How to SUP Yoga: Beginner Poses

Beginner Yoga Poses

Beginner Yoga Poses

1.) Utkatasana (Chair Pose)

Rest your paddle on the front of the board.  Come to all fours; hands and knees on the board.  Place the knees on either side of the handle (if your board does not have a handle place your knees in the middle of the board) hip distance apart.  Place hands shoulder distance apart; palms face down.
Alignment Check:  Maintain the distance but ensure that the hips are stacked over the knees and the shoulders over the wrists.
LOOK FORWARD as you lift your right knee and pull your body towards the front of the board.  Drop the right foot next to or just behind the right hand.  Press down into the palms of your hands and the right foot.  Keep pressing and lift your hips to step the left foot forward.  Pick up the paddle with both hands.  LOOK FORWARD.  Press into both feet and keep knees bent as you raise the paddle over your head.  Straighten elbows and let those shoulders melt down your back.  To deepen into the pose, sit lower to the ground; thighs parallel to the water.  Take 3-5 complete breaths here (inhale/exhale 1…).

2.) Plank Pose  

Come to all fours.  Rest your paddle in front of you or in between your hands and knees.  Look underneath you and position yourself so the point between the navel and hip line is just over the handle/middle of the board.  Place hands shoulder width apart and stack shoulders over wrists.  LOOK FORWARD and step the feet back (one at a time) to straighten the legs.  Keep the gaze forward.  Engage your core- think of sucking a marble up through your belly button.  Engage your legs- pretend you are pressing your heels into a wall.  Now, smile.  And…keep smiling.  This is how you get that sizzling six pack.
Modification:  If you are straining or feel discomfort, drop the knees.  Lift the feet and bring the two big toes together.  Keep the core engaged.  Keep looking forward.
Take 3-5 complete breaths here (inhale/exhale 1…).

3.) Adho Muka Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog)

Come to all fours.  Rest your paddle in front of you or in between your hands and knees.  Place hands shoulder width apart and stack shoulders over wrists.  Place knees under hips.  Tuck toes under and press into your palms (try clawing the board with your fingertips and suction the palms down to protect the wrists).  Lift hips up and back.  Peddle the feet out a few times and straighten the legs.  Try to draw your heart towards the board and your tailbone towards the sky as you continue to press into your palms.  Lengthen through the rib cage.  Engage the core and the legs and then, just surrender.  Think of any dog you’ve seen stretching; they really get into it.  It’s supposed to feel good…right?
Be Mindful: Do not hyperextend your knees; if the knee cap looks like it is sinking past the quadricep, put a slight bend in the knees.  Do not push into the wrists.  If straining make a fist with the thumbs outside the fingers -or- concentrate on transferring the weight to the bottom of the knuckles of each thumb and first finger.
Take 3-5 complete breaths here (inhale/exhale 1…).

4.) Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose)

Come to sit with your legs out in front of you; feet face the front of the board.  Place your hands on the side of the board and move your body to sit just above the handle or the middle of the board.  Lie down on your back; hands at your sides.  Enjoy the moment here with a breath or two.  Now, bend your knees and place your feet on the board near the sit bone;  keep feet hip distance apart.  Wiggle your middle fingers and graze the back of your heels with them.  If you cannot touch your heel with your middle finger, draw the feet in closer towards your gluteus maxi.  Got it? Good.  Return hands to sides of the body, palms facing down.  On the next inhale, raise your hips and think of squeezing a block in between your thighs.  If possible, shimmy the shoulders together to draw the arms in.  Interlace the fingers underneath the hip line; if not, leave hands by your sides -or- lower the hips, move feet closer to the sit bone, grab the ankles and then raise the hips.  Raise chest; keep chin down.  Take 3-5 complete breaths here (inhale/exhale 1…).
Cues and Clues:  Raise hips; engage legs and core; soften the gluts; raise chest.

5.) Navasana (Boat Pose) variation

Sit with your legs out in front of you; feet face the front of the board.  Place your hands on the side of the board and move your body to sit just above the handle or the middle of the board.  Keep hands at your side.  Bend your knees and place your feet on the board.  Lean back and lift feet up until knees and ankles are in one straight line.  Raise your arms out in front of you; fingertips point towards the toes.  Engage your core by pulling your navel into the spine.  Bring the heart forward.  Relax the shoulders.  Set your gaze and breathe.  Take 3-5 complete breaths here (inhale/exhale 1…).
Pose Inspiration:  The importance of a healthy back!  This pose isn’t just for abs; it also strengthens the back.  “As long as the back is strong and needs no support, one feels young though advanced in age.  [This pose] brings life and vigor to the back and enables us to grow old gracefully and comfortably.”  -Straight from the master BKS Iyengar.

6.) Marichyasana (A pose dedicated to the sage, Marichi)

Sit with your legs out in front of you; feet face the front of the board.  Place your hands on the side of the board and move your body to sit just below or above the handle/middle of the board.  Bend the right knee and bring the foot towards the sit bone.  Keep a fist distance between the heel and the sit bone.  Keep the same distance between the foot and the left thigh.  Raise your arms in front of you and square off over the left leg.  Inhale- lift chest and roll your shoulders back.  Exhale- fold over the left leg and reach for the left knee, shin, or ankle with both hands.  Release the right hand and rotate the shoulder and wrist so the palm faces to the right.  Begin to wrap the arm around the right leg; as you do so the right triceps rest just below the right knee.  Continue the wrap around by bending the right elbow and allowing the chest to come forward as the right hand reaches around to the right hip or lower back.
Check-IN: Once the right hand is behind you, check in with your hips.  Make sure they are still squared off over the left leg.
NOW, release the left hand and and draw the left arm around the left side, bending the elbow as you come around.  Place the top of your hand on your left hip or lower back UNLESS you can reach the left hand back even further to grab the right hand.  Look forward over your feet.  Raise your chest, engage the core, and draw your shoulders away from your ears.
Take 3-5 complete breaths here (inhale/exhale 1…).

When you’re finished make sure to give yourself some thanks.

“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” Albert Einstein