Are you a sports lover on the lookout for a new hobby, but don’t know what to try next? Or perhaps you are thinking of your next holiday and want a different trip to reconnect with yourself. Either case, if you are the type of person who loves the outdoors and enjoys discovering new things about yourself, going on a Yoga Surf retreat is always a good idea.

Both Yoga and Surfing often come together as a routine and practice. Truth being said, if you want to connect with your body, these two are the perfect complement. Yoga goes more with breathing and body while surfing syncs you with the sea and wave patterns.

Bali is, without any doubt, the best holiday destination to improve your Yoga and Surfing skills. In case you don’t know, both disciplines have loads of benefits, both physically and mentally. Surf and yoga in Bali are all you need!

6 key benefits of yoga you should know about

1. Improves strength, balance, and flexibility.
2. Weight reduction
3. Improved respiration, energy, and vitality.
4. Helps you tackle anxiety and depression.
5. Increases overall body awareness.
6. Relieves chronic stress.

5 simple reasons why yoga is good for surfing

Apart from the physical benefits of yoga, its spiritual benefits are also relevant. Historically, yoga is more mental than physical. Thus, surfing can benefit your yoga practice. If you decide to go ahead and spend your hols in a yoga surf retreat, these are the benefits you’ll get on your first week:

1. Physical conditioning. You build a stronger core, balance, flexibility and body awareness, qualities that are very helpful for learning surfing.
2. Better muscle memory and strength. By now, you should know that yoga is all about repeating sequences and postures, which will train your body and mind as surfing.
3. Breathing improves considerably. The most important part of yoga is, of course, breathing. By having better breathing techniques, you will be able to “navigate” hostile conditions (the sea).
4. Increased mental strength. Yoga helps channelling your mind, and since surfing is also a very mental discipline, this skill will be valuable for you.
5. Peace of mind. If you decide treating yourself with a surf and yoga Bali retreat, you will experience a sense of calm since minute one. Yoga helps you let go of things you can’t control in your life, which will help you understand that you can’t control everything during your surfing practice.

4 yoga poses that will help you when surfing.

Your yoga practice will contribute to developing your surfing skills, and there are some yoga postures that will help you out when diving into the sea. These are:

1. Downward facing dog. This pose strengthens your shoulders, spine, and legs, which is great for balance.
2. Pigeon pose. This classic one works out your glutes. Surfing requires you to be flexible in your hips area, so pigeon should always be on your sequence.
3. Upward facing dog. Alignment is key to succeed during surfing, so cobra pose strengths your back and gives you a wee backbend, which is great.
4. Cat and cows. Breathing in and out while stretching your spine and lower back reduces the risk of having back pain after paddling on your surfing board.

What happens after a whole week of practicing yoga and surf?

Consistency is the key to everything in life and when creating that connection between mind and body. It is vital. You will feel more connected to your physical body and more spiritually connected to your inner self. Magic will happen as soon as you land in your yoga Surf retreat, though it is after a week when you will sense most of its benefits.

Creating a routine for your yoga practice will help you when heading the beach to ride some waves, and once you are back from your day out, a more chilled yoga session will relax your muscles while prepares you for bedtime. Think no more and spend some time alone or with your friends at a Surf and Yoga Bali retreat: your body and mind will do the rest.