By Erika Scafuro

It is increasingly common to see surfers combine yoga with surfing. In fact there are many advantages that you can get from adding yoga sessions to your surf workout.

If in order to tame the waves, row and resist in water it is necessary to train the body constantly through targeted exercises, the importance of breathing and mental exercise that yoga gives to your spirit cannot be underestimated.

What are the specific benefits that yoga gives to surfing? The practice of yoga is perfect for surfers because it gives to give to the body strength, balance and flexibility: three essential skills for every surfer who needs strong and flexible muscles to face the most extreme conditions of the Ocean and need the balance to stand on the surf board.

But that is not all. As everyone knows, yoga is a discipline that focuses on the power of the breath, being able to govern it techniques that helps the body and the mind to enter a state of well-being.

It also known that yoga allows you to improve concentration and to focus on the “be here and now”; surfing and yoga have a close connection with mindfulness, the state of awareness to be present with the mind to what happens inside and outside.

This concept is best expressed when you are riding a wave, your mind and body are exactly there, enjoying all the positive vibes that come from that moment.

With the constancy of taking even a few minutes to meditate every day, you can get great benefits as to reduce stress, listen more to your body’s needs, calm your mind, increase your energy.

Yoga practice leads also to a healthy lifestyle, attentive to what you eat and healthy habits and what else? Yoga is extremely connected to the power of nature, you can merge deeply with its elements: the rays of sun, the breeze of the sea, the sand under the feets, the shadow from the trees. You can do it before your surf session, you don’t need anything except a space where do exercises and take time without distractions. You can practice yoga alone, once you have learned some sequences, or in a group of people.

It is increasingly common to see surfing associated with yoga, think of the yoga classes that are organized during surf camps. Nowdays all the accomodations located in surf resorts offer holidays that combine surf lessons with those of yoga, a sort of retreat that cures the body and mind in pure and pristine places.
Can you already feel the power of introduce yoga in your surf training?