Yoga on a Stand Up Paddleboard?

At Healthy Options we love to offer our clients the chance to take part in a wide variety of Yoga and fitness activities by the beautiful Mediterranean Sea.  In our last letter we talked about the ‘blue mind’ and the fact that scientists have identified that our brains are hardwired to react positively to water.  If activities are carried out in or around water, it is proven to be easier for us to maintain focus.   In addition to the ease of clearing our minds the after effects of such activities carried out in or near water are a release of the feel-good hormones dopamine and serotonin.

The Yoga SUP sessions are planned for the early morning because at that time of day the water is usually flat calm, before the light mid-morning wind starts to blow.  The sun is low in the sky and it casts a beautiful light over the bay and most of the holiday makers are either still in bed or enjoying their breakfast, so the beach and the bay are still quiet.

The two sheltered bays in Syvota and Vassiliki offer the perfect location to try out some Yoga on a paddleboard.   If you love Yoga on land you will appreciate the extra challenge and the tranquility of trying your favourite Yoga routines on a paddleboard.  The demand on your core strength and balance are even greater than on land and the experience of being out on the water at this time of day is truly magical.

We asked one of our regular Healthy Options clients to describe their experience of an early morning Yoga SUP session in Vassiliki.

“I booked in for an early morning Yoga SUP session on arriving in Vassiliki. 

We met on the beach and selected our SUP board and paddles from the hut.   We then gathered as a team in the water and paddled out a few hundred metres together.

The instructor – Jojo chose an area and we gathered as best we could into a semi-circle around her.  On board each SUP was a small crate attached by a rope which acted as a drogue and limited the movement of the board, stopping the group from drifting off to Cephalonia in a downward dog!

Jojo started the session with a simple tree pose and we all attempted to copy.  Every muscle in our bodies down to our little toes were working really hard to maintain the pose and at first a few of us started to sway.  After a few more poses we felt our bodies start to relax and move with the motion of the water making balancing in the poses easier and more fluid.

The group went quiet as we focused our routine and enjoyed the peace of the morning.

At the end of the session we paddled back to the beach together ready to enjoy our well-earned breakfast.

I would thoroughly recommend the Yoga SUP sessions, a wonderful experience and a great way to start your day!”

Hannah, Teacher Dorset.