behind the calf muscle of your standing leg (be careful not to twist your pelvis as you do so).
WARRIOR III
Stand tall with your feet together, arms by your sides. Step your right foot back and remain on the ball of the foot. Keep your left leg straight and strong as you lift the right leg; as the leg comes up, drop your torso down. The full pose is to make the letter “T” with your body, as pictured, but if that is too intense, only take the torso down as much as you lift your leg to maintain the straight line. Balance here for five deep breaths and repeat on the other side.
(Photos by Chris Hamilton)
• Ski Season Strengthening I: The 5 Warrior Warm-Up
• Ski Season Strengthening II: Core Work
• Ski Season Strengthening III: Yoga’s Got Your Back
• Ski Season Strengthening IV: Hips and Legs
Margaret Burns Vap is a Cloudveil Inspired Mountain Ambassador and the founder of Big Sky Yoga Retreats, offering yoga and outdoor fitness getaways in Big Sky and Bozeman, Mont. Visit www.bigskyyogaretreats.com for winter 2010 yoga and skiing retreat dates.
