"In the water, finally, I find peace."

SUP 101

"Stand up paddle boarding has become such a diverse and vibrant sport. It defies strict definition, leaving its early roots as elusive as its modern surge into popularity." (SUP Mag, 2016)  

Stand Up Paddle Boarding (SUP) has been demonstrated in many different ways throughout history. In ancient cultures in Africa and South America they would use boards in order to hunt and fish. Warriors in parts of Africa stood up in dugout canoes and used their spears as paddles to move silently into enemy territory. The roots of modern SUP however has its roots in Waikiki when surfers would take paddles and stand on their boards to get a better view of the surfers in the water and incoming swells, and from time to time they would surf the waves in themselves using the paddle to steer the board. Later on surfers began using paddle boards in order to take photos of the surfers while out on the water. The path for SUP has surfed its way into the mainstream thanks to people such as John Zapotocky (the oldest SUP Surfer), Dave Kalama and Laird Hamilton.

As of October 3, 2008 the U.S Coast Guard classifies SUP boards as vessels and due to its ease for new participants and being a low impact full body workout it has only grown rapidly in its popularity. By 2009 it was the single fastest growing paddle sport in North America. 

My Journey

I've always felt drawn to the water, I sometimes take the long way home just so I can drive along the water or I find a way to take my daily run where I can get a view of a lake or the ocean. I guess this makes sense since 70% of our bodies are made up of water...So when I found stand up paddle boarding I instantly felt like I was where I was supposed to be. We all have that something that makes us feel at home. For me, home was standing on a board. I was lucky enough to grow up so close to multiple different lakes with plenty of opportunities to paddle. I went ahead and bought myself a board on a wimb, purchased some straps from Amazon for my little Toyota Corolla and I was set! Then I realized I had no idea how to maneuver this 12 ft long board onto the top of my tiny car... Thank god for YouTube tutorials because I managed to figure out how to install a fin and strap the board down to my car on my own, thankfully without any dents or breaking any windows!

I remember one of the first times I went out paddling with my new board, I was so excited, I woke up at 6am and headed to one of my favorite spots on the lake just so I could have the water all to myself. It was like gliding across glass, so peaceful. Being as excited as I was I didn't consider the 40 degree chill that morning and didn't realize my toes would go numb standing barefoot. I let my toes turn blue that morning as I stood alone paddling, enjoying the rare silence and watching the sunrise.

It wasn't long after purchasing my first paddle board I got a job at an aquatic center so I could paddle even more. It was also during this time I became so immersed in everything SUP that while I was scrolling through Instagram I discovered a photo of a girl doing a headstand on a paddle board. I had no idea that this photo would snowball into a career. Fast forward...a year later I enrolled in an SUP Yoga teacher training in Los Angeles with the same girl I had seen doing a headstand. Teacher training gave me the skills and the knowledge to expand upon my passion for this new and growing industry.

SUP Yoga is unlike any other yoga experience. There is no studio, no walls and no boundaries. The open space allows you to connect with nature and recharge mentally, taking a break from the craziness of our normal daily obligations. SUP Yoga is a fantasy and there is nothing quite like lying in Savasana, feeling the water slowly sway you side to side while feeling the warmth of the sunshine on your cheeks. I personally have grown and learned a lot since those first days where I would freeze my toes off but SUP Yoga has helped me heal from heartbreak and brought me more fulfillment and joy than I could have ever imagined. Life really is just better when you add water!

"The sea once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever"

 -Jacques Yves Cousteau