12 Yoga Poses on Paddle Board to Refresh Your Energy
Aside from traditional yoga, yoga poses on paddle board is a whole new experience.
Yoga on a stand up paddle board is an opportunity to push yourself to focus on your movement. SUP paddle board yoga aids in body control as you have to correct your imbalance on the water surface, which helps make your day-to-day activities more stable and energized. Practicing yoga poses on paddle board is also a way to be more present with your mind.
12 Awesome Paddle Board Yoga Poses You Can Do Now
Don’t forget to be logical in your upcoming yoga session on the paddle board, just like what you usually do in “land yoga”, yoga poses on paddle board come with an order.
1. Seated Prayer Pose
- Overview: Begin with an easy seated position.
- How-to: Sit cross-legged on the board, back straight and head held high, hands placed on your knees. Breathe and release all your muscle tension.
- Benefits: Relax your body and mind, ready for the next yoga poses on paddle board.
Source: Freepik
2. Child’s Pose
- Overview: Second gentle stretching pose for all skill levels.
- How-to: Be on all fours, arch your back downward with your arms straightened. Push your hips backward until your bottom touches your heels. Stretch your arms and let your forehead touch the board, keep your torso lying on your thighs.
- Benefits: This relaxing pose helps with digestion and bloating relief.
Source: Pixabay
3. Downward Facing Dog Pose
- Overview: Easy third step to prepare your body for the upcoming strength-building yoga poses on paddle board.
- How-to: Get on all fours with your arms straight and shoulder-width apart. Elevate your hips until your knees are straight (or nearly straight if necessary).
- Benefits: A good stretch on your lower body, strengthen your arms and shoulders with a bonus of back therapy.
Source: Freepik
4. Plank Pose
- Overview: Fourth pose for intermediate to advanced levels, but beginners can also try.
- How-to: Start on all fours then straighten your legs and arms. In this pose, your body should form a straight line from head to heels with abs tucked in.
- Benefits: Train your abs and core muscles, for strength and muscle toning.
5. Crescent Lunge Pose or High Lunge Pose
- Overview: Fifth pose of yoga poses on paddle board for intermediate to advanced level.
- How-to: Take a kneel with one leg while the other leg is at a 90-degree angle. Stretch your kneeling leg backward as far as possible and press it onto the board. Raise your arms and keep them stretched upward. Hold it for a while and change legs.
- Benefits: Balance training, open your shoulders while stretching your hips and legs.
6. Warrior 1 Pose
- Overview: A more skilled pose for endurance.
- How-to: From the Downward Dog, put one foot between your hands, bend that leg to a 90-degree angle, and straighten up your back. Maintain your balance, then slowly raise your arms to the sky and keep it straight. Hold, then change legs.
- Benefits: Open your chest and build your leg strength while training your balance.
Source: Freepik
7. Warrior 2 Pose
- Overview: Another version of the Warrior pose.
- How-to: Touch the board while standing with straight legs. Step your left foot backward, then let its knee touch the board and keep the right knee at a 90-degree angle. When balanced, twist your left foot toward the board’s side, and stretch your right arm in front of you while the other is behind you. Hold and change sides.
- Benefits: Helps with endurance, stability, and backaches if you do it right.
8. Chair Pose
- Overview: The eighth pose for all levels.
- How-to: Stand on the board’s center, then move your feet outward. Straighten your arms and lift them to a 45-degree angle, lower your hip pretending you’re sitting down.
- Benefits: Train your legs and core muscles.
Source: Freepik
9. Cobra Pose
- Overview: Simple pose to stretch your muscles mid-session of yoga poses on paddle board.
- How-to: Lie on your stomach with hands under your shoulders. Slowly straighten your arms with elbows tucked in to raise your upper body while your legs stay straight and flat on the board.
- Benefits: Chest and back opening, stretch your torso, and improve spine’s flexibility.
Source: Pixabay
10. Bridge Pose
- Overview: The tenth pose for all levels.
- How-to: Lie on your back, bend your knees until your heels touch your bottom, then lift your hip upward.
- Benefits: Stretch your whole body and release tension.
Source: Pixabay
11. Tree Pose
- Overview: Next-to-last pose for skilled ones.
- How-to: You’ll stand with one leg in this pose. So, stand straight and place the foot you’re planning to stand with at the board’s center. Slowly lift the other foot to your knee with your arm stretched upward.
- Benefits: Focus on your balance and tone your leg muscles.
Source: Pixabay
12. Corpse Pose
- Overview: The last pose is to relax and end the session.
- How-to: Lie down on your back and rest your legs and arms.
- Benefits: Release the body’s tension from previous yoga poses on paddle board and help with insomnia by stabilizing your blood pressure.
Source: Freepik
What SUP Yoga Paddle Boards Should You Choose?
Of course, to practice yoga poses on paddle board, you’ll need suitable yoga stand up paddle boards first.
There are two main types of SUP in the market: Solid vs Inflatable paddle board, and they come in many sizes. The optimal genre of SUP yoga paddle boards you’re looking for should be at least 10-12’ long, 5” thick, and 32” wide.
For paddle board yoga poses, many yoga lovers favor the inflatable SUP option for its convenience and softer surface. Also check on the board’s deck pad, similar to “land yoga”, your board should provide a good grip and make you feel comfortable for yoga poses on paddle board.
Keep Fit With iROCKER’s Yoga Stand up Paddle Boards
In conclusion, yoga poses on paddle board are quite similar to your normal poses on land, you just have to be more focused and controlled to stay balanced, and your chosen board should be the suitable size for this activity. Try out a session yourself with iROCKER’s collection of yoga paddle boards.
