Doing yoga on a paddleboard, also known as SUP (Stand-Up Paddleboard) Yoga, can be a fun and rewarding experience for several reasons:
- Engages New Muscles: SUP yoga forces you to stabilize multiple muscle groups at one time in order to keep you balanced. This action will cause you to work muscles you didn’t know you had.
- Outdoor Experience: Performed by floating on water, SUP yoga will invigorate you in the refreshing outdoors. Research has long pointed to the cognitive connection between nature and positive mood.
- Stress Relief: The link between yoga and stress reduction is clear. Partaking in regular sessions of this ancient practice has been shown to reduce depression, anxiety, and stress.
- Strengthens Proprioception: By offering immediate feedback—like falling in the water—paddleboarding also strengthens the body’s proprioceptors, which is a person’s sense of their body in space.
- Mindfulness: Both yoga and paddleboarding can bring a level of mindfulness, but combine the two and you’ll feel a whole new level of your chakras awakening. You’ll find yourself paying attention to every breath and every movement with a newfound concentration.
- Improves Muscle Strength: Yoga is well known for improving your flexibility, but with the added benefit of being out on the water, your flow will also improve your muscle tone because of the constant need to balance and stretch your muscles.
- Keeps You in the Present: When you’re balancing on a floating board in the middle of the ocean, you have no choice but to be in the here and now. SUP Yoga brings your mind back to the present and helps you forget any worries you may have.
So, whether you’re a seasoned yogi or a beginner, SUP yoga offers a unique way to enhance your practice and connect with nature. It’s not just about the physical benefits, but also about the mental and emotional ones. It’s a holistic approach to wellness that many people find enjoyable and rewarding.