Paddleboard Yoga -
Picture this— the sun is setting, sparkling the yellows and oranges on the lake, with the slightest breeze, listening to the frogs and crickets sing along with the loons’ call. You feel the lake moving gently at your paddleboard as you gracefully move into your next yoga pose.
A few months prior you would have never guessed that you would be here today. Paddleboarding AND doing yoga? After experiencing how paddleboarding works out your entire body and small muscles, yoga allows you to focus on all the muscle groups in a mindful way as you work on breathing while doing yoga practice. Paddleboard Yoga seemed like a no-brainer, and an even better challenge.
What’s the difference between your traditional paddleboard and a yoga paddleboard? The shape. A stand up paddleboard yoga board has an expansive deck— typically 34-35 inches wide. The extra width makes the board incredibly stable, which is what you want when changing yoga positions because when it comes to stability, the wider, the better.
Stand Up Paddleboarding has quickly become a favorite cross-training for many. Although modern standup paddleboarding began in Waikiki, Hawaii in the 1940s, records of earlier forms of standup paddleboarding have been found as early as 3,000 B.C. spanning various regions like Peru, Levant, Italy, and China.
The biggest questions I had were: what kind of board should I get and what do I wear? An inflatable paddleboard is a great option as they are a bit softer than other boards, making them more comfortable for yoga poses. Another option is the planing hull paddleboard (similar to a surfboard), which is also great for leisure paddling and even whitewater– which are available in solid or inflatable.
In Minnesota, we know that the lakes stay pretty cool until late summer, so when the water is cooling off, you should wear a wetsuit or drysuit to stay warm. However, when the weather and water are warmer, a swimsuit or shorts and a T-shirt work great. It is ideal to have something that you can move freely in and that dries quickly if you do get wet or fall into the water.
Whether you go to the Cuyuna Mine Pits or a local lake, you can find paddleboard rental opportunities wherever you go, so you won’t fall short of adventure or scenery.
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