Paddle boarding, an ancient form of surfing, is gaining popularity as a high-intensity, low-impact platform for group fitness classes from calisthenics to yoga.  Experts say it may feel like walking on water because paddle boarding works on the flat water of a lake or pond and doesn’t involve waves. 

“Paddle boarding is a form of surfing. A paddle board is basically a surfboard that’s thicker, more buoyant, so it can hold you standing up in flat water,” said Scott Bumbalough, founder of Maui B’s Stand Up Paddle Boarding, which is based in Florida.

“For fitness classes we take a one-hour lap around the lake,” he said, which in this case is Lake Ivanhoe in Orlando, Florida. “Buoys are placed at intervals and at each buoy we do an exercise such as squats, push-ups, squat thrusts on the board.”Bumbalough encountered paddle boarding, which probably dates back to ancient Polynesia, while living in Hawaii, where it was a popular way for surfers to train when the surf was down. 

“It’s a high-intensity, low-impact workout,” said Bumbalough. “The class probably works about 85 percent of the muscles in body.”Bumbalough said he brought paddle boarding to Florida in 2007. Since then it’s spread throughout the nation as a hugely popular sport that can be done anywhere there’s safe water. 

Peace, serenity, and six-pack abs are among the many benefits that have accrued to Nani Sadowski, a healthcare consultant, since she started exercising on the paddle board two years ago.”I have a very stressful job, so it’s very relaxing to be on the water,” said Sadowski.

She also does paddleboard yoga, which she explained is a complete practice from sun salutations to the final resting pose done on the water.  “I prefer yoga on paddle board because you have to focus that much more on your balance,” said Sadowski. “You look down and see the water below you. Any fear is more a question of mind over matter.” 

Shirley Archer, a Florida-based fitness expert and spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise, has tried paddle boarding and finds it is a very effective core workout that requires balance. 

“You can’t fake it in the water … It provides you with immediate feedback,” Archer, who is a certified yoga and Pilates instructor, explained. “Yoga on the paddle board simply expands on this concept because many yoga postures require good balance.” 

She said that paddle boarding, while ideal for those seeking a new challenge, would likely work out only for people who enjoy the outdoors and who don’t mind getting wet.Sadowski said she has only fallen off once, perhaps because there is one instructor for each five students in her class.

“They watch us like hawks the whole time,” she added.Her devotion to paddle boarding has transformed her body. 

“People always comment on how toned my arms are, how great my posture has become,” she explained. “When I was off work for a couple of weeks I went out every day for two hours,” she said. 

The result? I’m 38 years old and I actually got a six-pack.”

After a full day of snowboarding, skiing or snowshoeing the muscles of the hips can shorten and tighten. Flexible, open hips are a must for winter athletes. Without them performance may decrease while the risk of injury increases.

The following hip opening yoga poses are a must for keeping the lower body healthy and limber.

Warrior I and Crescent Lunge for the Hip Flexors

The psoas muscles, located along the front crease of the hips, are the powerful muscles that give winter athletes control, stability and strength. When they are tight, the low back suffers and as a result, injury can occur.

Yoga poses that stretch the psoas muscles are warrior one and crescent lunge. Similar to a runner’s lunge, these poses extend the front of the hip, giving those mighty hip flexors a dose of elasticity. For best results, be sure to tuck your tailbone under slightly. 

Pigeon Pose for the External Rotators and Hip Extenders

If there is one area in the body that works the hardest in winter sports it’s the ever so strong and tight gluteal region. Responsible for punching through deep snow, cascading down a mogul field or getting to the bottom of a slope in one piece, the glutes take a beating.

Pigeon pose is bliss for the hips. Simply stated, it is one of those all around great poses that will loosen, open and stretch all external rotators and extenders, plus give the psoas muscles a little extra attention, too. If pigeon pose causes any strain on the knees, place a pillow under the hips for support.

Angle Poses for the Internal Rotators and Hip Adductors

Stretching the inner thighs are important to reduce the incidences of groin pulls and knee injuries, especially for women who tend to have slightly wider hips. Tight inner thighs pull the knee inward and out of a natural alignment, and this can lead to unnecessary wear and tear over time.

Reclined bound angle pose and seated wide-angle forward bends are two very efficient ways to target the inner thighs. Practice one or practice them both. Just be sure and move into the poses slowly, especially the seated wide-angle pose (a.k.a. Russian splits) as this pose can be very intense for someone with tight hips.

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I would like to share with you beautiful women out there some of my favorite yoga poses:

Child Pose -

1. Sit on your knees with your feet together and buttocks resting on your heels. Separate your knees about the width of your hips.  Place your hands on your thighs, palms down.
2. Inhale deeply, then exhale as you bring your chest between your knees while swinging your arms forward.
3. Rest your forehead on the floor, if possible, and then bring your arms around to your sides until the hands are resting on either side of your feet, palms up.
4. Breath gently through your nostrils as you hold the posture.  Hold for about one to two minutes.  Repeat the posture at least one more time.

The Half Spinal Twist Pose -

1. Sit in any comfortable cross-legged position.
2. Straighten the legs out in front.  Bend the right knee and bring the heel of the right foot close to the left hip.
3. Inhale and bend the left knee upward and place the left foot flat on the floor to the right of the right leg with the ankle touching the right thigh.
4. While turning the spine to the left straighten the right arm bringing it around to the outside of the left knee and grasp the left foot with the right hand.
5. Turn your head as far as possile to the left and bend the left arm behind your back.  Keep your spine, neck and head aligned and continue to exert effort at turning to the left.
6. Repeat the posture the other side by reversing directions 2-5.

The Tree Pose -

1. Stand in the tada-asana.  Stand with both feet touching from the heel to the big toe, keeping the back straight and the arms pressed slightly against the sides with pams facing inward.
2. Bring the hands together at the chest with palms lightly pressed against each other.
3. Inhale and raise the arms straight up keeping the palms pressed lightly together.
4. Arch your body backwards keeping your arms alongside your neck and head, tilt the head backward and hold.  Keep your knees straight while holding posture.
5. Slowly return to the tada-asana.

The Corpse Posture -

1. Lie flat on your back with your legs together but not touching, and your arms close to the body with the palms facing up.
2. Keep your eyes gently closed with the facial muscles relaxed and breath deeply and slowly through the nostrils.
3. Starting at the top of the head and working your way down to the feet, bring your attention to each part of your body, consciously relaxing it before proceeding on to the next.
4. Remain in the shava-asana for between 3 and 5 minutes or longer.  If you become sleepy while in the shava-asana begin to breath a bit faster and deeper.

I would love to hear what your favorite yoga poses are!

A Yoga mat has two basic purposes.  It needs to keep you from slipping and sliding while you go through your Asanas postures.  It also needs to provide padding between you and the floor if you are very thin and/or do hard fast workouts like Ashtanga Yoga. There are so many different yoga mats available and finding the right yoga mat depends on what type of yoga you prefer to practice and how many times you do yoga a week.

Lets talk about some of the different yoga mats out there:

Sticky Yoga Mat: This mat is great for people who practice Ashtanga yoga.  This fast-paced type of yoga favored by athletes requires a sticky yoga mat at least four millimeters thick.  This mat would also be good for someone that is very thin or frail and needs extra padding.

Manduka Yoga Mats: This mat costs a staggering $70 – $90 and this type of mat is known as the “Mercedes” of yoga mats.  The Manduka yoga mat has a top and a bottom side.  The top side keeps the Yogi from slipping and sliding, the bottom side stays flat against the surface of the floor and doesn’t bunch up during exercise.  The extra thickness makes it ideal for those who practice Ashtanga yoga.  If you are a serious Yogi who works on the Asana (postures) daily or almost daily, this mat is probably a good choice, despite its high cost.

Gaiam Yoga Mats: There are different types of Gaiam yoga mats. Lets start with the Gaiam rubber fitness mat.  This mat is intended for higher impact workouts, like Ashtanga or Power yoga.

Next is the Essentials Gaiam yoga mat.  This standard, non-latex mat is available in a rainbow of colours and several different styles.  This mat probably wouldn’t provide the cushioning needed for thin or frail Yogis, senior citizens, or Yogis who practice Ashtanga.

The Envirofit Jute Gaiam yoga mat is made from Jute plants and PER plastic, which is more environment friendly than substances used in standard yoga mats.

Finally, Gaiam offers the Premuim Bene-Fit Eco-friendly mat.  This mat is thicker than the Envirofit Jute mat, therefore more appropriate for Ashtanga Yogis.

Prana Yoga Mats: The deluxe sticky Prana yoga mat was designed by Yogis for Yogis, as the adhesive properties of the textured Dura grip surface provides confidence in any pose while allowing free flow of movement.  There is a stretch – resistant membrane in this Prana yoga mat, which allows to keep its shape in any pose and provide ultimate in comfort, support,and cushioning.

Now that you have found the right mat.  How do you take care of it?  There are several ways to clean your mat:

Spray Bottle Method: If your mat is lightly soiled, you can use a spray bottle or a damp cloth.  Wet the soiled surface with warm water then wipe it dry with a clean terry cloth towel.

Bath Tub Method: For heavier soiling,wash your mat in a tub of cool water and mild detergent.  Use only a small amount of detergent because any residue may cause your mat to become slippery when it’s wet with perspiration.  Rub the mat with a soft cloth or let it soak.  Rinse thoroughly, and hang to dry.

Laundry Machine Method:   Most experts advise against this as it can put a lot of wear and tear on your mat, causing it to degenerate at a faster rate.  Also, there is a small risk of the mat getting stuck in the turbine with this method.  If you do wash your mat in the machine, make sure you use a small amount of mild detergent.  Hang to dry.

New mats feel slippery when you first buy them.  They will become sticky after 10-15 sessions.  You can wash them with mild detergent to get the mat sticky right away.

In-laws, holiday parties, tightened wallets, the list goes on of what we need to accomplish in just a few short weeks of the holiday season.

If you are in desperate need of an immediate tension-tamer, I have one word for you: Yoga. For those who may already have a regular yoga practice, you will appreciate moving and breathing to your favorite asanas all the more as the stressful holiday season heats up. For those of you who have never tried a yoga class, this is your time to experience this ancient system of mind, body and spirit connection. Consider it a holiday gift you are giving to yourself that you don’t even have to gift wrap or write a card.

According to the National Center for Health Statistics and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), yoga may have the power to offer the following laundry list of health benefits.

• Improve mood and sense of well-being
• Counteract stress
• Reduce heart rate and blood pressure
• Increase lung capacity
• Improve muscle relaxation and body composition
• Help with conditions such as anxiety, depression, and insomnia
• Improve overall physical fitness, strength, and flexibility
• Positively affect levels of certain brain or blood chemicals

One of the holes we routinely fall into each holiday season is putting everyone ahead of ourselves. Make this holiday season different and carve out just one hour for yourself every couple of days to do something that brings a sense of peace to your mind. Yoga has the power to cultivate that sense of stillness yet invigoration in you that will give the right mind and heart to deal with overbearing holiday house guests, delayed plane flights and burnt pumpkin pie crusts.

By Heather, Diets in Review

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