Surfing and yoga may on the surface seem like completely different sports, but at Surf Maroc, we see how they have so much in common and naturally go hand in hand.
Yoga is about connecting the body and mind, allowing them to simultaneously release and relax through movement, meditation and more. Sometimes it’s fast and energising, sometimes restorative and deep, which can be dictated by the way we feel in ourselves or surroundings. Either way, you take each moment as it comes and embrace how you feel. No one else matters, it’s just you and your practice.
And, although very different from yoga in many ways, surfing has many of the same elements. When allowing your mind and body to relax, you connect more with you, your board and the waves bringing a fun flow to your surf, no matter what that may be! Somedays you may feel like a level 1, others a level 4, usually influenced by the way you feel and your surroundings. Either way, like yoga, you take each moment as it comes and embrace how you feel. No one else matters, it’s just you and your surf. Apart from in the lineup – safety matters!
Immersing yourself in surfing and yoga, allows you to discover the relationship between both lifestyles to connect your body and mind. And Surf Maroc is doing just that in August with Yoga Surf Immersion special weeks. To get you going, here are 5 tips to help you start you getting fully immersed into both:
1 – It’s a personal journey – no pressure, no judgement
Whether on a mat or surfboard, your progression is your journey, and it’s not about anyone else who is with you. There’s no such thing as being bad at yoga or surfing. Nor is it about perfecting the Instagram perfect pose or doing barrels like Kelly Slater. If you’re in the water enjoying the waves, that’s surfing. If you’re mindfully moving your body, that’s yoga. There’s zero pressure, and no one, even yourself, should judge you. Just do you and find your journey.
2 – Focus on breathing
You often hear cueing of breathing in yoga, to help relax the body and mind as well as making poses more effective and tapping into your energy sources. In surfing, controlled mindful breathing has the same impact. Breathing to relax and energise your body for effective paddling pop up, balance and control as well as stilling the mind for a fun and focused surf!
3 – Learn the basic lingo
Learning the lingo from both the surfing and yoga worlds will definitely help your immersion. Here’s a few to get you started:
Swell: What waves are referred to in the open ocean, and can also be a prolonged period of waves.
Line up: Where surfers sit and wait to catch breaking waves. It can be aggressive, mellow, social and often times can change based on wave conditions
Drop in: When taking off on a wave and surf down the open face. Also can refer to someone going in front of you on a wave.
Namaste: Said at the end of yoga classes, meaning to honour your fellow yogis
Pranayama: Breathing techniques applied for meditation and movement (asana)
Om: A chanting sometimes used in class to awaken the body through vibrations in a group ‘Om’
4 – Fuel and hydrate!
When you know you’re going to surf or do yoga, preparing your body is key. Both sports work best on an empty stomach yet a fueled body for long sessions in the water or on the mat. Eating and drinking up to 1 hour before means energy will peak, you’ll stay hydrated, and feel energised for whatever you face!
5 – Silence is Golden
When you’re on the water alone, sitting on the board, listening to the water and nature around you, it’s golden. Feeling connected to the environment, board and self can almost be a surfer’s meditation. And that’s the same in yoga, a peaceful shala can allow you to feel connected to yourself, allowing the body and mind to relax, to stop the chatter and allow a meditation to take place.
Fancy immersing yourself in surfing and yoga this August? Just check out our two special Yoga Surf Immersion weeks below:
