A 10-minute, seated practice that combines MFR with gentle stretches and breath work to help you wake up and expand your lung capacity before paddling out for a surf.
Another September has come and gone, and for the 2nd year, I participated in the SurfAid September #MakeAWave Challenge of surfing 30 days to raise funding and awareness for the SurfAid Programs.
My current, go-to, Pre-Surf Stretch for when my body is feeling stiff and a bit surfed-out. This sequence could also be nice for a brief Active Recovery practice post-training or post-surf/sport
It was an honor to have the opportunity to write a piece for the Manduka Blog as a part of the Manduka x Gerry Lopez collection launch. In this article, I share my personal experiences with surfing and yoga and how I view the two as similar spiritual paths that reconnect us to life.
Now don't get me wrong, sometimes simple can be easy. And that's great. And sometimes there is a place for complexity as well. But the simple, the simple is available. Accessible. And when noticed and practiced regularly, the simple can support us in coming back to center. Back to what's true.
Great for surfers, overhead athletes, as well as ALL human beings — because in life we use our arms a lot! So, grab a yoga block and follow along. Save for later and repeat, repeat, repeat! These techniques are great to go through before you paddle out for a surf or before a yoga or training session. They can also be used after to support recovery!
I grew up reading surf magazines - they were almost like a Bible to me - with pages tagged and tear-out posters plastered on every wall. As a grom, my dream was to be featured in the pages of those magazines. When I realized that pro surfing was not in the cards for me, my dream shifted to seeing my writing featured on those pages.
Yoga came into my life when I was 21 years old. Growing up I was an avid athlete – I played soccer and basketball, I was a competitive surfer, and I loved to run and train. Slowing down, moving with compassion, and sitting in stillness were words that most definitely weren’t in my vocabulary, let alone things that I ever practiced regularly…
Did you know that you can practice with me anytime online over on The Salty Club App? Well if you don’t know, now you know! And I highly recommend checking out this incredible surf-inspired platform, if you haven’t already…
Unlike its ‘yang’ counterpart (the beloved Vinyasa flow), Yin yoga is a practice that focuses more on stillness and introspection. Here I share 6 poses that can be strung together for a 30-minute Yin Yoga sequence to help you unravel tension in the shoulders and the hips — Great for surfers, athletes, weekend warriors, and everyone in between!
As we find ourselves stepping into what we commonly refer to as “flu season,” still bobbing and weaving our way through a pandemic, there’s a lot of talk around boosting our immune systems, and for obvious and very good reasons. But a strong immune response isn’t just critical now, it’s crucial for keeping us healthy and resilient throughout every season of our life.
Happy Monday! And to kick off the week, and a new month, here’s a NEW Spotify playlist for you. This one was inspired by the transition from summer to fall, and as we switch seasons here in the northern hemisphere, the autumn months always seem to carry with them a sense of slowing down, turning in, and a return to routine. So, enjoy this mainly instrumental playlist to encourage introspection in your practice. Enjoy!!
I’m stoked to have teamed up with prAna for National Yoga Month to share with y’all a 30minute Yoga for Surfers practice that will help get the body warm and awake while also cultivating a clear, calm, and focused mind for your surf, or for your day. Great as a pre-surf/sport practice, morning flow, or midday re-energizer. Enjoy!!
On average, it’s estimated that US adults spend about 90% of their time indoors. And although this tendency is not something new (the indoors is comfy with heat/air, TV, wifi), I also think that it’s really important for us to recognize and utilize the many mental & physical benefits that come from something as simple as stepping out into the sun.
One of my favorites and definitely most used!! This is a nice way to start the day and a GREAT technique for pre–yoga / breathwork / training / surfing / and of course, I gotta think about all my free-diving friends! This technique focuses on the intercostal muscles between the ribs and you don’t need any props - sólo tús manos - so you can practice it anywhere.
“In every outthrust headland, in every curving beach, in every grain of sand there is a story of the Earth.” - Rachel Carson. How amazing is it that we get to be a part of this story?? And while our time on this planet is relatively short-lived — the Earth was spinning long before us and will likely continue to spin long after us — I can’t help but think about the small-but-mighty impact our own existence holds.
I am a BIG fan of using props in both my personal practice and in the classes that I teach. But with current times - classes transitioning to online, at-home, and bring your own props - it can be easy to miss the yoga studio experience. So here I share 5 easy, DIY yoga props that you can recreate at home!!
A cue that’s commonly heard in many a yoga class is: “Relax the shoulders away from the ears.” It’s like as a collective we hold tension in the neck & upper back. Relieve tension and stiffness, ease pain, and encourage tissue health and hydration with this myofascial release (MFR) technique that targets the tissues of the upper traps. You’ll need 2 therapy balls and a yoga block.
