Yoga is one of the most helpful and healthy ways to directly benefit your riding. From stretching, to strength, to balance, yoga has you covered to be a better snowboarder. Here is why!
Stretching: Staying limber is one of the most important things you can do to keep your body healthy for snowboarding. Basic yoga, done before and after snowboarding, will help prevent injury due to falls, and keep your body less sore after a day of shredding. It’s like performing preventative maintenance on your car.
Flexibility will help you when learning how to snowboard, and help your body perform at its best when you are engaging in such a physically demanding sport. It will also help your body move without restriction. There are so many directions and movements your body must go through while riding, that keeping yourself as flexible as possible is of utmost importance.
Balance: Balance is the name of the game with snowboarding. Yoga keeps your body balanced and in tune. Snowboarding is more of a directional sport like surfing, so your body will use some muscles more than others. Yoga helps keep your body centered. It helps your body remain balanced while in strange and foreign positions, like deep carves and time in the air. Simple poses like the Warrior poses and Tree pose are priceless movements to keep your body in balance and primed for riding. Not only will yoga help your body keep its balance, but it will also help you progress your riding as you step up to bigger terrain and more difficult maneuvers that require extreme balance. The balance acquired from the practice of yoga will help keep you in a flow state while riding. Like surfing, snowboarding is all about natural flow.
Strength: Staying strong but limber is a tough thing to do, but it is the most helpful thing you can do to set yourself up for snowboarding success. Core strength is the most important element for riding, as most of your balance, flow, and turning requires the use of your core. It’s a no brainer that yoga helps to develop a strong and limber core. Leg strength is also important because you are constantly flexing and using your muscles to absorb vibration and chatter while making beautiful turns. Strength in your core and shoulders will also help prevent injury in a fall or sudden avoidance of an obstacle. It will help you adapt to all the different kinds of terrain you may encounter on your board.
Clarity of Mind and Breathing: Keeping your mind clear and perfecting your breathing is one of the greatest benefits of yoga. This also directly relates to snowboarding. Starting your day with a clear mind will have great effects on your riding. It will help you keep your balance, your focus, and your mind free of distractions. Snowboarding is entirely in the moment, like yoga. Entering flow state is one of the most beautiful aspects of snowboarding, and is the ticket to escaping your worries and troubles. Practicing your breathing is critical because as you get tired, breathing can become rapid and shallow, and make things far more difficult than they need to be. Perfected breathing will keep you energized, relaxed, balanced, and will allow for more focus on the freedoms of snowboarding. There is no better feeling than entering a flow state.
Yoga and snowboarding go together like fish and water. It is something that will not only make you a better snowboarder but keep you riding for years to come.
Ready to give it a try before your day snowboarding on the mountain?
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