By Miriam Mezzetti
APU is proud to offer a variety of fun, affordable programs for the community to enjoy through our APU Recreation and Outdoor Programs. One such program is stand up paddle board yoga. We offered several weekend workshops for paddle board yoga during July and August, and hope to offer the course again next year.
Yoga on a paddle board gives an enjoyable and fun twist to regular yoga positions. As our paddle board yoga instructor, Amanda Montavon, explains “yoga on a paddle board helps to bring awareness to the subtle aspects of poses. For example, we always try to stay evenly balanced in yoga and to spread our toes while standing. On the paddle board, you actually feel how this centering is necessary for balance.” She observes that paddle board yoga also “helps you to learn to flow through life like water and to focus on the yoga itself.” Lastly, she says, “Yoga on the water is fun! Adults rarely get time to play so this is a nice change of pace. The best part is that it is also a workout. Balancing on the water engages your core, glutes, and leg muscles.”
This unique combination of exercise, meditation, and play is definitely beneficial and participants enjoy it thoroughly. Some of the participants had never been on a paddle board before the session, and some had very little experience with yoga, but the instructor made sure to cater to each level of proficiency. Soon all of the participants were not only standing up on the paddle board, but doing yoga positions they never thought they would be able to manage on the water.
We are pleased to offer enjoyable programs for our community and encourage anyone interested in future paddle board yoga workshops, or any of APU’s other workshops, to visit our website for more information.
