Is standup paddleboard yoga right for you?

In keeping with my resolve to step outside my comfort zone, I’ve moved into the realm of water.

When the subject of water activities comes up in conversation, I tell people I’m a sun worshiper, not a water baby. My mother was afraid of the water. She tried hard not to pass that along to her children, but I, a fearful child to begin with, picked up on it. I took many swim lessons as a kid so I could get comfortable in the water. Along the way, I did learn to swim—sort of.

So when River Bend Yoga brought standup paddleboard yoga, also known as SUP yoga, to Alton, Ill., I knew it would be my next challenge. Standup paddleboard is the hottest new outdoor activity. Practicing yoga on the board adds a challenging twist.

There were eight of us on Ellis Bay off the Mississippi River, including the studio owners, Vicky Delaney and Janet Keffer. The day was warm for mid-June, and breezy, making the water a little choppy. That tested our balance even more, but it was not impossible to stay on the board.

After an on-shore intro on SUP basics and safety, we paddled around a bit so we could learn to maneuver our boards and get used to them. Once we got out to the middle of the bay, we tossed in our anchors and got into our downward-facing dog and warrior poses. Staying close enough together to hear the instructions but far enough apart so we weren’t bumping into one another was tricky.

Thankfully, I didn’t fall in, and once I got used to the rocking, I rather enjoyed being out on the water. Keeping my balance while attempting the postures was tough, but if I didn’t feel really comfortable getting into the complete pose, I modified it. Or I just sat and waited until we moved on to another one.

SUP yoga is a fun new way to get all-around exercise: You’re practicing yoga, working your core, staying balanced and strengthening your arms by paddling the board. And if you happen to fall in, well then you get to go for a swim, too.