It’s official David Beckham, Jennifer Aniston, Russell Brand, Ryan Gosling. Lady Gaga they are all doing it. And world famous ski racers…….do not pass a day without a practice. Lorraine Clissold explains the benefits of yoga and how it can help your skiing.
1) FLEXIBILITY
The obvious one - and a major factor in injury prevention.
My experience is that most yoga students first come to class to work on their flexibility or strength. And that they feel the benefit of a regular practice very quickly.
As a recreational skier it is possible to reach a reasonable, or pretty accomplished, standard without being particular fit or flexible. And that is great if all is going well. But it is when you catch that edge or hit that bump that your flexibility, or lack of it, will make the difference. Most often it is the knee that takes the brunt of any mishap but the accident more often than not will be initiated at the hip.
Because modern life for most people involves moving on one plane, sitting, standing, or if you are lucky, walking, tightness or limited movement in the hip area is common. Moreover it is frequently accompanied by a degree of inflammation or lower back pain which makes movement uncomfortable and then exacerbates the problem.
In yoga we work with the whole body, usually starting by moving the spine and releasing any tensions there and then mobilising the joints before stretching the muscles and opening the hips.
Not only will a fit flexible body be able to weather an impact more easily than a tight fit one but it will be less likely to tense up when that impact take place. Which leads me on too…….
2) BREATH CONTROL
Where yoga becomes more than an exercise class
The breath is the only physiological process which is both consciously and subconsciously controlled. Thus it links the two parts of the mind. So the greater the awareness of the breath the more we are able to control thoughts and actions. Pretty useful in all areas of life - and the real bonus on a black run.
Yoga teaches awareness of the rhythms of the breath and also specific breathing techniques or ‘pranayama’. Rhythmic breathing leads to rhythmic skiing. It is usual in yoga to breath in to lengthen and out to release or twist. Perfect for linked turns. When the breath falters so does the body. So the ability to keep the breath steady will help a skier recover from a sticky patch.
And for the anxious types then there are pranayamas which will help calm the mind before hitting the slopes. These can be a simple as taking deep breaths into the whole of the torso, focusing on a three part inhalation or exhalation.
3) PHYSICAL AWARENESS
Bringing the body back into balance
Yoga is a totally holistic practice which helps you become aware of imbalances or blockages. These might be causing pain or discomfort or simply preventing you from performing as well as you might. Many of us are very one sided which can make skiing a challenge if you hit that big mogul or patch of ice on your weak side.
In a good yoga class you will soon become aware of imbalances in your posture or the way you walk which might impact knees, hips back or shoulders. Many issues start with badly aligned feet. It fact it is amazing how many aches and pains can be reduced by mastering the Tadasana or Mountain pose which looks so simple - just standing still!
The psoas muscle which connects the your spine to the legs, can also cause alignment issues, along with back problems and other pelvic issues. It is a particularly difficult one to deal with too as a lot of the tension it holds can be subconscious. Hence a holistic practice like yoga has more chance of sorting it out than hours spent pumping iron at the gym.
And of course a yoga practice will include one legged postures, which, once your body is in alignment, will help improve your balance and therefore your chances of staying upright on the slopes.
4) MENTAL AWARENESS
Put your mind in your body
My yoga teacher always said ‘You don’t put your body into the pose - you put the pose into your body’
When you truly practice yoga your mind is in your body. The student who has perfect alignment but who is thinking about what he will have for dinner is not doing yoga. While the person who is struggling to touch their hip but is feeling what is holding him back and where his strengths and weakness are is on a journey.
Knowing how your mind and body work together, both where they do it well and where they need improvement, is a big leap forward in any training programme. And once you have mastered that you can begin ...
5) BREAKING HABITS
Come out of the grooves
Habits are not always bad (though some are better than others!). What they do, however, is to create grooves, our impulses find it very comfortable to run along them. Ever noticed how you tune in to the piece of music that you listen to often? It’s literally in the grooves.
Once we reach adult age we will undoubtedly have adopted a lifestyle which involves a large amount of repetition. Our minds and bodies are stuck in the grooves. Helpful, perhaps to get us to work on time, but not so great if trying to improve in a sport such as skiing.
Yoga breaks habits. We turn upside down; put our legs in the air; twist, turn and balance. Even more of a change for some, we slow down, we tune into our breath. And as we learn to break habits on the mat, we find it easier to break them in life. And on the slopes the difference between a good habit and bad could mean a more comfortable run, a safer descent, and less stress on the body so a longer day's skiing.
6) BEING IN THE MOMENT
Any good athlete, and skiers are no exception, is totally in the moment. This is a skill that may be easier to perfect on the yoga mat than when racing down the slopes. And once mastered it will improve not only your ski technique but every aspect of your life.
A fellow yogi and long distance runner once told me her best performance always comes when her only thought was ‘I am running’. Not ‘am I running my best?’ ‘Or am I going to win?’ Simply running with her whole being. Any ski racer will tell you the same.
This concept is closely related to the idea of putting your mind into your body but perhaps an easier one to take off the mat. It can also enhance your enjoyment of every second spent on the slopes.
7) LETTING GO
Put in the work and enjoy the journey
The most important lesson that yoga teaches is from the ancient yogic text the Bagada gita: ‘Do your best and let go of the outcome’. A difficult one to take on board, particularly for the more competitive in nature. But so transformative when adopted. Success is transitory and once achieved at best leads to the desire for more success; at worst it can lead to a hollow feeling of ‘what was all the fuss about’.
Whether your ambition is take the fall line with a series of linked parallel turns, or to bounce through the powder with abandon, put the work in and enjoy the journey. But if you find that instead of turning heads you are about to land on your bottom then let it go. You’ll fall more comfortably anyway.
Lorraine Clissold is a yoga teacher, Ayurvedic coach and partner at Yogandspice at Valley View, a small retreat centre near Whitby North Yorkshire, recently listed as one of the UK's best wellbeing holiday retreats in The Guardian. Find out more about Yoga and Spice Retreats in North Yorkshire
She is also the proud mother of Honor Clissold, GB Alpine ski racer.
