Adventure Chatham can help you break free of a tedious yoga routine: You can even practice your poses on a paddleboard! The Cape Cod company, founded by Justin Labdon, focuses on outdoor recreation and excursions including paddleboard yoga on the waters off the Cape Cod peninsula. Labdon says that while paddleboard yoga is fun and easy, it does require extra balance work, which keeps it challenging and fresh. He also credits the extra balancing with working underused muscles and enhancing core strength. "People seem to love it," Labdon says. "It's a beautiful environment, a nice way to get into the water." Adventure Chatham also offers beach yoga sessions.
Kripalu yoga instructor Valerie Twomey, who teaches Adventure Chatham's paddleboard yoga classes, says balancing on the paddleboard keeps her mind far more engaged and focused upon the asanas. "In yoga, as in most activities, the mind wanders (creating lists, the next meal, a conversation with a friend, etc.) but when I am practicing on the water, my attention is more focused," she says. Some yoga poses lend themselves especially to floating, Twomey says, like pigeon pose and child's pose. Of course, some are a bit more difficult, but Twomey says this isn't a deterrent for her or her students. "I teach to the level of the student," she says. "The most important part of [paddleboard] yoga classes is to have fun."
Call Adventure Chatham toll free at 800-809-1750 to inquire about yoga classes being offered during your Cape Cod vacation.
More Opportunities to Try Outdoor Yoga in New England
Symmetree Yoga, a company based in North Conway, New Hampshire, offers numerous outdoor yoga classes and retreats, including one on top of Mount Washington: New England's highest peak.
Rolling Meadows has set aside 100 acres of verdant Maine countryside as a yoga retreat and meditation center for travelers in search of a tranquil yoga escape. Silent retreats are also available for up to 10 participants.
In western Massachusetts, Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health lets students decide what type of retreat activities would be most beneficial. In addition to traditional yoga classes and outdoor yoga experiences, Kripalu offers YogaDance classes, tai chi sessions and labyrinth walks. Dormitory-style accommodations are available, and healthy natural meals are served.
New England boasts some of the world's most beautiful natural landscapes, and yoga in an outdoor setting is a unique way to appreciate them, whether you're viewing the scenery from upside down atop a paddleboard or from the summit of a sprawling Maine hill. It can be intimidating to take risks with your yoga practice, but trying something new can be healthy and liberating for your body and mind.
