'Snowga' brings people out of the studio and into the winter air in Regina

Regina residents braved the cold on Sunday to hold poses and relax outside for 'Snowga,' or yoga in the snow.

The temperature for the event was14 C weather, 24 C with windchill, according to Environment Canada.

"It's a perfect day," participant Shirley Friel said. "Winter in Saskatchewan can get pretty gloomy."

Friel said people need to get closer to natureand that getting outside in winter is an important part of that.

"A few minutes outside isn't going to hurt anybody," she said. "Everybody could use a little bit of that."

The class was put on by Regina-based Bodhi Tree Yoga and the Wascana Centre. People held various poses for about an hour.

Lauren Hope, programming and visitor services supervisor at the Wascana Centre, said the idea to bring Snowga to Regina started by hoping to get people out in the park and staying active.

"You laughed through half of it and the other half is just enjoying nature and and centringyourself," she said.

"It was nice just to enjoy nature even though it's cold. You bundle up dressed appropriately and you don't even feel it."

Isla Lord, whose family recently moved from Victoria, saidSnowgais a lot different from a regular yoga class.

"You're in the snow and it is a bit harder to balance," she said.

Lord said herfavourite part was throwing snow at the instructor.

"If you stay in your house all winter in Saskatchewan then you kind of go crazy," Lord said. "It's nice to go outside and have fresh air and meet some new people."

The next Snowga class is scheduled for Feb. 9, at 1 p.m CST.