Brentwood Yoga Center

Practicing yoga on the water invites excitement, playfulness, and fun to our yoga practice. Enjoying a deep relaxation with the sun warming the body is a delightful experience that should not be missed. SUP yoga is, simply put, an experience of bliss.



Sandy's love for the water goes way back...she taught herself how to swim when she was only 8 years old. Later as a teenager and young adult she spent most of her free time on the California Delta waterskiing, playing and raising her two boys. In her 30's she became a certified SCUBA diver. She had some incredible experiences diving in the ocean including petting wild dolphins in the Caribbean, playing hide and seek with the seals in Monterey Bay. She was able to improve her swimming techniques and competed on a Master's Swim team for about 10 years. It was several years ago that Sandy discovered SUP Yoga. She's been hooked ever since.

"The combination of water, sun and yoga is a magical experience and I want to share it with everyone!"

Contact Sandy if you have any questions

yogasandy@rocketmail.com



Why SUP (Stand Up Paddle Board) Yoga?

From a physical standpoint, SUP yoga is a low impact and an excellent way to increase core stabilization, train balance, and target the smaller muscles that may be neglected or overlooked in strength training or fast-paced power yoga. Because the paddle board is an unstable surface, it is necessary to slow down, focus intently, and move mindfully9 into and out of each posture.

A studio practice offers regularity and consistency, both of which allow the practitioner to become confident and steady in a yoga practice. However, repetition can also allow the practice to become stagnant or stale. SUP yoga incorporates new challenge, which brings the yogi back to beginner's mind. Even the most simple postures, adapted to water, find new layers of depth to explore. On the water, the only mirror is one’s reflection. The only music is the symphony of water lapping, bird cries, and the steady rhythm of the breath.

Yogic wisdom recognizes that both the external universe and the internal universe are composed of the five elements: earth, air, fire, water, and ether (space). In yoga practice, we connect with earth as it supports our bodies, the air that travels into and out of our lungs, a fire that ignites within our bodies, building heat through the postures, and ether as we explore the sense of our body in space. The water element may be explored through fluidity of practice, or steady yin postures – but what better way to incorporate this element than by practicing on water?

What to Expect in a SUP Yoga class

Come ready to have a great time and possibly get wet! We begin class with an introduction to stand up paddle boarding. You will learn how to paddle, turn, stop, get up and down, and what to do if you fall! We will begin with a short paddle to warm up the body before moving through a mellow yoga flow on the boards. We will explore sun salutations, steady poses, and even inversions and backward bends for the adventurous! The class concludes with deep relaxation on the water, with the sound of waves lapping at your board, the sun shining on your face and the birds singing. In my opinion, it is totally a magical experience.

Prerequisities

You must be able to swim!

You must be able to listen to verbal instructions and watch visual instuctions.

You must have enough self awareness of your own body and mind in order to apply the instructions from the teacher.

What to Bring and Wear

All classes are at the Discovery Bay Marina. We have a few rental boards. Otherwise, you must have own board and paddle , lifevest, and whistle. This is required by federal law. We have some extra lifevests and whistles you can borrow, but really you should have your own. Your board should have a leash (a coil leash works best for the Delta) and you should wear it while paddling. Your leash should be the length of your board. A leash also serves as a paddle holder while you are practicing yoga.

Bring water, sunscreen (no oily sunscreen, it will make you and the board slippery), chapstick, hat, sunglasses, and if you have your own small anchor, bring that too. We have anchors for you to use, but if the class is large it's helpful to have your own.

Wear shorts (dri-fit spandex or leggings--not cotton) and a T-shirt or tank top. I always wear a light weight rash guard or SPF shirt for sun protection. In the early mornings, I wear a light shorty wetsuit with long sleeves.

We will take pictures of you and share them, but if you want to take your own photos, bring your own camera or phone, just make sure you have it in a waterproof bag. There are some nice fanny-pack/dry bags that are excellent for paddlers to store all your stuff in.

Bring an open heart and mind!