Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) has become a popular water activity that offers a wide range of benefits. From recreational paddling to racing and even fishing, there’s a paddleboard for every purpose. One of the most exciting and enjoyable uses of paddleboards is for practicing yoga on the water. Whether you’re a seasoned yogi or just looking to try something new, SUP yoga can provide a unique and exhilarating experience. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the best paddleboards for yoga, along with essential tips and poses to get you started.
Why Choose a Paddleboard for Yoga?
Yoga on a paddleboard adds an extra element of challenge and excitement to your practice. The surface of a paddleboard requires you to engage your core muscles and use more balance and stability compared to a traditional yoga mat. Most inflatable paddleboards (iSUPs) provide ample surface area, making them ideal for practicing yoga poses. Additionally, the soft and grippable deck pads on iSUPs offer excellent traction for various yoga positions.
While you can practice yoga on any paddleboard, some boards are specifically designed with yoga in mind. These yoga-specific paddleboards offer features that enhance your practice, such as increased stability, wider noses and tails, and minimized extras like action mounts and cargo areas. They provide a dedicated platform for your yoga routine, allowing you to focus on your practice without distractions.
Best Paddleboards for Yoga
Bluefin Aura Fit: The Ultimate Yoga Board
The Bluefin Aura Fit is a top-of-the-line paddleboard designed specifically for SUP yoga. With a width of 36 inches, this board offers exceptional stability, allowing you to perform various yoga poses with ease. The deck pad is spacious and provides excellent grip, ensuring that you stay secure during your practice. The Aura Fit also includes a kick pad, making it suitable for both yoga and normal paddleboarding.
The package comes with a fiberglass paddle, a durable backpack, a high-pressure pump, a leash, three fins, and a waterproof phone cover. The board is made with high-quality materials, ensuring durability and longevity. With its versatile design and exceptional stability, the Bluefin Aura Fit is the perfect choice for anyone looking to take their yoga practice to the water.
Bluefin Voyage: Stability and Versatility
The Bluefin Voyage is another excellent option for SUP yoga. While it is primarily marketed as a fishing board, its stability and wide deck make it suitable for yoga as well. The higher sides of the board provide added stability and help you maintain your balance during poses. With a size of 10’10” x 38″ and a thickness of 6 inches, the Voyage offers ample space and stability for your yoga practice.
The package includes a backpack, a paddle, a leash, and a pump, making it a complete set for your paddleboarding adventures. The board is made with durable materials and can support a maximum weight of 286 lbs. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced yogi, the Bluefin Voyage is a versatile and reliable option for SUP yoga.
FunWater Tiki: Budget-Friendly Yoga Board
If you’re on a budget but still want to enjoy the benefits of SUP yoga, the FunWater Tiki is an excellent choice. Despite its affordable price, this board offers impressive stability and versatility. With a width of 33 inches, it provides ample space for yoga poses and ensures a secure and comfortable practice. The board features a large traction pad with a beautiful design, offering both stability and aesthetics.
The FunWater Tiki comes as a complete package, including a paddle, a backpack, a high-pressure pump, a leash, and three fins. The board is highly rated by customers, with over 1500 reviews on Amazon, praising its quality and performance. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced yogi, the FunWater Tiki is a fantastic option for SUP yoga without breaking the bank.
Essential Tips for SUP Yoga
- Find Your Balance: When starting with SUP yoga, focus on maintaining a low position close to the water surface. This will help improve your balance and stability.
- Embrace the Challenge: Don’t be afraid to fall into the water. It’s a part of the learning process, and even experienced practitioners sometimes lose their balance. Embrace the challenge and enjoy the refreshing dip in the water.
- Keep Your Eyes on the Horizon: To maintain stability and balance, fix your gaze on the horizon. This helps you stay focused and centered during your practice.
- Focus on Your Own Journey: Avoid comparing yourself to others during your SUP yoga practice. Everyone progresses at their own pace, and it’s essential to focus on your own journey.
- Just Do It: Don’t hesitate to try SUP yoga. It’s a fantastic workout for your body and an excellent way to unwind on the water. Grab your paddleboard and embrace the experience.
8 SUP Yoga Poses for Beginners
- Downward Dog: Start your session with the classic Downward Dog pose. This pose helps lengthen your spine and improve balance on the board.
- Modified Crescent Lunge: Open up your hips and quadriceps with the Modified Crescent Lunge pose. This pose strengthens your core and improves stability.
- Warrior: The Warrior pose is a great way to build strength and stability on your paddleboard. It requires focus and composure to maintain balance.
- Boat: Engage your core and build strength with the Boat pose. This pose targets your abdominal muscles and helps improve balance and stability.
- Bridge: The Bridge pose is excellent for stretching and strengthening your back and leg muscles. It also helps improve overall body awareness and balance.
- Tree: Test your balance and focus with the Tree pose. This pose strengthens your legs and core while improving stability on the paddleboard.
- Child’s Pose: Take a moment to relax and restore your energy with the Child’s Pose. This pose allows you to find peace and tranquility on your paddleboard.
- Savasana: End your SUP yoga session with Savasana, the final relaxation pose. Allow yourself to fully relax and absorb the benefits of your practice.
Conclusion: Dive into SUP Yoga
SUP yoga offers a unique and exciting way to enhance your yoga practice while enjoying the beauty of the water. The best paddleboards for yoga, such as the Bluefin Aura Fit, Bluefin Voyage, and FunWater Tiki, provide the stability and features necessary for a successful SUP yoga session. Remember to stay focused, embrace the challenge, and enjoy the tranquility of practicing yoga on the water. So grab your paddleboard, find your balance, and dive into the wonderful world of SUP yoga. Namaste!
Whether you’re a seasoned yogi or just like to stretch out from time to time, practicing yoga on a paddleboard can be an incredibly fun activity. Most iSUPs have as much or more usable surface area than your average yoga mat. The soft, but grippable, deck pads make excellent surfaces for practicing yoga of all levels.
While you can practice yoga on any paddleboard, some are made specifically for the practice of SUP yoga. So what sets these paddleboards apart from others?
The first thing that any yoga-specific paddleboard will focus on is stability. This generally translates into SUPs that are wider (typically 33″+) and have long parallel sections through the board, rather than aggressive tapers. Yoga SUPs will also normally have wider noses, wider tails, and lower rocker lines (how far the nose and/or tail lift up from the water). All of these features work together to add stability to help with positions of all difficulty levels.
There are some other items that many yoga-specific SUPs include to make your practice easier and more comfortable. Larger deck pads provide more grippable area for you to use. Minimized, moved, or removed “extra” features like action mounts and cargo areas keep the deck clean and free from tripping hazards. Lastly, many yoga iSUPs also move the position of their carrying handles away from the middle of the board.
With those features in mind, we’ve compiled a group of our favorite paddleboards for yoga. Some are yoga-specific, others aren’t. They span a range of prices, sizes, and features, but all provide an excellent base for your sun salutation, sirsasana, or (my favorite) savasana.
Best Paddleboard for Yoga Comparison Chart
| Paddleboard | Dimensions | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Sea Gods Infinite Mantra ULF | 11 ‘ x 34″ x 6″ | US, CAN, AUS |
| Thurso Tranquility | 10 ‘ 8″ x 34″ x 6″ | US, CAN, UK, EU |
| Glide O2 Lotus | 10 ‘ x 35″ x 6″ | US, International |
| Sea Gods Diatom Ten6 ULF | 10 ‘ 6″ x 30″ x 4″ | US, CAN, AUS |
| Nixy Venice G4 | 10 ‘ 6″ x 34″ x 6″ | US, International |
| Isle Pioneer 2.0 | 10 ‘6″ x 34″ x 6″ | US, CAN, UK, EU |
| Gili Komodo | 10 ‘6″ x 33″ x 6″ | US, International |
| Red Paddle Co. Activ MSL | 10 ‘ 8″ x 34″ x 5.9″ | Worldwide |
| Bluefin Aura Fit | 10 ‘ 8″ x 35.5″ x 6″ | US, UK, EU, AUS |
| FunWater Tiki | 10 ‘ 6″ x 34″ x 6″ | US, International |
Each of these paddleboards has its own unique features and benefits, so it’s important to consider your specific needs and preferences when choosing the best paddleboard for yoga. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced yogi, practicing yoga on a paddleboard can add a whole new level of fun and challenge to your practice. So go ahead, find your perfect paddleboard, and take your yoga practice to the water!