5 Yoga Poses for Surfers
5 YOGA POSES FOR SURFERS
It’s widely known that the physical form of yoga helps stretch and strengthen our bodies. But an added, equally important benefit is the meditative, centering aspect of yoga–one that both mimics and prepares us for what we experience when surfing. The following are Amaru’s recommendations for yoga poses for surfers of all levels. Enjoy our daily yoga classes with these poses sprinkled in, or bring your own yoga retreat to Nicaragua and teach our community of surfers, yoga practitioners, and guests.
COBRA/UPWARD FACING DOG
Cobra/ Upward Facing dog are excellent yoga poses for surfers. An open chest and strong wrists, legs, and core are vital to surfing. Cobra and Upward Facing Dog–two variations of the same type of yoga pose–are excellent shapes to help broaden and strengthen your body. Does the pose look familiar? Surfing instructors often teach it to yoga practitioners who are learning to surf, as both poses are very similar to the shape taken when pressing up on a surfboard.
To find Cobra or Upward Facing Dog, begin lying on your mat, stomach-side down.Bring your legs and feet to touch, with your quads engaged–so much so that your knee caps might lift off the ground. Press the tops of your toes and feet into your mat. Slide your hands, palms face down, under your shoulders. As you do, bring your elbows close to the sides of your body, touching or nearly touching your ribs. Engage through your abdomen by pulling your navel toward your spine. With minimal weight in your hands, begin to lift your chest forward and up, drawing your shoulder blades closer together and keeping your elbows close to your ribs. For Cobra, keep your legs on the ground, with quads engaged. For Upward Facing Dog, press your palms and the tops of your feet more firmly into your mat, lifting your legs and hips off the ground. Hold the pose for 15-30 seconds. Lift your chest forward and up. If any part of your body feels pain–particularly your wrists or lower back–slowly lower back down to your mat.
DOWNWARD DOG
Perhaps one of the most widely known yoga poses for surfers, Downward Facing Dog is a rejuvenating pose that can help strengthen your wrists, arms, and shoulders and stretch the back of your legs.
To find the shape, start in Table Top, all fours position, with your palms facing down to the mat and your shoulders stacked directly over your palms. Stack your hips over your knees as you bring your shins and feet down to the mat, parallel to each other. Slide your hands about half of a palm print in front of your shoulders and turn your pointer fingers to the top corners of your mat, turning the palms slightly outward to the long sides of your mat. Spread your fingers wide and press into your palms and fingertips, bringing more weight into your knuckles and fingers to alleviate too much pressure in your wrists. Lift your knees off the ground and send your hips toward the sky. Begin to straighten your legs, keeping a slight (or deep) bend to your knees. Mimic the shape of a triangle with your body. Try to bring an equal energy/weight distribution in your hands, arms, legs, and feet. Your feet do not have to touch the ground, and you can keep your knees bent if that feels better in your body. Soften through the back of your neck, as if looking behind you/between your legs. Hold the pose for up to 1 minute.
WARRIOR II
Another common yoga pose for surfers, Warrior II can help improve balance, open up your chest, and energize and strengthen your hips, groin, quads, and glutes. It is also a fantastic pose to feel centered, grounded, and focused.
To find Warrior II, begin in a lunge position with your right toes facing the top, short of your mat. Step your left foot back 4-5 feet parallel to the back, short side of your mat, with the center of your left foot in line with the heel of your right foot. Turn your left toes about 5-10 degrees inward. Keep your shoulders stacked over your hips, right in the center of your mat. Extend your arms in opposite directions, parallel to the long sides of your mat, palms facing down. Soften through your shoulders, but engage through your triceps through your fingertips. You can keep your head in line with your neck, gazing out over the long side of your mat, or gaze over your right front fingertips. Energize through your core by lifting your pelvic floor toward your navel, and your navel toward your spine. Keep your gaze focused, but soften through your face. Hold for up to 1 minute, then repeat on the other side.
EXTENDED WING
Extended wing is a pose often used in yin or restorative yoga, meaning it is held passively–or with little effort–and for a couple of minutes at a time. Physically, it helps open and stretch the chest, shoulders, and arms, and figuratively, it helps expand one’s wingspan.
Lie on your mat, stomach side down. Extend your legs behind you, with your legs and feet about hips distance apart. Extend your right arm out wide, palm face down, with your hand in line with your shoulder. Your arm will mimic one side of a capital T. Slide your left hand under your left shoulder and begin to press into it so that you lift the left side of your chest off the ground. Roll toward your right shoulder and arm, as you begin to turn the left side of your body toward the sky. Bring your right temple toward the floor. If your head does not reach the floor, you can bring the back of your left hand underneath your right temple to allow it to rest more easily. Stack your legs with knees bent or extended. Hold for up to 3 minutes, as long as there is no pain, tingling, or numbness in your right shoulder or arm. Come back to center, then repeat on the opposite side.
GARLAND POSE/YOGI SQUAT
Garland Pose, often called Yogi Squat, helps open your hip flexors, strengthen your lower back, and broaden your chest. It’s a great one to practice to avoid hip cramping when sitting on your surfboard for an extended period of time. Garland Pose can be practiced with a block and blankets for more support. If you do not have access to a block, you can use a stack of books or a couple pillows.
To begin, stand with your feet a little wider than hip distance. Turn your toes outward at a 45-degree angle. Slowly begin to lower your hips toward the floor. To bring the floor closer to you, place a block (or your block substitute) under your seat and find a sustainable seat/position. If your feet do not touch the ground, you can slide a pillow or folded blanket under each heel to allow your feet to rest. Avoid letting your hips sag toward the floor. Press into the soles of your feet, lift through your pelvic floor–as if drawing your pubic bone toward your navel center–and energetically pull your hips closer toward each other. Bring your hands in prayer position in front of the center of your chest, gently pressing your elbows onto the inside of your knees/thighs. Lift across your collarbones, as you draw your shoulder blades closer together. Soften through your face and neck. Hold for 30 seconds. Come out of this pose carefully.
You can repeat this series of poses daily, always being mindful of how your body feels. If any sensation you experience is overly uncomfortable or even painful, hold the poses for less time or avoid them entirely. Otherwise, enjoy!