Seattle Culture
Paddleboard Yoga Offers a New Core Curriculum
Master your lunge (else you take a plunge).
By Jana Moseley July 19, 2011
This article originally appeared in the August 2011 issue of Seattle magazine.
In the beginning, there was yoga. Next, hot yoga caught fire. But for Seattleites, even that wasn’t enough of a mind-body challenge.
Now, behold WASUP: Washington Stand-Up Paddleboard Yoga. At last we can execute warrior poses while balancing atop a paddleboard in the middle of Shilshole Bay. Part of the Washington Surf Academy (wasurfacademy.com), which offers a variety of waterborne classes out of Surf Ballard, WASUP is the Northwest’s first and only (but probably not for long!) paddleboard yoga series.
Each two-hour class (available all week) includes an onshore SUP lesson, a short paddling warmup, and a series of poses performed on the water. Wetsuits and booties are provided on chilly days, but any swim attire will do. Instructor and cofounder Hasna Atry uses a blend of yoga styles that emphasizes finding your center and strengthening your core—especially important if you want to stay afloat.
The WASUP team swears all skill levels are welcome, yogis and klutzes alike. Test the waters with a single class ($23), or hop on board with a multiclass pass (five/$90, 10/$160, one month/$325). Suddenly, walking on water seems like a cinch. Surf Ballard, 6300 Seaview Ave. NW; 206.387.9054; wasupyoga.com.
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