Introduction:

SUP yoga has grown in popularity over the recent years and is one of the best practices for stability out there. Yes, yoga is difficult, but try it on a moving platform!

Although it takes amazing skill and balance, There are many ways beginners can get in on SUP yoga and learn the paddle board yoga poses that will best suit their skill level. Maybe you won't be a SUP yoga guru on your paddle board in the beginning, but let's face it nobody starts out at level 10!

All the world's finest yoga instructors had to start somewhere. Who knows, maybe one day you can get your own Paddleboard yoga certification!

Sup yoga can be a fun and exciting twist to your regular daily yoga routine! Here are a few paddle board yoga poses for beginners that you can try on your next day in the warm sun on your stand up paddle board!

Stability and Balance:

The first thing you should do before any yoga poses is gain your balance and center. This is the same for the traditional land yoga practice. You want to make sure anytime you are practicing yoga that you stand straight and tall, with both hands in the center of your chest for a few moments. You're going to want to do this on your stand-up paddle board as well! Find your center of balance, then slowly work towards each yoga pose, giving yourself plenty of space, keeping your feet hip-distance apart. This will help as a starting point to gain mental focus and clarity before jumping into your yoga practice.

Child's pose:

The child’s pose is Usually the first yoga pose you learn and is quite relaxing so we see why! This can be done by kneeling down and stretching both hands outward against the ground. This pose is primarily for stretching shoulders and loosening up into the other yoga poses. It's an easy pose for paddle boarding, as it doesn't require standing up on the paddle board. This will elongate your spine and relax you while you breathe into it before the next pose.

Downward facing dog:

The downward-facing dog pose may be slightly more advanced for some, but it's a wonderful pose to ease into your standing balance later on! You can go swiftly from a Child's pose into a downward dog, by placing your hands flat on your paddle board and jumping your legs backward, so that your body is now folded into an upside down "V" shape. This pose helps with stretching the hips and thigh muscles while on your paddle board.

Plank Pose:

This move is one of the most simple beginner yoga poses out there, it is just a pushup position with both arms out and palms flat raising your body above the flat surface. This one is an amazing ab toner and is a lot more core strength than you think! The plank pose does wonders for the upper body and the core!

Bridge pose:

Bridge pose can easily be performed right after a child's pose or a plank, it involves lying down flat on your paddle board and raising your hips up to the sky, with your shoulders pressed down. This stretches hips as well as thigh muscles. When doing this exercise you will notice a huge difference in your muscle definition. This makes for a great beginner pose as it is also easy to balance.

Low lunge:

This yoga pose will target those hip flexors and calves baby! Especially while keeping balance on the paddle board. This will challenge you, but can definitely be done by a beginner. You'll want to lunge forward with your front knee bent outward and one foot flat behind you, looking straight ahead to keep balance. There is no better feeling than opening the hips up and getting those leg muscles stretched from this pose!

Warrior 2 pose:

probably my favorite pose personally, use one foot forward. Warrior 2 pose is just going to start in a standing position where you are open and leaning to one side. It should be easy enough to find balance in this position even though it is an upright stance. you'll want to add some more balance by looking forward, and keeping both arms out to the side.

Savasana:

The end pose for almost any Yoga practice. There is nothing to dislike about laying on your paddle board, sunlight on the face, and bliss while you relax from the previous workout you’ve done. This puts your mind and body back into a fully peaceful resting place. You can breathe deeper now and fully enjoy your moment. This pose counts as an amazing beginner pose and just a great pose, in general, to soak up the beautiful sunlight!

Conclusion:

Go ahead and grab your board to try these out! Send up a picture on Instagram, we would love to see it! If you enjoyed the sup yoga practice, there are many other ways to learn. Whether it is for you or kid's yoga, there are many SUP yoga classes and some of the leading yoga retreats in the world that are led by a certified yoga instructor. They will have so many options for beginner and intermediate yoga. Paddle board yoga instruction could help you take these beginner steps to the next level.