We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Read my full disclosure here.
As far as fitness goes, I have a wide variety of interests. I like to run, ride my bike, I go to Zumba once a week and I work out at Crunch as well. I do a small group training class on Sundays and I try to incorporate some weight training throughout the week. But one of my favorite activities is a Stand Up Paddle Board Yoga session!
SUP Yoga Long Island
What is SUP or Stand Up Paddle Boarding?
SUP stands for Stand-Up Paddle Board, which is basically a long, sturdy surfboard that you stand on and paddle with one oar.
I first went Paddle Boarding in 2016, after buying a Groupon to try it on the North Shore of Long Island. I took my sister and cousin and we paddled around the cove near Sea Cliff. We were in and out of a boat yard so there was a bit of a wake (aka waves and current) but I got the hang of it pretty easily.
This is such a great upper body workout, a test in balance, and I LOVE being on the water. After an hour on the board, you WILL feel those quads the next day!
When I went to Hawaii last August, I noticed that the resort where we stayed at end of our trip (Waikoloa Beach Marriott) offered SUP Yoga classes! So I signed up!
When I arrived at the class, I was the only student! So I had a private lesson!
For this class in Hawaii, we were out on the Anaeho’omalu Bay, also known as A-bay to the locals. We paddled out, dropped an anchor and went into a full yoga practice. I am a novice yogi (at best) and could not believe how hard it was to balance on the board. I did fall in a few times trying to do standing poses. But in this beautiful Hawaiian bay – I didn’t mind!
When I came back home, I knew I wanted to try more Paddle Boarding and figure out where to do SUP yoga on Long Island. I live on an island after all!
Long Island Stand Up Paddle Boarding
Serendipitously I reconnected with a former teacher colleague, who had moved out my way and had purchased a bunch of ocean SUP boards. She was renting out the boards, giving Stand Up Paddle lessons, and SUP yoga classes on the weekends!
Isn’t life funny like that?
So I started going out with her on the weekends, and bringing along friends and family!
Our instructor operates out of Brightwaters, which means we paddle into the Great South Bay. We will launch in this protected cove-area and then paddle out to the bay. We will usually take in the views of the Robert Moses Bridge and the Fire Island Lighthouse, and then return to the cove to do a yoga practice.
It is so peaceful being out on the board, and doing a yoga practice. The board is big enough that you are comfortable doing your favorite yoga poses like downward dog, sun salutations, cat/cow, wheel and camel. I can now do warrior 1 and 2 and have gotten more used to standing on the board in various poses. You really have to ground your feet and use the idea of counterbalance to keep yourself up.
Other Places to Paddle Board on Long Island
Skudin Surf – offers paddle boarding lessons out of Long Beach. I have done surf camp with Skudin, they are great!
Moku Loa – they are based in Oakdale and offer lessons, rentals and social paddles! I am definitely wanting to do some social paddles this summer.
JK Kayak & SUP – three locations across the island, rentals and lessons available for kids age 10 and up.
Empire Kayaks – this is the closest location for rentals from where I live.
Other Places to do SUP Yoga Long Island
Long Island SUP – offers everything water, including SUP Yoga
Just Breathe Yoga – there is a teacher that offers lessons for private groups.
Kostal Paddle – open from Father’s day until Labor Day, they also offer SUP Yoga
SUP Yoga in Naples, Florida
Last February I did a SUP yoga class in Naples, Florida. Through the Naples Kayak Company I found this awesome instructor, Simon, you can LIKE his Facebook page here.
He took a group of us out on the Gregory River where we had to paddle sitting or laying on the board as we traversed through the mangrove trees! We dropped anchor in a lagoon to have our yoga practice. Needless to say, here I did not try standing poses, I did not want to fall in this water! But it was so beautiful!
Here on Long Island I hope to get on the water through October. I know in my winter travels I will look for the opportunity to Stand Up Paddle, or take a SUP yoga class.
I know a few local friends are interested in coming out with me on the weekend to try Paddle Boarding or SUP Yoga. I highly recommend trying it! Even if you don’t love the water (as some friends have told me) you can wear a life vest and if you stay low on the board, you most likely won’t fall in. The Paddle Boards we use are large and sturdy and paddling is very easy to learn. Check out more about my instructor here.
Have you ever been paddle boarding? Have you ever done Stand Up Paddle Board Yoga? What is your favorite water activity?
SHOP THIS POST:
OTHER POSTS YOU MIGHT LIKE:
A Beginner’s Guide to Tough Mudder
Follow Momma To Go on social media!  Twitter, Facebook , Pinterest, and Instagram
Please share:
This is a beautiful article! Love this and also looking forward to seeing you on the Great South Bay till October or November;).
Can anyone do a handstand on a paddleboard? That would be so awesome. Nice post.
yes, simon my naples instructor can!
excited to try those this long weekend
awesome! have a great time!
This is amazing! I’ve always wanted to try SUP, and mixing it with yoga seems extra fun! I wish I lived somewhere that I could this everyday, haha!
So fun! I totally want to try this. Maybe I’ll luck out with a private lesson in hawaii too!
This is an interesting activity. I’d love to try this out, but maybe my challenge would be balancing… 🙂
God Bless!
JM Kayne | #InMyHeart♥
What a beautiful practice! I’m just getting back into yoga now after quite a few years away from it, and forgot how much I love it! Once I feel a little more confident in my practice, I HAVE to try it on the water. Thank you for the inspiration.
This looks so fun- but I’m sure I’d fall! You’re a natural!
I just got comfortable standing on the SUP, haha! But these would be super great to work towards 🙂
Now, THAT, is a workout. I have enough trouble on dry land, much less trying to keep my balance on a paddle board. I enjoy both. Thanks for the inspiration.
Wow! This seems so challenging. Yet, this is a truly effective upper body workout! Thanks for sharing!
I feel like I can just feel this workout looking at the pictures! I wonder if I could do this with slight vertigo? I feel like it would be so good for me but I don’t know if I could do it.
yeah I dont know, I sometimes feel woozy when I am on the water if it is rocky. maybe if you are in a lake or something with no current?
This would be SO good for your muscles having to contract like that for so long so you keep your balance. I just tried paddle boarding for the first time last week and it was so fun! I’ll definitely have to work up to SUP yoga!
You are a boss! That looks like fun, but I will need to improve my swim skills first 🙂
This has been on my list all summer long, but I haven’t found a great place here is Colorado to try it yet! But, I’m inspired by your post!
I used to love yoga and after going river tubing last weekend, I’ve wanted to try a water sport. This seems like something I’d really want to try! Thanks for the tip.
I used to love yoga and after going river tubing last weekend, I’ve wanted to try a water sport. This seems like something I’d really want to try! Thanks for the tip.
river tubing is really awesome! I wish we had more of that around here!
I love paddle boarding! Never heard of doing Yoga whilst paddle boarding! Might have to try it sometime!
I have been wanting to do this for so long! There is a paddleboard yoga class near me, but I think I would laugh at myself too much and annoy everyone. My friend took me out paddle boarding this summer and it did not end well!
This paddleboard yoga looks so cool! I would love to try it some time!
I love yoga and using a paddle board would be entirely a different experience than the studio. Doing it on a surface with constant motion will fire up and strengthen your core muscles. You’re amazing.
Holy cow that’s amazing!!! I can barely stand up on those things, I can’t
Imagine doing yoga on them but I’m sure it’s so fun!
I really want to try stand up paddleboarding! I suspect I would like it more than kayaking or canoeing. I’m terrible at steering canoes, and kayaks make me feel kind of claustrophobic.
I’ve been thinking about trying yoga. I think I’ll try it on land first, though. I’d also like to try paddle boarding someday. I could probably try that at a nearby lake. It looks like such fun. Plus, I love exercising in an activity as I’m having fun and don’t realize I’m exercising!
SUP yoga has always been something I’ve wanted to try! I think I’d get very, very wet haha. But I love yoga and I love kayaking so I think I’d like SUP yoga a lot too.
You are on fire girl! Im starting to do some yoga and this is something I’d love to do, although I don’t know how to swim so I’d need to learn that first lol. You are so awesome for doing SUP yoga! Xoxo
This looks so fun! I love yoga but I’m afraid attempting it on that board would just have me in the water! I live in Kansas and have only been able to visit the ocean a couple of times. My favorite activity is to just stand in the water soaking up the sun!
Wow! This is absolutely incredible. I would love to be able to try this someday. How fun!
We used to do this in the Maldives D: let me tell you… I spend more time in the water than on the board! But it is actually much fun when you manage!
that is hilarious! I love being in the water, so its all good!