Walking, climbing and backpacking trails and mountains in Yunnan this past week, inspires me to write about the benefits of yoga for hikers. The same muscles are engaged repeatedly in flexion and extension motions causing tightness and aches in the hips, quads, ankles, IT bands, back, shoulders and neck. A regular yoga practice with concentrated deep yogic breathing helps to open up the lungs, diaphragm and chest, increasing the amount of oxygen to the blood and muscles. When the legs, glutes and core muscles are strong, flexible and stable, the whole body finds balance and gains a better posture, preventing the common soreness and injuries of the lower back, the knees and the ankles joints.
Yoga provides techniques to prepare the body and the lungs to experience high altitude hiking with internal peace, joy and openness. The beautiful scenery that unfolds at the top of a mountain is the ultimate reward.

Namaste