I remember after doing 4 winters consecutively, in the northern hemisphere, followed by a season in Australia, times two, yes it snows in Australia!
As I only ever had a break of 2 months or so, to get back on the snowboard, which is much shorther than the usual 8 months off over Spring, Summer and Autumn.
My first day back snowboarding, after a summer in Myoko, I was sooo sore, this is also partly due to having next to no excercise routine (I’m still working on that) and not actually being into yoga that much, back then!
This does still happen to me now, where sometimes a huge powder day means that my right butt cheek is a lot more sore. Not sure if this is a blessing, that its only one, unlike for a skier where it would the full set that’d be sore.
We are lucky in the Myoko area for onsens, natural hot spring baths, but not all ski resorts have those around the world, unlucky!
If you’re coming to Japan, have heard of these mythical baths, but are wondering, what if I’ll have to bathe naked with people of the opposite gender (you won’t) or are just curious, I’ve got a past blog on How to Onsen, link here.
Another thing you could try one of these poses while on the mountain. I do like to try to stretch out my sore right butt cheek, in standing pigeon pose, while snowboarding the abundant powder snow, or japow powder as its affectionately called here.
This does require a lot of balance, especially if you’re strapped to your snowboard. With ski boots, you can give it a try but honestly ski boots are just so heavy!
These series of short yoga video, targeting specific areas of the body for snowboarders and skiers, will be taking a break.
For the month of June 2019, I’ll be focusing on what I teach in my classes, if you’re in Myoko or staying Akakura Onsen, Ikenotaira or Suginosawa, check out the yoga classes schedule for Winter here. So you can get a taste of what my real life yoga classes are like!
The video is only 12 minutes long, you don’t have an excuse to not try it. If you try it, let me know in the comments below.
The below poses are accessible to beginners, pose number 2 Standing Pigeon pose is a little more intermediate, use a wall or a chair to help you balance and pose number 3, you don’t need to go as far down as I have, you can bring yourself further up, as long as you’re able to feel in in that hamstring.
Of course a beginner, or a self proclaimed “stiff” person, try to do the poses the best that you can and listen to your body, you’re not supposed to be in pain, maybe more in mild discomfort.
This pose will straight away target and stretch out your sore glutes. This is one of the variations of pigeon pose, its gentle as you’re lying on your back, you can also stretch as little or as much as you’d like to in this pose with your hands.
This one will require your full attention, find a place to focus on, before you begin to balance the opposite foot on top of the opposite knee. You can stay as high as you need, the further down you squat, the more you’ll feel it in your glutes. *Snowboarders, you could try, while waiting for friends at the lift line (queue) while snowboarding.
Or Ninja pose, as I like to call it in my lessons. This pose doesn’t have to be done so deeply like in the photo, you can place your hands in the middle to bring yourself further up, as long as you feel it in your outstretched hamstring, you’re doing this pose right.
This one is nice and simple, make sure to square (straighten) your hips and to have your knee at a 90 degree angle, also you can relax your back foot.
The ultimate glute stretching yoga pose, also like in Low Lunge, make sure your hips are lined up and square (straight). It doesn’t matter in this pose, how far your upper body goes down.
This one is more to twist your spine, relieve tension in your shoulders, hips, back and neck. Please avoid if you have any spinal injuries or back pain issues.
This final pose is to relieve any tension in your lower back and will realign your hips.
Want to ride / ski better, for longer? Get access to free yoga sequences, to help you, warm up and relax before an amazing day on the mountain.