SUP YOGA at Holiday Cottages Noss Mayo
SUP Yoga is something that I’ve been thinking about doing for a while, as a runner my hamstrings get very tight and, as I never seem to have the time/inclination to stretch them after a run, I do an hour a week with Lou Reynolds Yoga. I love it because as well as stretching my muscles it makes me stop and breathe properly, something I don’t often remember to do!
What does SUP stand for?
First you will have to learn how to SUP which stands for Stand Up Paddleboarding but don’t panic there are some great instructors here in South Devon and learning is very easy at Anchor Cottage . See our article on learning to SUP. You can get into the water directly from the slipway, it’s not very deep even at high tide, and it’s a lot flatter on the river the sea which makes the balancing a lot easier.
Where can I try SUP Yoga?
I really love paddling my board down the Yealm here in Noss Mayo, it’s a chance to slow down and soak in the view, listen to the birds and let my mind relax. The rhythm of the journey magically transports you into an almost zen-like space, whatever you might be worrying about drifts away on the breeze. So I thought to myself why not combine the two & double up on the zen? SUP Yoga is simply doing yoga whilst you are on a paddleboard on the water.
What to wear for SUP Yoga.
I found a brilliant local lady called Tracie from PaddlePals and on Saturday we met a taster SUP Yoga session. I didn’t know what to wear, I’m a wild swimmer and ditched my wetsuit at the end of May so am used to going into cold water but it’s the sudden shock of falling in that could cause a problem. But it was such a gloriously hot day that I couldn’t bear the thought of trying to manoeuvre into a downward dog in a 3m suit! I settled on a swimmers swimsuit [see pic] and actually that was a good choice, ease of movement but my tummy covered in the eventuality of tumbling overboard.
Tracie had the perfect outfit, well she is the professional and tbh I should have asked for her advice. She wore a yoga outfit, gym leggings and a crop top. There are some great brands that do a full range of SUP clothing but all you need is a rash vest and some board shorts. The most important thing to wear is SUNCREAM, you’ll be out on the water for an hour and the rays bounce off the water so it’s very easy to burn.
How to SUP Yoga.
It’s really important to be safe on the water, especially if you are heading out to sea so Tracie took time to explain about river safety and staying safe on your board. I felt that I was in a very safe pair of hands which as I am a fairly new SUP student was really important.
We took about half an hour paddle boarding down the Yealm with Tracie helping me to improve my technique, I am completely self-taught so this was super helpful and I’m really enjoying putting her advice into use.
Suddenly we could see the sea, the sun was shining, the light was bouncing off the ripples of the water, it was stunning, simply stunning.
We hooked up to an anchored paddleboard and got ourselves balanced. Tracie started with an essential oil breathing exercise to get us into the zone. We then attempted a simple forward fold which is actually hard when every muscle in your body is desperately trying not to fall in! You can see a short video on our Facebook and Instagram pages.
Warrior one pose was a challenge 😊 and I almost went in when a boat went past while trying to do the Lord of the Fishes but overall I stayed dry although and felt totally energised afterwards. Thank you Tracie!
SUP Yoga tips
My top SUP Yoga tips are:
- Take your time – it’s about balance NOT speed
- Pull your stomach in – not just for the photos but it will connect your inner core muscles giving you greater stability
- Breathe – simple but not easy to remember when you are concentrating on not falling in.
- Relax – it’s a magical way to connect with nature, inhale the sea air and refresh your soul.
Creating the English Holiday Memories
We love working with brilliant people like Tracie who can take you to places off the beaten track where you can connect to nature and relax your soul. We want you to have such a brilliant holiday here in South Devon that you’ll want to keep coming back every year.
Leave A Comment