What is Paddleboard Yoga?

Paddleboard yoga is a combination of surfing and yoga. Basically, it's yoga on a paddleboard – in the water! Paddleboarding and paddleboard yoga first gained popularity in Hawaii, then quickly spready to the West Coast of the United States. Now, paddleboard yoga is becoming more widespread, hitting vacation destinations like the Bahamas, Caribbean islands and South Florida.

SUPcore Unlimited, an organization dedicated to Stand Up Paddleboarding, is a big proponent of paddleboard yoga. You can find SUPcore Yoga classes and others just like them all over the United States, even in cities and towns away from the ocean. For example, you can take paddleboard yoga classes on the river in Tennessee with Chattanooga SUP Yoga.

Let's be honest, though – a river is not the Pacific Ocean – and this workout originated in the waters off Hawaii, so why not head straight back to the source? If you're able to, we highly recommend trying paddleboard yoga in the form of Flo-yo, as its referred to at the Fairmont Orchid on the Kohala Coast. Furthermore, this gorgeous resort has a stacked Christmas-time itinerary at the ready for you and your friends or family. We know you're going to need that little bit of extra zen during the hectic holidays!

What Can You Expect in Class?
 

In your first paddleboard yoga class, you will not enter the water. Instead, you will practice on land on a paddleboard instead of a mat. During this first session, you will learn how to stay focused and find balance on the board.

The second class will start on land with a slow progression toward the water. Once you're in the water, you will practice basic yoga asana poses such as pigeon, upward dog and downward facing dog. Expect to fall in the water a few times in the beginning, but over time you will fall less and less.

Anyone who is interested in paddleboard yoga can sign up for classes, though it is recommended you have practiced before and have a familiarity with the basic poses. 

Why try it?

Performing yoga on a paddleboard is not only visually pleasing, it also helps you improve strength and balance. Being on the water requires extra balance and stablization, thereby enhancing your experience and adding new challenges to your practice. One muscle group in particular that gets an added workout is your core. When we perform yoga on land, our core muscles are only engaged in some positions. When we do yoga on the water, our core muscles come in to play constantly.

More importantly, in answer to the above query, we say: why not?