Distinctly Montana Magazine

W W W. D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A . C O M 61 Jen Brick DuCharme, owner of Boze- man's FLOW Outside, started bringing her yoga classes into the snow last winter. She has since seen an increasing interest in year-round outdoor practice. Snowga has been around for a few years, but FLOW Outside is still the only Montana studio offering the classes. e past several years have seen an explosion of studies discussing the benefits of nature, and the adverse affects of spending too much time indoors. We know we need to be active in order to stay well, so if we're trying to build a lifestyle of health and fitness, why not do it outdoors? e health benefits of nature are something that people have long known and discussed. Studies show that spending time outdoors de- creases stress, while increasing immunity and focus. More pertinent, it's been shown that people have a decreased "perceived effort" when exercising outside versus indoors. Since the effort seems less, there is more potential for retention and building a lasting routine of fitness. Consistent exercise in any form is good for you, and yoga is no exception. "ere is proven stress release in the practice of yoga," says Jen. "Moving meditation, especially outdoors, can help bring stress levels down." Numerous studies show mind-body connection increases with consistent yoga practice. Yoga also improves posture, which aids in flow and circulation. e increase in circulation and energy helps with overall mobility, as well as flexibility and strength. e most commonly asked question about snowga is in regards to the disparity between cold weather and flexibility. Most of us are taught that our muscles need to be warm in order to stretch, hence the deepened stretches sought in hot yoga. Jen has an answer to this valid inquiry, and it involves a 15-minute snowshoe to the location for her class, which works as a full-body warm up. Aside from being a warm-up, the snowshoe portion offers participants the ability to chat and meet like-minded community members, something not often afforded in classic indoor yoga, where excessive conversation is frowned upon. Snowga classes usually run between 45 minutes to an hour, depend- ing on the location, studio, and weather. To maintain adequate body temperature, snowga participants are encouraged to wear multiple thin, synthetic layers that will wick sweat and allow flexibility. ese can be taken on or off depending on how much heat is generated. Despite the warm up and the layering strategies, there are lower limits, and classes will not run if the temperature falls below 10 degrees. e snowshoes remain on for the duration of FLOW Outside classes, which allows for a wider base for balancing poses. e snowshoes and poles also work as aids for helping people get into poses, and they can use the poles as balancing aids for trickier poses. Snowshoes aren't a requirement for snowga as a whole — some studios bring mats outside, and some simply stomp out a flattish area in the snow. CONTINUED

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