SUP Yoga: How to Start Step by Step

SUP Yoga: How to Start Step by Step

If you’re wondering why anyone would want to do Yoga on a paddleboard, you’re not alone. After all, isn’t it hard enough to maintain yoga poses on solid ground?

It is a common question from people who have not practiced Yoga Paddlesurfing yet. Still, as soon as you try it, you will realize that doing Yoga on a paddle surfboard is not as difficult as it seems and can make you discover a world of opportunities that when you practice on the ground, you do not know them. SUP Yoga is a great sport to enjoy nature while practicing Yoga.

In this article, we show you:

• The reason why more and more people are practicing SUP yoga: There are many reasons; Have fun, discover a new sport or even spend time in nature.
• Everything you need to start SUP yoga:  Normally, you won’t need anything you don’t already have, like a board, paddle, and a leash. Some people like to carry an anchor.
• Tips and postures to practice SUP yoga:  some yoga postures are more complex than others on a paddle surfboard, and it becomes highly recommended to know some valuable tips so that you can enjoy your practice to the fullest.

Knowing a little about SUP or Yoga is almost mandatory to start doing SUP yoga, but you don’t have to be an expert in either. 

Index

1. Why do SUP yoga?
   • Necessary equipment for Yoga in paddle surf
   • We recommend these yoga boards
2. Product
3.  FunWater Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board 350x84x15cm Complete Accessories, Youth and Adults with
4.  Fun Water Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board Set, 320x83x15cm, Ultralight for All Levels of
5.  FunWater Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board 320x83x15 cm Complete Accessories Adjustable Paddle
6.  Tuxedo Sailor Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board 305*78cm Sup Board Accessories Surfboard
7.  Apollo Sup Board – Complete Set for Sup Paddle – Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board with Paddle
8. How to choose a paddle surf board for yoga?
   • Tips for SUP Yoga
9. basic postures
   • downward dog pose
   • chair posture
   • crescent moon pose
   • warrior stance 2
   • boat pose
   • garland pose
   • headstand
   • Needle threading posture
   • wheel stance
   • corpse pose
   • Our paddle surf yoga routine
10. Conclution

Why do SUP yoga?

A mix between paddle surfing and Yoga may seem strange at first. But once you try it, many people have a great time practicing Yoga in the water. In addition to having a good time with friends or meditating alone on the water, there are more benefits:

To train differently:  practicing Yoga on a paddle surfboard makes you exercise muscles that you would not usually use during the routine on dry land.

Improve mindfulness:  as the board moves so much in the water, it is an additional challenge to stay on it, and you will have to be very present controlling all your movements.

To improve a beginner’s mindset:  If you practice Yoga on dry land, you may find yourself going into autopilot while practicing. But, even the best yogis can learn something new from even the simplest poses and bring their yoga practice back to an engaged and curious beginner’s mind. Paddleboard yoga is a great way to unlock that yoga practice on autopilot because it gives a new challenge to the practitioner’s yoga routine.

Other benefits:

• It contributes to obtaining a harmonic connection with the body.
• And It helps to control the mind as well as emotions.
• It not only releases stress but also repels it.
• It allows you to achieve a superior well-being condition.
• Correct the breath.
• It strengthens both the immune system and the bones, and the muscles.
• Improves stability
• Performing training consistently helps reduce blood pressure.
• Increases the level of consciousness
• Provides great body flexibility

Necessary equipment for SUP Yoga in paddle surf

You will not need any special equipment to practice Yoga SUP. Just:

Your paddle surfboard:  some board brands have created specific boards for SUP yoga, but any board that is wide and stable with a flat shape can do the trick. It is highly recommended that the board has non-slip padding on the surface, and ideally, it should be from the nose to the tail of the board. It will prevent unwanted slipping and will make postures more comfortable.

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We recommend these SUP yoga boards.

Paddle: any paddle surf paddle will work; the only thing you have to be sure of is your ideal size. While you are practicing yoga, you can have the paddle supported in a perpendicular position near the nose of the board. Or, if you have a leash or leash, you can wrap it around the leash a few times and float it on the water behind you. The leash will prevent the oar from escaping.

Leash: The most common is that it is sold separately from the table, but almost all paddle surfers end up buying one. In SUP yoga, you use the leash while paddling from shore. Then take it off once you are in the place where you will practice sup yoga. If you are not going to anchor the board, do not take off the leash so that if you fall, it will not go away. 

Optional accessories to practice Yoga sup:

Anchor: You don’t have to anchor your board, but some SUP yogis find moving during their routine distracting. Also, if you’re doing yoga with a group, being grounded can help keep everyone together.

You can use a simple fishing anchor designed to anchor your board to anchor kayaks, SUPs, and other small boats. That is how:

• Connect the end of the anchor rope to the leash attachment point on your board and place the anchor and string on the board.
• Row to a spot about 4-5 meters deep and lower the anchor overboard.
• When the anchor reaches the bottom, let out a few more feet of rope. If you have an excess string, tie the cord to the anchor to the leash attachment point. Pile the extra rope on the tail of your board.

How to choose a paddle surfboard for SUP yoga?

Performing yoga on a table above the water is not as simple as it may seem at first glance. And even more so if you do not have the appropriate equipment. Since the firmness will not be the same as when practicing it on a solid surface, carrying out this discipline requires a high sense of balance.

When selecting a paddle surf yoga board, it should be an inflatable board. However, the following tips may be pretty helpful to you. And they will make it easier for you to get one of the best boards.

• Acquire a table with high buoyancy; with this, you will maintain your balance, making it easier for you to start since stability is scarce.
• The table must be comprehensive. So that you feel comfortable when performing the different postures.
• The pad that includes your paddle surf yoga board must be soft and comfortable. It will also provide you with comfort when performing the positions.

For this activity to be more enjoyable, it is necessary to consider other points. These are the following:

• There are paddle surfboards specifically for yoga. Which allows it to tie an anchor that prevents it from drifting. This way you will have the serenity that you will hardly move from the place.
• It is also convenient that the board has a joint for the oar. In this way, it will not escape, and the surface will be empty.

Tips for SUP Yoga

If you have never done SUP yoga before, or even if you have, these tips will help you feel more comfortable on your board.

Find a sheltered spot –  Lots of wind and big waves can make SUP yoga difficult and distract you from your yoga practice. Paddle to a relatively remote place from the wind and won’t see a lot of high-speed boat traffic that will kick up a big wake.

Get away from the crowds: Something about doing yoga on a SUP makes people stop and pay attention. If you don’t like being the center of attention, but a little distance between yourself and the crowded beach.

Move slowly:  If you’ve done yoga on land but never on a SUP, start by moving through your poses a little slower than you’re used to.

Maintain a wide stance:  Some yoga styles focus on narrow body alignment, such as keeping your feet together in a mountain pose or having your front foot in line with your back foot in warrior stances. SUP yoga helps to use a more comprehensive view, about hip-width apart, for a more stable base.

Maintain two points of contact with the board:  Poses with only one point of communication, such as tree pose or eagle pose, are generally considered too difficult for SUP yoga. Try poses that maintain at least two points of contact. Also, poses that keep your body aligned perpendicular to the plank will feel more stable than those that put you parallel to the plank (such as warrior I or II).

Accept the unexpected:  SUP yoga is less controlled than practice on land. Your board can drift this way, a sudden wave can throw you off balance, and you can fall. Try to be okay with that and recognize that just like in life, you can’t have complete control over everything that will happen.

Basic postures

Next, several yoga postures will be mentioned on a paddle surfboard, which you can do without a problem, with a lot of little practice. Enjoy the following tips:

Downward dog pose

The downward-facing dog is an important position. In addition, it is helpful to start warming up the body’s extremities. This asana is also suitable for achieving balance on the SUP board. All this is the support of breathing.

Chair posture

This position for paddle surf yoga strengthens the resistance of the legs. For this, it is recommended to start by placing your feet at shoulder height. Despite everything, there is no specific separation distance between both legs. However, the less space between both feet, the more resistance you will need. And therefore, it becomes more challenging to do.

Maintaining stability on the paddleboard could be tricky, even more so if you start this yoga. However, as you practice, it will get easier and more accessible.

Crescent moon pose

It is a slightly more difficult posture to carry out. Because both feet are not on the board and the arms are held high. Although it becomes difficult to maintain balance once again, the effort to do it is worth it, especially since it grants many benefits.

For example, it is ideal for working the hips and the quadriceps. In addition, it helps to acquire strength and flexibility in the legs. After a while, it is necessary to exchange the knee that is resting on the table in this position. This way you can work both.

Warrior stance 2

This pose can be straightforward to perform on firm surfaces. However, carrying it out floating on a paddle surfboard is another story. This position will make you feel like a legitimate warrior as long as you manage to find stability.

When doing this pose, it is necessary to use the feet and legs to maintain balance since you will be above the float length line on the board, which will cause more vigorous rocking.

Boat pose

The boat posture is one of the simplest compared to the previous ones. Thanks to it, you will build stability on the paddle surfboard. However, if you don’t have well-worked abs, you may find it challenging to perform in this position since it is possible that you can get tired before time.

If you are new to practicing yoga on paddle surfboards, don’t worry. Because gradually and with a lot of practice, you will harden your muscles. After you achieve this position, it will be possible to increase the intensity of the exercise. You do this by stretching your legs a little more to exercise your abs even better.

Garland pose

This yoga posture also contributes to developing a better balance. In addition, it tones legs, hips, and the lower back. Garland’s pose is relatively calm, making it a suitable position to do interspersed. Especially among other more complicated poses that involve applying more effort.

Headstand

It turns out to be one of the cutest yoga positions. Although in the same way one of the most advanced. To perform this pose on a SUP board, you must learn to master it. You can do it by trying to carry it out beforehand. Better yet, if it is on a firm surface.

This position will make you feel fabulous, plus you will have the opportunity to see the world from another perspective.

Needle threading posture

It is designed to stretch the shoulders, as well as the spine. Likewise, it also cooperates with the elasticity in the back. It is not very difficult to execute and has very profitable results.

This position must be performed on both sides. So that way, you can exercise both shoulders and the spine in its entirety.

Wheel stance

It is considered one of the unique positions. To perform this yoga posture, it is necessary to have a lot of flexibility and experience in this discipline. And more considering that sometimes it is not easy to do for the first time, even on firm ground. Therefore, it is best to practice on a solid surface ahead of time.

This posture provides many physical and emotional benefits. For example, it helps loosen the spine. In the same way, it opens the abdominals and the chest. It also helps to lift the mood when you are down.

Corpse pose

The corpse pose is a position that is usually performed at the end of a session. It is undoubtedly one of the favorite positions because it is ideal for relaxing the body. Above all, if that day you have the opportunity to enjoy a sunny and clear sky.

Our paddle surf SUP yoga routine

These are our suggestions for a SUP yoga routine. Try them the next time you go out on the water. You can print it, laminate it and carry it in your chart so you can refer to it during your routine.

Conclusion

Now that you know how pleasant it is to do paddle surf yoga in the water and the benefits it brings, what are you waiting for to start training?

If you don’t know where to start, you can contact a specialist in this practice. If you can’t find it, get someone who has the experience and is suitable to give you a small introduction to paddle surfing. Then it is up to you to start the poses.

If you don’t get it at first, don’t worry; nothing wrong happens; instead, it is wholly expected. Through constant practice and exercise, you will improve your stability, and you will do it better and better. So get to work!

SUP Yoga: How to Start Step by Step

Last update on 2022-04-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API