18 Apr 12 Reasons Why We Love SUP Yoga

12 Reasons Why We Love SUP Yoga!

“Be calmly active and actively calm. Be intensely aware of everything you are doing.”

– Yogananda

 SUP Yoga – one of our favorite things to do in Nusa Lembongan! Taking your yoga to your ocean mat, to experience that magical feeling of walking on water!

Here are 12 things that we love about SUP Yoga at Serenity Yoga:

1) Beginner Friendly

Although it might look super intimidating and scary to practice yoga on the ocean, it is actually beginner friendly! We tailor our classes to whoever attends each one!

Besides, less is often more on a SUP board. Simple yoga poses are all you need to develop body awareness – taking them on the board just enhances that awareness.

2) Advanced students can bring another level of challenge to their practice

For the advanced yogis out there who find the more advanced poses effortless, taking them onto your SUP board will be a humbling (and exhilarating) experience for sure! Even coming back to the basics of a Warrior or Warrior 2 on a SUP board will add a whole new level of awareness to your practice!

3) You will refine your technique

You’ll be more in tune with your yoga poses. If you are slightly out of balance in a downward dog or standing warrior, your board will let you know and SPLASH!!!

4) The pace of your practice will slow down

Many times we hurry to get from one pose to the next and forget to pay attention to how we move, how we focus and the quality of our breath. Yoga on a SUP board forces you to slow down and gain more focus on your practice.

5) No practice will ever be the same

You can experience a different practice every time you go out on a stand up paddle board, because the wind and water conditions are always changing.

6) SUP yoga keeps you firmly in the present

You have no choice but to “be here now” when it comes to practicing yoga on your floating yoga mat. If you let your mind wander away too far then for sure you will find yourself falling into the ocean!! So it is the perfect practice of staying present in each moment that you find yourself and practicing mindfulnesss. Paying attention to every breath and every placement of a foot, hand, or arm is key to keeping balance.

7) It’s a truly full body experience!

The same muscles are challenged, but in a different way.

You will find that working with yoga on a SUP board will tend to give a greater challenge to the quads, shoulders, arms, and wrists – and especially the core area – because of the modifications to create balance in the pose. By engaging the muscular energy in your core, you’ll not only tone your muscles but will find a deeper sense of strength inside you. You will quickly learn how to find balance through this connection to your core.

8) Kick fear to the curb

Expect to fall in! Why? Because we have the opportunity to play, and with playfulness comes the ability to let go of our fears and try something new and just a little bit nerve wracking! The great part about falling in the water is it’s so refreshing that it doesn’t matter one single bit.

In the same way as we practice it on the mat, falling down simply gives us another opportunity to rise up tall and strong and fearless again showing just how much we can kick ass and smile along the way!

9) Nicest way to cool down during class ever!

When you get hot you simply roll of your “mat” into the ocean to cool down!

10) It will help you focus on your breath

Ujjayi breathing, or Ocean Breath, is a popular yoga method for breathing because the “ocean” sound is believed to soothe your mind – some people even listen to the sounds of the ocean to unwind from stress. So the gentle sound of water lapping against your SUP board during your practice will help you to relax connect with your breath.

11) The BEST savasana you will ever take!

Savasana on a SUP board will truly be the best savasana of your life! Imagine, for a moment, lying quietly on your back, floating with the movement of the ocean with your fingers lightly dangling in the water and a warm breeze brushing over your body as you listen to the sounds of paradise island living all around you! The sensation of simply floating also helps to release any heaviness that life sometimes throws your way.

12) Feel at one with nature and the world around you

SUP yoga uses all of the aspects of traditional yoga on the mat, but by adding the dynamic of being on water in a natural setting, you see for yourself how we’re all connected. So enjoy, feel alive, feel refreshed and energized while soaking up some vitamin D and get on a board during your stay in paradise! Take the chance to experience the beauty of our beautiful island from a different perspective. You won’t ever regret the experience.

SUP Yoga with Serenity Yoga Lembongan 

We now offer daily SUP Yoga classes in Lembongan, so make sure that you check our social media (Facebook or Instagram) or speak to our Yoga Teacher at the shala to find out our daily schedule. We are guided by weather conditions (wind, currents) and tide changes so the times of classes are often slightly changeable, so we thank you in advance for your patience! All classes must be booked in advance to secure your space!

We can’t wait to introduce you to experience of SUP Yoga in paradise!