Our booth at Surf Expo was right next to the demo pool and they had a demonstration of SUP yoga every day. I must say that I was really impressed. I never thought much about SUP yoga but after witnessing some of the amazing balance and flexibility demonstrated by the Yoga instructors, I am now convinced that Yoga on water is here to stay and has a great future.
The beginning of the video has a short interview with Sarah Tiefenthaler, the owner of Yogaqua (www.yogaqua.com).
In the interview she said that practicing yoga on water helps with core strength and alignment, as balancing on water requires proper alignment.
What she said about focus makes perfect sense and resonates with our Zen Waterman philosophy:
When you are balancing on water if fully absorbs you and you can't think about anything else. The purpose of Yoga is to turn off the chatter in your head. Well said, thank you Sarah!
Aloha.
Robert Stehlik
www.blueplanetsurf.com
Surfing and Stand Up Paddling as Zen arts. Written by Len Barrow and Robert Stehlik. Focus and paying attention to technique, equipment, mental aspects, the interplay with nature and others.
Robert, I love BluePlanet, but I think you have fallen under the spell of these hot SUP women. This SUP Yoga is a fad. Zen mind and worrying about falling in the water do not mix. Boards in the pool. Anchored boards? Best of luck, but I don't think it will last. Alohaz!
ReplyDeleteHaha, thanks for the comment Jamie. You are right, I was probably under the spell of these SUPer amazing yoga ladies but I hope you are wrong about SUP Yoga being just a fad.
ReplyDeleteRegardless of what you do on the board, be it SUP surfing, racing or yoga, the worry/ fear of falling can also be seen as the challenge of staying balanced. Balancing on water gives you immediate feedback; if you lose your focus and don't pay attention, you fall in. You are almost forced to be in the moment and need to clear your mind to be able to stay focused. That's why our sport helps you find that Zen state of mind, regardless of what you do on the board.