Lifestyle

Alpine Yoga with Apura Yoga in Obergurgl

Unleash your skiing and snowboarding potential. Practice alpine yoga with Apura Yoga in Obergurgl and enjoy the amazing slopes of the Diamond of the Alps. The yoga week offers yoga tailored to wintersport enthusiasts. The entrance is free of charge and everybody is welcome.

© Apura Yoga

Mountains are the birthplace of yoga

The Himalayan mountains are by no accident the birthplace of yoga. The steep snowy mountains provided the people from these regions an environment that was perfect for their yoga and meditation practice. Majestic views, crisp air, and quiet solitude which put them directly into harmony with themselves and with the beautiful nature that was around them.

Because of the isolation of the Himalayan mountains, yoga has been practiced for thousands of years in the east and is now becoming more and more popular in the west due to its therapeutic and life changing qualities. Luckily, one does not have to travel to Nepal or Tibet to enjoy yoga in great heights.

Yoga week in the Diamond of the Alps

The Oetztal Alps with their many snow-covered peaks which reach well over 3000 meters are an equally inspiring landscape to practice yoga. What makes yoga in the Oetztal Alps unique is that you can take your time to practice yoga in this beautiful environment high in the mountains, away from all the busyness of city life.

That’s why Ötztal Tourism teamed up with Apura Yoga to offer special yoga weeks for skiers, snowboarders and other winter sports enthusiasts in Obergurgl-Hochgurgl,  the Diamond of the Alps. Everyone is welcome again this year to experience amazing yoga classes that complement your perfect winter holiday.

© Apura Yoga

There have been so many scientific studies done lately about the benefits of a daily yoga or meditation practice such as a greater flexibility of the body, lower blood pressure and a calmer mind. Through yoga practice the body and the mind become synchronized, which results in less stress and better health. We are now very fortunate to be able to practice these ancient techniques here in the Alps without having to travel to the mountains of India or Nepal to do so.

With every Apura yoga session we guide you through an invigorating yoga practice with different Asanas (positions of the body) using the breath as a focus point. Through the Asana practice we can then calm and center the mind and feel more relaxed in the body as well. Just the right thing after an active day on the slopes of the resort.

© Apura Yoga

Apura Yoga loves outdoor sports

“We combine our knowledge of yoga with our passion for sports to create a type of yoga that benefits and enhances the body for each specific sport,” says Donovan Longaker, Apura Yoga founder.

“In Obergurgl we focus the yoga on skiing and snowboarding. This means that the yoga we provide in the morning will help to warm up your body and to create more flexibility and balance so the skiing or snowboarding becomes more fluid and lowers the risk of injuries. The evening yoga sessions that we provide help to relax the muscles after a long day on the slopes and gives people a faster recovery time so that the next day they don’t wake up feeling stiff with muscle pain,” as Donovan explains.

The yoga retreat producers and yoga teachers are specialists when it comes to yoga classes for outdoor sports. For years, Apura Yoga has offered yoga retreats and events for skiers, snowboarders, surfers, stand up paddleboarders, and other sports. Together the Apura Yoga team draws from over 30 years of personal yoga practice, 10 years of teaching, and are constantly growing and learning more.

The program

Twice a day, the Apura Yoga teachers Donovan Longaker and Dr. Yvonne Stolz-Longaker offer a yoga class that is specifically tailored to winter sport enthusiasts. The classes are free and yoga mats are provided. People of all ages, fitness levels, as well as yoga beginners and more experienced practitioners are welcome.

Classes are held at Piccard Saal in the center of Obergurgl, every day from the of 15th to 21st of January. Apura Yoga opens the doors 15 minutes before the classes start. Scheduled times are 10:30h – 11:45h in the mornings and 16:30 – 18:00h in the evenings. Apura Yoga offers different classes in the mornings and evenings to suit the skiers and snowborders needs best.

© Apura Yoga

Morning yoga

We start with some breathing exercises first (pranayama) and then move onto warming up the body. The main focus of the practice is an energetic Vinyasa Flow Yoga, where we combine a new yoga pose with every breath. A perfect warm up before hitting the slopes. Flexibility, Balance and Coordination are practiced to give participants the best start into an active day in the snow.

Evening yoga

After a long day on the slopes the muscles can create a large lactic acid build up which can either result in cramping or sore muscles the next day. We focus these evening sessions more on relaxing the muscles in the body so that they can recover faster and are ready for the next day on the slopes. In the evening sessions, a more relaxing and restorative blend of Hatha and Yin Yoga are offered.

You can find the prorgram of the Powder Snow Week in Obergurgl-Hochgurgl, wich also features the daily yoga courses, here.

© Apura Yoga

Apura Yoga – about us:

Donovan Longaker has devoted most of his life to the study and practice of yoga and meditation. He has completed a traditional three year Buddhist retreat and is therefore a valuable guide for those who want to learn or deepen their practice of meditation and yoga. Together with his wife Yvonne, the Apura Yogis draw on a combined experience of over 30 years of yoga practice.

Dr. Yvonne Stolz-Longaker is an economist, management coach and yoga teacher. She is an experienced practitioner of yoga and meditation. Her favorite outdoor sports are snowboarding, surfing and standup-paddle boarding.

Ranging from top modern to rustic style!

In Obergurgl-Hochgurgl a number of fine 4**** and 5***** star hotels, B&Bs, guesthouses, stylish apartments and lodgings with top quality furnishings are waiting for demanding guests. We strongly focus on high-class service right from the start. Booking on our online platform stands for premium quality and expert advice provided solely by local holiday experts.

Therefore guests benefit from exclusive deals, highly qualified recommendations and comfy booking without any fees – Therefore your relaxing holiday starts already at home. We offers myriad lodgings for couples, families and groups of friends. Simply take a closer look at our Obergurgl-Hochgurgl Booking Platform if you are searching for a perfect accommodation at the Diamond of the Alps.