When it comes to yoga, balance is the name of the game. In recent years, stand-up paddleboards have become particularly popular, and it is easy to see why. It’s a great, mindful sport and can be a lot of fun just to paddle out into the ocean or lake or stream. But stand-up paddleboards are also good for something else: yoga.
Bic (yes, the same company that makes your pen) has some of the best paddleboards on the water, and we borrowed a couple to get us started with our practice. The paddleboard adds an extra challenge to the core and to your balance and lends a new challenge to familiar poses. With that in mind, here are 12 yoga poses even a beginner to paddleboarding (though not to yoga) might want to try.
Rooting down through all four corners of the feet, bring the hands up overhead for a tiny backbend. This is a great place to get started and find your balance on the board. Root to rise, and rock around the feet to find a comfortable middle.
Up Dog
Press through the palms and the tops of the feet — thighs will lift, gaze will be up or straight ahead. Up Dog is actually a back bend and part of Surya Namaskar A on the board. As you get into a rhythm on the board, this one feels particularly empowering.
Downward Dog
Down Dog on a paddleboard feels very challenging. Normally this is a home base pose, but here it is a little more difficult. Keep the gaze on the upper thighs, and press the belly back, working that downward motion through the heels.
Uttanasana 1
Be careful not to get seasick here! The extra motion from the lapping water adds both a challenge and a bit of a sway to this pose. If you start to feel nauseated, sink into Child’s pose.
Uttanasana 2
Bring your hands to your shins, and straighten out your spine. Look up.
Camel pose
This is a challenge pose. Start on your knees, and then reach back for your heels. Steady yourself as you look back. If you fall in, don’t stress! Just get back on the board and try again. This is a great chest and hip opener.
Child’s Pose
Ah, Child’s pose. Take this as many times as you need throughout your sequence. It feels especially good with the motion from the water and the sun on your back.
Chair pose
Utkatasana, Chair pose, is a sleeper pose. It feels easy initially. Sit in an invisible chair? No problem! But quickly your thighs start to quiver, and you start to tire. Don’t give up! This is a great one on the board because you have to work even harder to keep yourself steady.
Wheel pose
Wheel pose is one of the hardest back bends, but it feels so good. The added challenge of the paddleboard really helps to round this one out.
Plank pose
Make sure your wrists are directly under your shoulders here, and draw the navel in toward the spine. This is a great core strengthener made especially good by the motion of the water. It forces you to use muscles you don’t normally use to stabilize and strenghten.
Chaturanga
This is the bottom of a pushup and takes enormous strength. You feel like a superhero doing it over water.
Warrior 2
This strong Warrior pose feels easy on the ground. On a board it’s entirely different.
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