Snowboarding seriously beats our bodies up. Plain and simple, we slam ourselves to hell and back. From our knees, backs, wrists, ankles, shoulders...pretty much our body in it's entirety. It's easy to grab your snowboard and head to the hill, anxious and eager to get some laps in without thinking twice about being in shape and warmed up. Yes, it's easy to forget all that until you take the digger of a lifetime and land on the injured list for the rest of the season - at the least.

A big part in stepping up your snowboarding game and/or staying a consistently strong and healthy rider is maintaining and taking care of your body. This is where Lacey Calvert, owner and operator of California Yoga Sport, comes into play. Currently residing in San Francisco, Lacey has made it her mission to integrate her passion for yoga with her love for action sports. Her line of videos, sessions, and workshops all maintain the theme of targeting muscles that athletes use specifically for their individual sports.

Her determination and drive have gotten her extremely far in both industries. Calvert is an ambassador for Oakley Women's and Lululemon Athletica, she's sponsored by ZICO Coconut water, has starred in an Advil commercial, and has been in Men's Health, Fitness Magazine, and Rolling Stone. The direction she takes yoga is perfect for avid riders who want to progress and get in as many days on the mountain as possible. We chatted with Lacey about where she came from, how she got started, and why yoga is so beneficial for action sports athletes.

Alright Lacey, we know your fascination with action sports and yoga had to start somewhere...where are you from...or where were your raised?
I'm from Santa Rosa, which is about an hour North of San Francisco. My love for action sports started with my family. We grew up enjoying the outdoors, camping hiking, biking, etc. We had a half pipe in my backyard growing up, and my parents are big skiers so I started skiing at age 2. Then snowboarding was way cooler at 12, so I jumped on that train. At age 21, I moved to Honolulu, HI for a bit, where I got the itch for surfing. I then moved to Huntington Beach, where I got more into surfing and also starting doing yoga when the waves were too big for me. I immediately started to see how all these worlds overlapped perfectly.

What steps did you take to get to where you are today? How did you get involved with Oakley?
It seems like with all my hard work and by following my heart, everything just keeps falling into place. I started my career post-college as an elementary school teacher and after a few years working in LA Unified, I realized that career path wasn't for me. I began practicing yoga, and it became my true passion. Then, I had a friend ask me to teach yoga for some pro surfers in HB, and realized that my love for action sports and yoga could turn into a career. Word spread; I got more clients, branched out into snow, football, baseball and BMX.

California Yoga Sport was born after I saw how yoga can benefit these professional athletes. From there, I worked my butt off to get sponsors like Oakley Women and ZICO coconut water. I think when what you do and who you are represents a brand naturally, then opportunities like Oakley Women comes along. The brand represents myself as a female athlete and strong person, with some sweet shades.

What was behind your core idea of yoga specific for action sports athletes?
Because I grew up riding a board on snow and land, I can see how beneficial yoga can be for someone in this career. I make sure that whatever sport my client is involved in, I have tried before. That way I can feel what muscles in the body are used. Yoga allows lengthening and strengthening in the targeted muscles, and overall make you a stronger, better athlete.

How does it feel to be the face of California Yoga Sports....or ya know....in an Advil commercial, in Men's Health etc? Did you ever see that in your future?
Oh, you saw that?! Haha! Yeah, it's still pretty weird since I have only seen the commercial once (I don't own a TV) but I am pretty grateful about all the opportunities and experiences that it brought me. I was walking out of a grocery store the first week I moved to San Fran, and a lady asked me some questions about what I did for a living. I was feeling friendly, so I answered. Soon a camera crew and production team was in town filming me at the yoga studio that I managed. Then I got a call from Scotty Lago and his girlfriend saying that they saw the commercial in Canada, and I knew it went international. From there, I went to New York to film the second one with Regis Philbin and shot some ads. It's still weird for me.

How is the yoga culture in San Francisco?
San Francisco is obsessed with yoga. Everyone walks around with a yoga mat in their bags and yoga pants on. It was hard to move from So-Cal to SF knowing that the action sports world lives down there, but I see myself growing as a yoga instructor in the SF culture. It's the perfect place for me to live at the moment.

Do you prefer doing yoga inside and with a class or outside by yourself?
I love doing yoga outside! That's how I started training surfers...right after a surf on the beach. If I could, I'd do it everyday on the beach or a pier. It's just a different experience having nature in your practice.

If you could do yoga in one spot for the rest of your life...where would it be?
Man, that's a hard question. I always had a vision of moving to Costa Rica and doing Surf and Yoga retreats. I think anywhere warm on the beach I'd be okay with.

What would you suggest to riders that want to get involved with yoga in their local spot? Just get a hold of one of your videos?
Definitely! I am in the process of making more videos to put online for riders to download, and while on the road this is great to keep in shape and cross train. But in the meantime, I suggest everyone to just go out and try all the different styles of yoga there is. Find one that feels good for you, and keep it up.

You want your own session with Lacey this winter? Lacey will be leading yoga sessions at the all-female snowboard/ski camp, the Oakley Progression Sessions - specifically at the Mammoth Mountain and Loon Mountain stops. Head here to register.

Photos: Jesse Fulton - (Top photo - Lacey leading class at Mimi's Cookie Bar in Mammoth Lakes, CA, Middle photo - Shayne Pospisil in same class at Mimi's Cookie Bar, Bottom photo - entire class)