You see it everywhere. Yoga Photo Porn. That’s right – I said it. Pictures of said yogi’s doing amazing things such as touching their feet to their head in floor bow while in a bikini- thanks to Photoshop. Now it is happening in SUP yoga. Everything from scorpion pose to dancer pose while un-leased in a middle of the water chock full of boats, watercrafts, etc. While it is fun to challenge our balance on an uneven surface, it is also wise to proceed with caution and safety first.
Start with just showing up prepared.
Most states encourage a life jacket on your board, but the US Coast Guard require it. Even though most boards are essentially a PFD, they are too big and awkward to be YOUR personal flotation device in a dire time of need.
Leash it up, especially in the case of going down the river or just going anywhere. You may not plan on falling off but it does happen. You don’t want to swim forever trying to retrieve your board. Perhaps a wave from a boat comes out of no-where or let’s not think about this one too long, but maybe you faint or something knocks you off your rocker. You will be tethered to a giant PFD and someone will be more apt to find you quicker.
Leggo of Ego
That’s it, drop it like its hot. Drop that ego. The advice I was given when starting yoga was quite simply: show up and suck In the case of SUP yoga, show up and be ready to swim.
Doesn’t feel right to have the word yoga and goddess in the same sentence. Buzzfeed published their ‘23 Steps to Becoming a Stand Up Paddleboard Yoga Goddess“. I’m not going to lie, I love to practice a headstand on my board in the middle of my hometown lake. However, it has taken me years to get to this point through a daily practice and a firm awareness of my surroundings. Besides fish, one never knows what is under that water. A rock could show up on the day you may fall in. No one wants you to end your practice with hitting your head on a rock.
So start by showing up on land, take in your surroundings and pay mind to your safety – now stand up for you and your practice.