Post Snowboard Yoga Moves

As we wind up for the upcoming snowboard season its important to start building strength, endurance and flexibility to be able to ride long hours several days straight. This week I am refreshing on my strength training, cardio and yoga poses which add considerable flexibility which translates well to both pre ride and post ride. These are tested and tried Yoga Poses which can help with your upcoming snow season to prevent any injuries and give you the best results and growth all winter season long.

Several poses can help considerably after a day on the mountain to stretch tight muscles and decompress joints that get worn and torn when you’re shredding the gnar. I have listed a few of my favorites that you too can adapt to your post shred regimen.

Pose #1: Mountain Pose
Start: Stand up tall with your abdominal muscles lightly contracted and feet shoulder width apart.

Lift up all your toes and root your feet and calves into the floor. Engage your quadriceps, relax your shoulders and arms at your sides and point your tailbone toward the ground. Exhale and lengthen from the feet up to the crown of the head. Take several deep breaths through the nose.

This is a good foundation or starting pose, where you are rooted, centered and balanced before beginning an activity. Feet are hip-width apart when snowboarding, creating a stable base for the body.

Mountain Pose

Pose #2: Chair Pose
Start: In Mountain Pose
Take a deep breath through the nose and exhale as you sit back, bend your knees and drop the tailbone back. Lift your chest and reach your arms forward and up alongside ears. Press into the feet, extend through the hips and knees, then rise back up to Pose. Repeat 10 – 15 times. On the last chair, remain “seated” for at least six deep breaths.

Chair Pose keeps the ankles, hips and shoulders in alignment with the knees over the toes, which, when snowboarding, is the correct centered and balanced position. Engages core muscles in your abdomen and spine

Here is a great example of the form of Chair Pose

Pose #3: Downward-Facing Dog

Lengthens the spine and stretches calves, hamstrings, and back muscles, which tighten at the end of a day on the board. Imagine breathing space between your spinal disks while melting muscle tension in the back body. Stay in this pose anywhere from 1 to 3 minutes. Then bend your knees to the floor with an exhalation and rest in Child’s Pose.

Hanna Teter, pro snowboarder, demonstrates the downward facing dog position.

Pose #4: Child's Pose
Move from downward facing dog, directly into Child's Pose. Begin sitting on your heels, torso folded forward gently over your thighs. If you head doesn’t easily touch the floor, place a folded blanket under your forehead. Align your intention for practicing, and take a few deep, cleansing breaths.

Child's Pose

Pose #5: Pigeon Pose
This is an intense hip opener, which is perfect for snowboarders and most athletes with tight hip flexors, IT bands, and glutes. Pigeon Pose can get uncomfortable but just keep breathing through it and you’re body will relax into it. I like to spend some time on each side really letting my hips open up.  This pose loosens tight hip muscles, like the gluteus maximus, that bring power to virtually all snowboarding moves. Breathe deeply, as if inflating your hips, for up to one minute before repeating the pose on the other side.

Hanna Teter demonstrating the Pigeon Pose

Hope these poses have been helpful to you and hoping we have a big and early winter this season!