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Scott Batch

Fifty Things I Wish I Knew BEFORE I Started Surfing! #39- Yoga

Surf Fitness- Yoga

Yoga is a great way to improve your surfing skills, whether a beginner or an advanced surfer. Yoga can help you with flexibility, strength, balance, focus, and self-awareness, which are all essential for surfing. Here are some of the benefits of yoga for surfing:


-Flexibility: Yoga can help you stretch your muscles, joints, and ligaments, preventing stiffness, soreness, and injuries. Yoga can also improve your range of motion and mobility, which can help you perform better on the board. For example, yoga can help you open your hips and chest, improving your turns and cutbacks.


-Strength: Yoga can help you build strength in your core, arms, legs, and back, improving your paddle power, stability, and endurance. Yoga can also help you activate and engage your muscles, which can help you control and maneuver your board. For example, yoga can help you strengthen your shoulders and wrists, improving your pop-ups and duck dives.


-Balance: Yoga can help you improve your balance by training your inner ear, eyes, and proprioception (the sense of where your body is in space). Yoga can also help you ground through your feet, align your body, and find your center of gravity. These skills can help you maintain your balance on the board, especially in choppy or windy conditions. For example, yoga can help you practice balancing poses like the tree or warrior pose.


-Focus: Yoga can help you improve your focus by teaching you to breathe deeply, calm your mind, and concentrate on the present moment. Yoga can also help you develop self-awareness and mindfulness, which can help you tune in to your body and the environment. These skills can help you surf better by reducing stress, anxiety, and distractions. For example, yoga can help you focus on your breath, which can help you relax and cope with wipeouts or hold-downs.


-Self-awareness: Yoga can help you improve self-awareness by encouraging you to listen to your body, respect your limits, and accept yourself. Yoga can also help you cultivate gratitude, compassion, and joy, enhancing your surfing experience. These skills can help you surf better by improving your confidence, motivation, and attitude. For example, yoga can help you appreciate the beauty of nature, the thrill of surfing, and the connection with yourself and others.


As you can see, yoga is a beautiful way to improve your surfing skills. You don’t need to be an expert yogi or surfer to enjoy the benefits of yoga for surfing. You just need to find a yoga style that suits your needs and preferences. You can practice yoga on land or on a paddleboard. You can join a yoga class or follow a video online. You can do yoga before or after surfing or on days when there are no waves. You can do yoga for 10 minutes or an hour or more. The choice is yours.


The important thing is to have fun and enjoy the journey. Yoga and surfing are both amazing ways to connect with yourself and nature. They are both ways to express yourself and challenge yourself. They are both ways to live in the moment and feel alive.






















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