Many of us enjoy time on our yoga mats, taking a moment to breathe while moving our bodies. Some also love spending time on lakes and rivers, inhaling the fresh air and listening to the water as it moves. A combination of these activities can be found in standup paddleboard yoga, SUP Yoga for short. Participants take standup paddle boards to (relatively) calm waters and transfer their yoga practice from land to sea.
The movement of the water requires more core stability and minute muscle adjustments in comparison to traditional yoga, making basic poses more difficult for even the most experienced practitioner. A moment of lost focus can send you wobbling and, in the case of a failed recovery, to a nice dip in the water. If you're looking to add some variety and challenge to your yoga practice, SUP yoga is definitely worth a try.
Recently I joined Root SUP, a SUP Yoga company based in Pinckney, Michigan, for a photo shoot and learning session about SUP Yoga.
Root SUP was founded in 2017 by two strong willed and determined women; Amy Vezina and Emma Grace Cramer. The company was born out of mutual love for paddle boarding and yoga as a result of a freshly formed friendship. It is a friendship that started not unlike the scene from the movie "Stepbrothers" where Amy and Emma instantly became best friends after one short conversation. Sometimes, you just know. Similar to the easiness of starting their friendship, creating a paddle board yoga company together seemed like a natural next step.
Amy and Emma Grace are both highly trained 200 hour Registered Yoga Teachers who are certified in CPR/First Aid. Emma completed her World Paddle Association Level 1 training as well as her SUP Level 1 & 2 American Canoe Association Instructor training and has participated in multiple paddle board races. Root SUP offers a variety of weekly classes that include lakeside yoga then paddling, paddling by itself, and SUP Yoga. With the company mantra being "if you can feel grounded on the water then you can feel grounded anywhere" Root SUP empowers their students to feel confident both on and off the water. All classes are beginner friendly with the exception of the "Advanced Level Sup Yoga" class which is tailored towards more experienced students.
Classes typically run from Memorial Day to Labor Day however this year the season will extend due the high demand. Private classes and small private events are available upon request. Root SUP is hoping to resume their highly popular and historically sold out "sunset paddles'' in 2021. If you are a 200 hour RYT and CPR/First Aid certified then you are eligible to apply for the Root SUP Yoga Teacher Training Program. If you're interested in learning more or trying one of their classes, check out root-sup.com.
Keep an eye on JOOB’s social media for features of Emma and Amy rocking some Joobwear on their paddleboards.
