The Surf's up! Let's get our favourite rashies on and let's go surfing!
But before jumping into the ocean, here's some yoga stretches that I find helpful, as a fellow surfing yogi, to get limbered up so you are not too sore the next day!
I know my shoulders and lower back definitely feel it if I haven't stretched beforehand!
1) Eagle (Garudasana) arms and Cow legs (Gomukasana)
Bend your right knee and take the foot to left hip and left foot to right hip.
Take your arms wide and wrap the left arm over the right and cross at the elbows and draw palms together. Lift elbows and press hands away for a great stretch to the shoulders and upper back.
Hold for 5 breaths and repeat on the other side.
Benefits:
- Opens the outer hips to help sit up on the board and keeps IT band free of inflammation
- Stretches and increases flexibility to the legs to pop up on that wave
- Stretches and opens the upper back and front of the shoulders for paddling fitness
- Strengthens the shoulder and arm muscles, which will help your paddling
2) Lunge with quad stretch
Step your right foot between your hands and drop your back knee to the floor. Interlace your hands into a fist behind your back.Take a few breaths to drop into your hips, especially if they are tight.
Then bend your back knee and take your right hand to the top of the left foot to open the thigh and hip flexor; rest your back leg on the soft area above your knee, not the kneecap.
Repeat on the other side. Then step up to the top of your mat.
Benefits:
- Opens tight hip flexors, common in surfers, to straddle your board
- Prevents pulling on pelvis and compressing lower back
- Opens your shoulders to strengthen your paddle fitness
- Bending the knees stretches your thigh muscle for more flexibility
3) Palm tree
Stand with your feet hip width apart and interlace your hands into a fist above your head.
Lean to the right then left and repeat for 5 breaths. Then do circles with your hands.
Benefits:
- Stretches the side body
- Releases tension in the back and shoulders
4) Standing trunk rotations
Walk to top of mat and roll up the spine into mountain pose, Tadasana.
Stand with feet hip width apart and swing the arms from side to side.
Benefits:
- Warms up spine increasing blood flow for better manoevre in the surf
5) Wide legged forward fold (Prasarita padottanasana
Take legs wide and interlace your hands into a fist behind your back.
Open the shoulders onto the back, open the chest, breathe in and fold forward on an exhale and fold over your legs.
Benefits:
- Stretches your hamstrings to help you pop up
- Opens your shoulders for all that paddling!
- Swing the hands from side to side to get a better stretch, like flossing between your shoulder blades! :)
Then release the arms and take one hand to the opposite leg to get a further twist between the shoulder blades and lower back.
7) Standing poses, Warrior II & Side Angle pose
Turn your right foot out 90 degrees and turn your back foot to 45 degrees. Bend the front knee and open your arms out to your sides.
Take a few breaths then take your right elbow to your knee and take the left arm straight over your left ear. Do big circles with your arm to loosen up the shoulders.
Benefits:
- This is similar to surfing! Strengthening the whole body.
- Strengthens and stretches the legs, hips, groin and shoulders
- Helps with balance while building concentration and balance
- Helps energise the whole body as well as increase stamina and concentration
- The side body gets a great stretch and the shoulders and arms
Repeat on left side then step to top of your mat.
8) Cobra pose (Bhujangasana)
Lie on your belly and take the hands to the mat under the shoulders. Press the top of the feet into the floor and lift your head and chest into a baby cobra.
Benefits:
- Great for strengthening and opening the lower back
- Strengthens back muscles and warms up body for paddling which can take a toll on your lower back
Let's Go Surfing!
Grab your board and you're ready to go surfing!!
References:
http://www.schooloftheworld.org/10-best-yoga-poses-for-surfers/
Yoga Journal
The Inertia
