The 7 essential yoga poses you need for skiing and snowboarding

1. Mountain Pose

Why you need it: It gives a full body stretch in preparation for the mountain

Cold muscles and joints need awakening rather than stretching. The aim is to bring circulation into the body, lubricate the joints and switch on key muscle groups before you clip into skis or strap into a board.

Standing poses work particularly well here because they help you feel grounded through the feet while gently mobilising the ankles, hips and spine.

How to do Mountain Pose
Stand in Mountain Pose, lift one leg and slowly rotate the ankle of the raised foot. Focus on control rather than range.
Notice the standing foot too, spreading the toes and feeling steady through the ankle. This supports ankle mobility and stability for both skiing and snowboarding.

2. Tree Pose

Why you need it: It supports balance and coordination

Balance on skis or a snowboard comes from the relationship between your feet, legs and centre, not from effort alone. Yoga helps sharpen body awareness so you feel more organised and responsive rather than tense.

Simple balance poses train your nervous system as much as your muscles, which is especially helpful on uneven or changing snow conditions.

How to do the Tree Pose
Practise Tree Pose with the foot low on the ankle or calf. Keep a soft bend in the standing knee and focus on slow, steady breathing.
Think less about holding still and more about staying present.

3. Goddess Pose

Why you need it: It activates the big muscles that support skiing and snowboarding

Strong glutes and legs are essential for both skiing and snowboarding, but they need to be awake and responsive rather than overworked. Yoga can help you activate these muscles gently before a day on the mountain without creating fatigue.

Wide, grounded postures are particularly effective.

How to do the Goddess Pose
Move into Goddess Pose and add small squat pulses. Keep the chest upright and the breath steady.
This wakes up the glutes and thighs and brings warmth into the legs before heading out.

4. Double Pigeon (or Square) Pose

Why you need it: It supports joint comfort through a full week on the mountain

Skiing and snowboarding both use the body in repetitive ways. Over several days this can leave hips, knees and the lower back feeling tight or compressed. Yoga introduces movement variety, which joints appreciate.

Hip-opening postures help reduce build-up of tension and encourage circulation through the pelvis and lower spine.

How to do the Double Pigeon (or Square) Pose

Spend time in Square or Double Pigeon Pose, keeping the spine upright and the breath slow.
If the knees feel sensitive, elevate the hips with a cushion or bolster.

5. Seated Neck Stretch

Why you need it: It supports recovery and releases accumulated tension

Recovery is what allows you to enjoy day after day on skis or a snowboard. Gentle movement and simple release techniques help the body reset after time in boots and helmets.

The neck and shoulders often hold more tension than we realise, particularly after carrying equipment or wearing a helmet for long periods.

How to do the Seated Neck Stretch

Sit comfortably and practise a seated neck stretch, gently tipping one ear towards the shoulder and pausing for several slow breaths.
Keep the shoulders soft and switch sides.

6. Plank Pose

Why you need it: It supports strength and stability without strain

Core strength and balance are essential for stability on skis and boards, but they do not need to be aggressive or exhausting. Yoga builds quiet strength that supports you on uneven terrain and through longer days on the slopes.

How to do the Plank Pose
Hold Plank Pose with attention to alignment rather than duration.
Feel the connection from hands through shoulders into the centre of the body, and step out when the breath becomes strained.

7. Seated Meditation

Why you need it? It creates calm and space within an active holiday

A mountain holiday is not only about time on the slopes. It is also about stepping away from routine, responsibility and constant doing. Yoga offers moments of stillness that help you drop back into yourself.

These pauses can be grounding, particularly if you tend to feel busy or overstimulated.

How to do Seated Meditation
Sit for a short seated meditation. Let the breath slow naturally and allow your attention to settle.