You may not know this about me, but growing up as a girl during summers in Vermont, I was an avid canoeing enthusiast. Through the guidance of my canoeing mentor, Elizabeth Smith (one of my first true teachers in life), I learned to paddle a canoe in a perfectly straight line in storm force winds, land the the boat - stopping on a dime with no movement, reverse a swamped canoe and get it back to shore with no paddle, and how to solo a canoe down white water rapids. After leading groups on wilderness lake trips, portaging canoes for miles, building a shelter out of an overturned canoe to sleep in, and countless other sailing & mountaineering skills acquired along the way, I achieved the highest rank in canoeing in my final year at the camp. It was a huge moment for me to have worked toward something so rigorous and succeed. In fact, it was that accomplishment that helped me get myself through intense yoga teacher certifications later in life.
It had been a long time since I had paddled, but three years ago I was introduced to Stand Up Paddling and instantly fell in love.
In August of 2012 I teamed up with Boardworks, a leading Surfboard/ Stand Up Paddle Board company to help define the relationship Yoga has with Stand Up Paddle boarding.
These are two of the fastest growing activities in the world, and have become a way of life for the those who practice or paddle. One child's pose floating on the water was all I needed to know that yoga on the board, while it would never replace what I do on the mat, is certainly heaven!
The combined benefits of the cardiovascular exercises, core stability and yoga on the water provide for an all body workout as well as access to nature in a watery environment.
Yoga on stand-up paddle boards, also known as Yoga SUP is an interesting niche, and there are a rapidly growing number of Yoga SUP classes being offered around the world in lakes, open water, waterways, reservoirs and more.
Boardworks believes there is a bigger connection between these sports, and that it is more of a mindset of the demographic that they share; health, wellness, nature, fresh air, and play.
I am very excited to partner with Boardworks to help connect two of my favorite passions…this is another way to expand on yoga and while taking my yoga practice outside. We are seeing more and more Yoga SUP happening at yoga events around the world!
According to Boardworks National Sales Manager Ryan Guay, “We’ve seen organic growth of the Yoga SUP lifestyle and it's a natural extension of our brand. We have specific models that work perfectly for yoga applications and believe our products to be ideal for this purpose. Amy hosts retreats in beautiful places around the world. I am excited to get involved with these events and help expose people to SUP.”
To learn more about Stand Up Paddle Boarding and get a board of your own, visit Boardwork's Website.
Join me and a bunch of great yogis in Costa Rica to practice therapeutic yoga and get in the water on SUP boards every day! Visit the retreat page.