SUP Exercises

BEGINNER STAND UP PADDLE YOGA PROGRAM

USING INDO BOARD GIGANTE CUSHIONS
(Also works with new Indo Yoga Board)

AMY PLOECKELMAN ATC, CAP,YOGA INSTRUCTOR,
WOMENS HEALTH EDUCATOR, LIFESTYLE FITNESS COACH

Hero’s Pose (Virasana)

Begin in a meditative position such as Hero’s Pose (Virasana) to center, connect to your breath
and ground into the present moment. Feel the board under you,begin to trust that it will hold you up.
Gently rock from side to side to get used to the movement, inhaling the flow and exhaling the fear of falling.

Cat Pose

Find your way onto all 4’s hands under shoulders and knees under hips. Inhale spreading your fingertips wide
and gently pressing them into the board. Exhale and gently round your back starting at the tailbone,
pressing your shoulder blades to the sky. Relax your neck and jaw

Camel Pose

For those without back injuries, inhale after your cat pose and starting at the base of the
spine begin to arch your back lifting the tailbone and the head. Be mindful not to over arch or completely
relax the abs to protect the back. For those with a sensitive back, keep the back flat such as in Cow Pose below.

Cow Pose

Variations

If cat/camel feels good progress as follows. On an inhale reach the left leg back pressing the left hand into the board to prevent rocking.
Focus on one point to steady your breath and mind. Then switch sides.

If lifting one leg feels good on an inhale lift the opposite arm such as the right arm shown here.
Hold for a few breaths to build strength or flow changing sides with each breath. If more feels good, reach back for the foot and open the heart.

Childs Pose (Balasana)

Low Puppy or modified Downward Dog

For the first time, this pose may be easier and help to build confidence and strength on the board.
Simply life the hips over the knees and press the fingertips into the board.

Downward-facing Dog Pose (Ardho Mukha Svanasana)

From child’s pose tuck your toes underneath and lift your hips to the sky.
Keep your gaze at your bellybutton to relax the back of your neck.

Modified plank pose on your knees

Full plank pose

Squeeze the inner thighs together to activate the core muscles.
Press through your heels and lift the navel up and inwards to support the back.

Chaturanga Dandasana or Plank pose on knees

Full Chataranga

Lowering down from a plank position bend your elbows to 90 degrees and squeeze them to the sides of your body.
Push through the heels and lift the belly upwards while squeezing the inner thighs. Do not let the belly drop.

Sphinx Pose

Begin lying on the board. Place your forearms on the board with the elbows underneath the shoulders.
Roll the shoulders down the back, press your feet into the board and gently squeeze the inner thighs to protect the back.

Sphinx variation preparing for cobra pose

Place your hands under your shoulders and begin to press into the board.

Cobra (Bhujangasana) Pose

From above variation extend the elbows, roll the shoulders down the back and lift the navel
up and in towards the spine. Press the feet into the board while squeezing the inner thighs.

Locust Pose (Salabhasana) Variation

Begin in sphinx pose with hands under shoulders. Press the feet into the board and lift the belly up and in.
Then release your hands from the board and bring them to your sides strengthening the back muscles.
Arms may also go straight out to sides or towards the front of the board.

Full Locust pose

Begin as above and this time lift the feet as well. Squeeze the inner thighs and
big toes together if possible. Beginners look down at board lengthening the neck.

Locust variation looking up

Boat Pose (Navasana)

Begin in a seated position. Holding onto the backs of the thighs lift one leg at a time, flex the feet towards the face and squeeze the inner thighs together.
Roll the shoulders down the back, lift the navel center up and in. If you want more release the hands and stretch arms towards the toes.
Variations include straightening the arms and legs and lifting arms overhead. Focus on breath and relax the neck and jaw.

Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana)

From Boat Pose lower onto your back and bend the knees placing ankles directly underneath.
On an inhale lift the hips to the sky, do not over tuck the chin to the chest.
Keep back straight and squeeze thighs towards one another so knees track in line with feet and hips.

High Lunge

From downward dog lift the right leg to the sky then step or swing the right leg forward between the thumbs.
Keep the right knee in line with the ankle joint. Track the knee in line with the 2-3rd toes.

High lunge hands on knees

Place hands on knees or lift arms to the sky depending on comfort level.

High lunge arms to sky

Be sure to activate the left glute here to protect the back. Then find your way back to downward dog and switch sides.

Crescent Pose

If the high lunge feels good and stable progress to lifting the back knee into a full crescent pose.

Warrior 2 Pose (Virabhadrasana II)

From Crescent pose, spin the back foot out 90 degrees and lower the heel to the ground, lining up the pinky toe and the heel.
Open the hips to the side of the board and continue to bend the left knee as shown to 90 degrees. Lift the left arm to
the front of the board and the right arm to the back. Reach through the fingertips and gently squeeze
the shoulder blades together. Look over the left middle finger. Then switch sides from downward dog.

Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)

From Warrior 2 straighten the knee and shift weight into hips while lengthen the side of the body.
Lower the torso down and press right hand as shown into the shin. Lift the left hand to the sky. Gently squeeze the shoulder blades together.
You can press the heels towards each other or away from each other to strengthen hip muscles and inner thighs as well.

Tree Pose (Vrksasana)