Yoga for Climbers

I am looking so forward to teaching a "Yoga for Climbers" workshop at Warren Wilson College at the end of March.  The link between yoga and climbing is so obvious to me, and I hope I can convince a few climbers of the same thing.  Below is a little blip about what will be covered in the workshop.  The flyer features Melina Coogan, whose climbing/kayaking/life adventures can be read about at her blog, "The Wilder Coast" HERE NOW.

"Maintaining balance and fluid movement is essential for climbing.

Through yoga, a climber can cultivate a meditative flow of movement, develop a continuity of an awareness of breath, and become familiar with how it feels to be focused, confident, and balanced. The conscious use of the breath and focus on the feet will help climbers develop proprioceptive insight that will carry over to time spent on the rock. Additionally, this workshop will teach climbers specific asanas (postures) that will help balance their antagonist muscles. We will work to especially stretch the forearms, calves, and shoulders. Then we will strengthen specific muscles in the front of the body to balance overworked muscles in a climber's back. Balance poses will be incorporated to train a climber's awareness of conflicting forces within the body and gravity. The benefits of combining these two physically precise and psychologically challenging activities will be apparent."

Dog, Yoga, Peace

A recent article about me, my dog Mercy, and outdoor yoga.  The article is written by Kate Lundquist, yoga teacher and freelance writer.  Check out her blog, Light on Balance, HERENOW.
Article copied from Mountain Xpress:

“I think I could turn and live with the animals, they are so placid and self contained; I stand and look at them long and long. They do not sweat and whine about their condition. They do not like awake in the dark and weep for their sins; not one is dissatisfied — not one is demented with the mania of owning things; not one kneels to another, nor his kind that lived thousands of years ago; not one is responsible or industrious over the whole earth.” — Walt Whitman 
Whitman’s compassion and observations toward animals mirror the way local yoga instructor Kimberly Drye likes to engage with her 7-year-old Siberian husky, Mercy, and all animals. There is a lot to learn from spending time with your pet, she says. “It is the feeling of not being rushed that the dog embodies. There is a timelessness.” She continues, “Pets are never caught up in the drama of being rushed like we are. We need to spend time with our pets and create a presence with them.” (pictured: Drye and Mercy; photo courtesy of Kimberly Drye)

A Western North Carolina native and UNCA student, Drye prefers to practice yoga in her Asheville apartment with Mercy in the room. The yogic philosophy of being present and compassionate translates to the way we interact not only with one another but also with our pets, she says. So her yoga influences the way she interacts with her dog. “I need to be present with Mercy,” Drye says. “At first she was all on me and my mat, and I would have to put her in the other room, but eventually she got used to it. Now she and I both like it.”

In fact, Drye’s hiking-and-yoga class, Yoga On The Mountain, blossomed from her experience with Mercy. “It started with an intention. I would go into the woods to do yoga privately with my dog by my side,” she says. “There is a power of combining yoga and nature.”


Drye wanted to share the inspiration with the Asheville community. In the warmer months, she guides a group of up to 20 students to various locations, including Max Patch and Black Balsam, where they hike and practice yoga.

What’s in it for the pups?

Students bring their furry companions to romp around with one another during the hike, and when Drye leads the hourlong yoga practice, the owners enjoy meditating on their mats while the dogs frolic amongst the leaves and sunshine.

Or just lie around and relax.

For more information about Drye’s class, email her at kymdrye@gmail.com or visit herenowyoga.com.

Kate Lundquist is a freelance writer and yoga teacher living in Asheville.