PLEASE READ THIS MESSAGE IN ITS ENTIRETY IF YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN TO SUP YOGA!
1. You don’t necessarily need to get wet and you may not fall in. The boards that I teach SUP yoga on are wide, fat, floaty, and stable. The thickness of them means that the surface of the board sits high above the water (so that the deck pad stays completely dry or relatively dry). The deck pad is also cushy and comfortable, and acts as your yoga mat surface. Unless you are VERY tall, the 11" yoga board is plenty long (most yoga mats are 6 ft long) and the 30 inches of width (most yoga mats are 24 inches) provide an awesome surface to practice a full, comprehensive yoga sequence. Depending on the conditions, and how daring you get, it is totally possible to go through an entire practice and stay completely dry. With that being said, falling in is fun, as well as refreshing on a hot day, and generally the first person to fall in breaks the ice for everyone else, so don’t be afraid to get wet!
2. Dress the part. Dress in either synthetic (non-cotton) clothing or a bathing suit, be sure to hydrate well and bring hydration with you, wear sunscreen and prepare as you would for any other hot weather activity. Be mindful not to wear oily sunscreen as you don’t want to slip on the board, and unless you have a way to keep your hat and sunglasses on (floating croakies, etc), it is best to leave them behind. Bring a towel just in case and for those chilly mornings a long sleeve shirt to start out in!
3. Be safe. If you are not a strong swimmer, TELL your instructor! It doesn’t mean that you can’t be on the water, but it does mean that you will have to wear a lifejacket even during the yoga portion of the session.
4. Come with an open mind, a sense of humor, and again, a willingness to get wet! Can't wait to see everyone there! Namaste
