Standup Paddle Board Yin Yoga Flow Sequence: Heart and Hips
I am incredibly excited to announce the first Stand Up Paddleboard (aka SUP) sequence to be posted on this blog. I first tried SUP Yoga in Ithaca, New York two summers ago. It was a total blast (and I totally fell off the board). I was amazed by how it helped refine my yoga practice off of the mat as well. Suddenly, I was aware of how all standing poses are balance poses-- whether or not both of your feet are on the ground-- and how important it is to find your center of gravity.
This sequence comes to us today from Natalie Roberson, of The Lotus People. She calls herself a "Yoga Troubleshooter." I love that. A more detailed bio for Natalie, the classes she teaches, and what she offers to the Pittsburgh community (and beyond!) are posted below her sequence.
In the meantime, better post this sequence while the weather is still warm, and the water is still enticing! Also, remember that I'm running a Giveaway. You have a few more days to enter, so get on it!
Bio:
This sequence comes to us today from Natalie Roberson, of The Lotus People. She calls herself a "Yoga Troubleshooter." I love that. A more detailed bio for Natalie, the classes she teaches, and what she offers to the Pittsburgh community (and beyond!) are posted below her sequence.
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| Yoga On Fremont: www.yogaonfremont.com |
In the meantime, better post this sequence while the weather is still warm, and the water is still enticing! Also, remember that I'm running a Giveaway. You have a few more days to enter, so get on it!
 |
| The Yoga Deck: https://twitter.com/ |
Sequence:
Standup Paddle Board Yin Yoga Flow: Heart and Hips, a.k.a. Yin on Water
In this one hour yin flow we will be working the upper- (shoulders, arms and heart) and lower-body meridians (legs and hips), concluding with a heart-centered meditation. This class can be done on water or on land, with or without a paddle board! If paddle board yoga is intimidating, yin is the perfect introduction, as most poses are seated, supine or prone.
Use the suggested meditation script as a template or customize it to make it your own. As you relax deeply, keep the focus on the heart center. Hold each posture for the specified time and relax from 30 seconds to a minute between asanas. Keep the back rounded in forward folds unless you have a condition where bending the back is contra-indicated. Flex the feet and / or keep the knees bent if the strain behind the knees is too great.
If you are feeling it, you are doing it. Doing yoga on a paddle board does not allow for props. If you feel pinching, numbness or pain, come out of the pose. Your body is your best teacher. Let the body and breath guide you, breathing into any tightness you feel, exhaling into those tight spaces to release it away.
- Start in the center of your board or mat, coming to Saddle (Hero)
- Stay in Saddle or move to Easy Pose: centering
- Butterfly: 3 minutes
- Reposition your body horizontally on the board or mat
- Half-Butterfly: left leg bent, right leg straight, 4 minutes total
- Fold over leg 2 minutes, side bend 2 minutes
- Half-Butterfly, right leg bent, left leg straight, 4 minutes total
- Fold over leg 2 minutes, side bend 2 minutes
- Reposition your body vertically on the board or mat
- Counter: Seated Windshield Wipers
- Caterpillar: Forward Fold, 3 minutes
- Caterpillar Heart Opener: back bend, lift the chest toward the sky, 30 seconds
- Come to all fours
- Child's Pose: 1 minute
- Anahatasana / Quarter Dog: 2 minutes
- Sphinx: 3 minutes
- Lower down to the board or mat, resetting your spinal curves
- Seal: 2 minutes
- Come back to Sphinx if the Seal variation is too intense
- To deepen the pose bend the knees, taking the feet towards the head for more compression
- Lower down to the board or mat, resetting your spinal curves
- Child's Pose: 1 minute
- Come to all fours or Downward-Facing Dog: 1 minute
- Cat / Cow can be nice in the all fours variation
- Step the left foot between your hands
- Dragon Cycle: right leg forward: 4 minutes total
- Baby, High (grasp hands behind you, open the chest, slight back bend), Low, Winged: 1 minute each
- Come back to Baby Dragon and heel-toe your right foot to Swan
- Swan: right leg forward, 4 minutes total
- Swan: 1 minute
- Fold forward to Sleeping Swan: 2 minutes
- Rise back up to Swan: optionally bend the back leg and grab the foot (Mermaid), 1 minute
- Come to all fours or Downward-Facing Dog: 1 minute
- Cat / Cow can be nice in the all fours variation
- Step the left foot between your hands
- Dragon Cycle: left leg forward, 4 minutes total
- Baby, High (grasp hands the other way behind you, open the chest, slight back bend), Low, Winged: 1 minute each
- Come back to Baby Dragon and heel-toe your left foot to Swan
- Swan: left leg forward, 4 minutes total
- Swan: 1 minute
- Fold forward to Sleeping Swan: 2 minutes
- Rise back up to Swan: optionally bend the back leg and grab the foot (Mermaid), 1 minute
- Saddle (seated): 1 minute
- Baby Camel: Rise up to the knees, take the hands to your sacrum and gently bend back, 1 minute
- Child's Pose: 1 minute
- Camel: Full variation, grabbing the ankles or baby variation if full is too intense, 1 minute
- Child's Pose: 1 minute
- Reclined Saddle: 3 minutes, sitting between the feet
- Take your hands behind you, under your shoulders and lean back.
- To deepen the pose, lean back to your forearms or even onto your back, lying between the feet
- Press back up to seated, release the legs, shake them out
- Counter: Seated Windshield wipers
- Caterpillar: 1 minute
- Reclined Twist: both sides, 4 minutes total
- Take your arms to cactus or goalpost arms, palms up
- Twist to the right: bring your knees closer to your nose to bring the twist higher in the spine, 2 minutes
- Twist to the left: breathe into your side ribs, 2 minutes
- Heart-Centered Meditation to Savasana: Visualization on the heart center (Anahata, meaning unstuck). Anahata is the fourth chakra, represented by the color green. It is located in center of the chest behind the heart center, the center of compassion and love.
- Lie on your back, take one hand to the belly and the other to the heart. As you inhale, draw your awareness up the spine to the center of your chest. As you exhale concentrate on the sensations you feel. Tightness? Heaviness, lightness, tingling? With each breath, breathe into the heart center. Imagine the cave of the heart center pulsating green with a beautiful pink flame. Feel the warmth of the sun shining upon you, the movement of the waves.
- As you turn further inward, imagine your favorite green place, be it a forest, a green field, a valley. Whatever comes to mind. As you walk the path, think of your favorite companion, be it a friend, family member, a pet. As you inhale send your love their way, as you exhale feel your friends' energy radiating back to you.
- As you breathe, that intention expands to allow unconditional love. Love for yourself and those around you. Let the flame of compassion radiate toward your friend and to those around you. As the fire burns brighter send your love out to all beings, whoever needs it, their energy reflected back to you.
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| The Yoga Deck: https://twitter.com/ |
Bio:
Natalie Roberson, RYT, is a Hatha and Yin Yoga instructor based in Pittsburgh, PA. Her classes focus on teaching a strong and varied practice with emphasis on accessibility, challenge and fun. She has experienced both the physical and emotional benefits of yoga and is grateful to be able to share them with others. Her schedule includes teaching Hatha and Yin yoga classes and workshops at Yoga on Fremont as well as guest teaching around the Pittsburgh area.
She also hosts The Lotus People blog, featuring yoga tips and vegan recipes. Natalie is also available for web design, administration and technology consulting to the yoga community and other small businesses.