Fitness: Yoga and stretching exercises

Well, SUP is a trend, but the trend has two things going for it: standing paddling even fulfils therapeutic purposes (low-impact sport in English: joint-friendly training and strengthening the ankle and knee joints through balancing) and for Qigong and yoga practitioners, the SUP board can be an exercise island in the water and an extension of their practices thanks to the large volume and the free, soft standing surface. Because, according to Kirsty Jones, the exercises need to be performed even more precisely than on land to avoid a wash. First of all: meditation, stretching exercises, Qigong or yoga on the SUP board only make sense if you a) stand and paddle safely on the SUP board and b) are not a beginner in Asian body healing movements and have mastered the stretching exercises on land.

The purpose? To increase his skill and concentration. Due to the relatively unstable longitudinal axis of the board, the muscular system has to work even harder to stabilise the same movement. A therapy or meditation island also enriches the respective discipline. So: start with light exercises, then gradually increase.

You can find more information from Kirsty on the Internet at www.kirstyjones.com by SUP fitness paw Nikki Gregg ( www.nikkigregg.com ) or yoga tips on the SUP and appointments by e-mail: julia@markamri.at resp. www.markamri.at catch up.

Here are a few examples of exercises to start with (consult a therapist beforehand in the event of injuries/physical anomalies).

The cat stretches - The entire arm, back and leg apparatus is gently stretched, stretched and strengthened. Important: Support arm perpendicular to the board. Raised arm, raised leg and back form a straight line. Look forwards. Then switch sides. The exercise on the SUP board also strengthens the abdominal muscles, hip balance and concentration.

Knee to chest - This simple stretching exercise relaxes the lumbar and hip area, stretches the thigh and knee flexor muscles. The relaxation effect is significantly enhanced on the water. In addition, the hip coordination is positively stressed by balancing the longitudinal axis instability.

Twister - Sitting upright (one leg extended, one bent, supporting arm placed behind the body), the upper body rotates backwards, then looks backwards. The second arm (elbow on knee) pushes the bent leg subtly against the direction of rotation - an excellent exercise for the spine with a stretching effect in the thigh and abdominal muscles.