5 Reasons why yoga will improve your surfing
Yoga and surf are a real dream team, endlessly complementing each other not only physically, but mentally. There are many benefits to incorporating yoga into your on land surf training such as increased balance, flexibility, strength, stability and mindfulness. Many professional surfers include yoga into their surf training regimes such as Kelly Slater, Stephanie Gilmore and Bethany Hamilton.
We believe your surfing can only benefit from yoga helping you to flow with ease on and off the board and here our our top 5 reasons why…
1. balance
Both yoga and surfing require balance, there is no doubt about this! Whether it’s balancing on a yoga mat, or on a surf board in the ocean it’s a skill which can be consistently trained, developed and improved upon.
Through yoga it is possible to improve your balance with poses training the whole body to build strength and flexibility in the core therefore promoting better alignment and overall balance. By using yoga to improve your balance you simultaneously create a stronger and more confident surfer both in and out of the water.
Better balance, in beginner terms means you are far less likely to fall off the board and for the improver surfer it can mean you will feel more stable on the board when it comes to taking green waves, turns and other manoeuvres.
2. Increased ranged of motion & FLEXIBILITY
Improved range of motion and yoga go hand in hand - a regular yoga practice will increase your flexibility as over time your muscles can lengthen and stretch in a safe way, increasing your mobility and improving your bodies range of motion.
Key areas for surfers to focus on include the shoulders, chest and hip flexors and typically surfers who increase their flexibility will improve how their body moves both in, and out of the water. It is believed that developing your flexibility and improving your range of motion are important factors in advancing your surfing.
Yoga improves your range of motion - and range of motion improves your surfing allowing you to move more freely in your body.
3. Strength
There is no doubt that surfing requires strength from the pop up, to paddling out through the waves, manoeuvring around the line up and getting back up onto your board - it’s a full body workout.
Yoga like surfing is a complete body discipline with many of the yoga poses focused on the whole body (head to toe), strengthening the core, arms, legs and lower back - all of which are important in surfing. Strength in your arms specifically will help you develop a stronger paddle which means quicker to the line up, and quicker to catch those waves.
We believe that when practiced regularly yoga builds up your surf strength and endurance and it’s full bodied nature makes it a perfect pairing for any surfer. This strength will also help you surf better, and for longer!
4. Breath & Focus
One sport based on land and another sport based in the water, although seemingly very different disciplines both tap into a natural flow, requiring you to breathe, focus and be fully present in the moment.
Being mindful of your breath is a core foundation of yoga and is used throughout all yoga practices, helping to create a natural flow, focused attention and greater connection to the mind and body. Yoga promotes a controlled and conscious approach to your breath and when translated to surfing it can help keep a clam and focused mind, making you a better and safer surfer.
Yoga helps remind us of the importance of breath and it’s nourishing nature and it’s often in a yoga class that people first consciously encounter their own breath. For surfers, breath is so important not only to focus whilst above water but also to feel confident in your own breath should you encounter a wipeout or a continuous round of duck diving through set waves and we believe the more confident you are in your breathe on land the more confident you will be in the water.
5.MINdFULNESS
Yoga intuitively promotes mindfulness, focusing on the present moment the sensations of your body, your feelings and immediate surroundings. It asks you to quieten the mind, slow down and step back from the many daily impressions bringing your focus to the here and now.
These lessons are equally transferrable to surfing - once you are on your board and in the ocean you can only focus on the immediate now, paying attention to how the waves move, the other surfers around you and most importantly focusing on catching those waves. A clear and focused goal where there is no room for the mind to chatter, or get distracted. To succeed, you must be fully immersed in the moment.
Both yoga and surfing require patience, extreme focus and a calm mind to succeed which is another reason why we believe they complement each other so well.
Want to try a surf and yoga holiday?
Here at Shaka Surf Morocco we offer year round, all level surf and yoga packages letting you easily combine these two activities during your holiday. Spend your days learning to surf whilst rounding off your day with a daily sunset yoga session on the rooftop. You can read more about this package online here. YALAH - lets go!