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17 Feel-Good Yoga Poses to Try on Your Indo Board, Mat or Standup Paddleboard

yoga-poses

Remember when we told ya’ll about the Indo Board? And when Kristen shared her SUP adventures? And when we shared our fave yoga mats? Well, whether or not you like to do yoga on an Indo Board, a standup paddleboard or a good ol’ yoga mat, we’ve got 17 yoga poses from Indo Board you’ve just gotta try.

They’re most challenging (of course) on an unstable surface like a paddleboard or an Indo Board, but these poses are great for increasing flexibility, improving full-body strength (especially the core) and helping you to find your om no matter what surface you’re on. The first 15 yoga poses are good for pretty much everyone, while the last two are are definitely for the more advanced yoginis in the house. Try doing them all (yoga poses 1 to 15, or 1 to 17 depending on your skill level) back-to-back for a challenging yet feel-good yoga workout!

17 Feel-Good Yoga Poses

(1)-Tadasana

1. Tadasana/Mountain pose. Stand tall, feet together, tailbone tucked, shoulders back. Gain length from grounded feet through top of head.

(2)-Virabhadrasana

2. Virabhadrasana 2/ Warrior 2. Step feet wide, then turn one foot toward the front of the Indo board, back foot at a side angle. Make sure your heel-to-arch alignment is down the center of the board. Bend that front knee to 90 degrees and lengthen both arms out toward the front and back of the board. Now, do other side.

(3)-Parsvakonasana

3. Parsvakonasana/Extended Side Angle pose. Use the same base as above. Place elbow to knee and top hand toward the sky. Open up body as much as possible. Now do other side.

(4)-Reverse-Warrior

4. Reverse Warrior. Same base as Warrior 2, but one arm is extended down the thigh and the other hand is extended and arched over the head as if shaped in crescent. Keep front knee bent to 90 degrees. Now do other side.

(5)-Uttanasana

5. Uttanasana/Forward Fold. Stand in Tadasana but fold body in half and let hands dangle toward floor. Lengthen back of body as front body fully relaxes.

(6)-Adho-Mukha-Svanasana_Down-Dog

6. Adho Mukha Svanasana/ Down Dog. From a plank position (hands under shoulders, legs long on toes), stretch tailbone to sky as much as hamstrings will allow. Feel tailbone draw toward sky and quads engage and lift, biceps peel under and toward ears and head relaxes next to biceps.

(7)-3-Legged-Dog

 

7. 3-Legged Dog. Same as Down Dog but lift leg toward sky. Square hips and push away from Indo board, flex foot. Now do other side.

(8)-Chaturanga

8. Chaturanga/Four-Limbed Staff pose. Start in plank pose, slowly lower just enough to let elbows go to 90 degrees and hover there for a full exhale.

(9)-Urdhva-Mukha-Svanasana

9. Urdhva Mukha Svanasana/ Upward-Facing Dog. Hands are directly under shoulders and you are pressing on tops of feet; legs are long. Standing on hands and tops of feet, roll shoulders back and down and engage quads.

(10)-Kapotasana

10. Kapotasana/Pigeon with Quad Opener. From the Down Dog position lift right leg and then draw foot in between hands, move right toes toward left wrist and let knee fall behind right wrist. Sink into this stretch with left top of quad to the board. Then reach back and grab the top of left foot and slowly draw foot to glute. Sink into stretch. Now do other side.

(11)-Pigeon-with-Yoga-Mudra

11. Pigeon with Yoga Mudra. Same as above with fingers in Yoga Mudra (shown). Now do other side.

(12)-Spinal-Balance-Pose

12. Spinal Balance pose. Kneel on Indo board with hands under shoulders and hips directly over knees (like a table top). Then lift the right arm and extend out, then extend left leg out behind you feeling the length of the spine. Pull up belly to engage back muscles. Now do other side.

(13)-Spinal-Balance-with-Quad-Opening

13. Spinal Balance with Quad Opening. Same as above, now reach back and grab left top of foot and slowly feel the arch in the back body. Press the top of the foot away, as the shoulder opens in the front of the body. Do opposite side.

(14)-Ardha-Navasana

14. Ardha Navasana/Half Boat pose. Sit on board/mat with sit bones directly in the center. Pull knees up to bent and balance on the sit bones. Reach each hand out next to the feet and balance and feel your spine grow long and the belly draw up and in. Now do other side.

(15)-Paripurna-Navasana

15. Paripurna Navasana with Hand Grab. Same as above but then grab the first big toes with one hand and slowly straighten the legs as the other hand reaches out toward the side for balance. Now do other side.

Bonus---Bakasana

16. Bakasana/Crow Pose. Sit in a squat position in the middle of the board/mat with toes together and knees open. Feel the chest pulling between the knees as you walk your fingers forward. Place hands onto the board/mat in front of you and them bend the elbows toward a 90 degree angle. Slowly move body forward as you continue to look forward. Them start to lift toes off board using your belly muscles to help lift and engage the body like you’re flying. Continue to look forward.

Bonus---Headstand-

17. Headstand. Place a cupped hand directly on top of head and place in center of board/mat. Walk the feet toward the face letting the tailbone lift toward the sky. Continue to pull your spine close to straight then pull the belly muscles in and feel the feet lift off the board. Slowly draw the feet toward the sky and pull in belly and back muscles. Feel the heels walking on the ceiling and the crown of the head and elbows balance the body.

Which yoga pose felt best to you? We’re always a sucker for Pigeon … —Jenn

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