To leave the stress ashore, to dedicate yourself to your own body and mind on a sup board, in the middle of the ocean: this is what Sup Yoga is for. Sup Yoga allows you to stay in balance on the Ocean’s surface and fine your inner peace.
Sarah Tiefenthaler is the founder of this practice. The California based yoga teacher had a dream of transforming the ocean into a giant yoga mat. Her Yogaqua project has come up with a series of positions and breathing techniques that one can easily practice on a standup paddle board. Sup Yoga is mainly performed in the ocean, but it is also practiced into lakes and pools. Sup boards are anchored to provide more stability, they can be anchored both individually or to a star-shaped platform, where the instructor stands in the centre showing others the movements to be done.
“The main difference between a studio lesson and an ocean lesson is the different freedom you have” says Tiefenthaler, “as you leave the land, you can give all your worries and toughts up, simply floating on the water surface. Your body is constantly working to find balance, strengthening your deep muscles. Your mind is relaxed, your daily stress remains ashore, the sun and the ocean breeze gently kiss your skin. And in the end, there is nothing better than abandon your body and mind to the little waves movement, just lying on the board”.
One hour of sup yoga is worth more or less two hours of in-studio yoga, but you will be widely rewarded. Muscles get deeply toned: because of the ocean movements, the board is constantly unstable, this situation requires more concentration and more balance. Core muscles, in particular, are strengthened and you will see the beneficial effects on your abs, gluteus, legs and arms after only a few lessons. The constant search for balance helps you develop your own body awareness. Besides the well known good effects of yogic breath en plein air, the sun exposition stimulates the production of vitamin D. Sup Yoga definitely is a practice contributing to your total wellness.
