Features Reporter
Photo by Michael Wong
Yoga Club held its first “Yoga for Skiers” workshop Wednesday, March 5 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in MC 163. The ski clinic was led by Andreya Krieves, founder and owner of Vine Yoga on Second and Colorado downtown.
The workshop was 30 minutes long, followed by an hour of asana, or yoga practice of different postures and breathing. The event was free for CMU students, faculty and staff and $10 for the public in order to raise funds for Yoga Club.
Krieves, who moved to Grand Junction last summer, opened Vine Yoga in September. She has been practicing yoga for 15 years and has been skiing her entire life.
“I came to yoga specifically because I was having issues with my running,” Krieves said. “I think people have a lot of the same issues that may be even more amplified when you’re skiing because not everyone is a regular skier.”
Although most people may not associate a fast-paced, high-intensity sport such as skiing or snowboarding with a more relaxing practice, there are multiple benefits of yoga that apply to different activities and aspects of life.
“Generally, it unifies your mind, body and spirit,” Mary Muncher, Yoga Club representative for the Club Advisory Board (CAB), said. “On the mountain, it allows you to be harmonious in your movements, and, it sounds cliché, but ‘one with nature.’ I would definitely say that my confidence [while skiing] has increased because I know my body better.”
Although yoga and skiing are not normally two things that are paired together, Krieves demonstrated how the activities are actually harmonious.
“Think about some of the skills that we practice in yoga,” Krieves told the class. “Primarily balance poses, the concentration it takes to get into and hold something like that, as well as the muscular strength that you develop and the flexibility that you hone. Those are things that are going to affect your skiing as far as preventing injuries and extending your ability to ski longer.”
Krieves acknowledged that the yoga moves that help with skiing “are not groundbreaking,” but doing those familiar moves can help with the most common injury areas for skiing, generally caused by an imbalance and weakening in an area while overcompensating in another.
The best way to prevent knee injury while skiing is to stretch and strengthen all four sides of the upper legs, including the inner things (adductors), outer thighs (abductors), hamstrings and quadriceps, according to Krieves. Focusing on these areas can be a tremendous help when actively absorbing terrain with the knees during skiing.
Another common injury area is the hips, due to “constant engagement of the hip flexors” by lifting and lowering the legs and torso, as well as angulation and steering. Tightness in the hips can be prevented by stretching the hip flexors and “cultivating openness in the pelvic structure,” according to Krieves.
Some of the overall most effective yoga moves for skiers are sun salutation, a sequence that covers the whole body, and warrior two, a move that activates the inner and outer thighs. Yoga poses involving the core, such as side plank and boat pose, are also extremely effective in preventing inefficient turns while skiing. This leads to quicker response when facing unexpected hazards such as other skiers or natural obstacles like trees, Krieves said.
The workshop ended with five minutes of savasana, a pose of total relaxation, followed by questions. Yoga Club hopes to get a backbend workshop together later in the semester and, although they are focused mainly on events, the club plans to create consistency next year by implementing regular meetings. For now, students can look out for Yoga Club event announcements through the end of the semester by checking their OrgSync event calendar.
arildefonso@mavs.coloradomesa.edu
Recent Comments