As with any sport, surfing requires a degree of flexibility and muscle coordination. This, combined with the fact that surfing involves balancing your body on a moving surface, means there is a likely chance for someone to get injured if they are not physically and mentally prepared. Luckily, there are ways to prevent that without having to practice in the water at all – and that is through the practice of yoga poses!
Yoga is known to improve our body’s flexibility, our balance, and our core – all of which are essential skills a surfer can benefit from. Here are some ways practicing yoga can benefit surfers.
Yoga physical benefits for surfers
As we mentioned above, surfing involves balancing the body on a moving surface in the water. This means that your core strength is tested, as well as the smaller muscle groups we don’t often engage in.
This is where the benefit of yoga comes in – because the poses which are taught in yoga engage our core while synchronizing other body parts in order to execute the pose properly. If you find yoga particularly difficult, it means your body could use the practice to engage those muscle groups that are rarely used.
With regular yoga practice, surfers can benefit from reduced recovery time, lower the risk of injuries and have better overall muscle coordination. Other physical benefits include increased stamina and better flexibility and range of motion for maneuvering the surfboard, as well as increased efficiency in body movement, due to the increased conditioning.
Mental benefits of yoga poses
In addition to the physical benefits, we mentioned above, practicing yoga also has significant mental benefits for surfers. Holding those yoga poses also trains your breathing, focus, and spatial awareness – all of which benefit surfers. The breathing exercises involved in yoga can also help surfers regulate their energy better.
By practicing yoga poses, surfers can fortify their physical abilities, improve their mental concentration and improve their overall performance during surfing sessions. Non-surfers can also benefit greatly from regular yoga practice. If you are interested in joining a yoga course, feel free to reach out to us at Pelan Pelan Bali!