Because Yoga Wasn’t Hard Enough Already

By Aviva Shen

As soon as we get comfortable with one workout trend, something comes around to make it more complicated. Take your Downward Facing Dog, just add water and voila! You get Adventure Chatham’s new yoga-on-paddleboards class.

Those of you who are tired of solid ground will love this class. Who needs a mat when you’ve got a paddleboard floating down the waterways of the Cape?

Don’t be intimidated, newbies! Justin Labdon, creator of Adventure Chatham, assures us this is a class geared toward beginners of both yoga and stand-up paddleboarding. Bear in mind, though, that you will be on a body of water, which tends to be less than stable. “The board itself is a very stable mat, but the additional balance involved does add to the core workout,” he says.

Justin first got the idea to combine the exercises after hearing about companies in Hawaii, Florida and California offering “yoga on the water.” Partnering with Valerie Twomey of Chatham Lighthouse Beach Yoga, he started developing his own program incorporating yoga, fitness boot camps, and “all aspects of the lifestyle” in addition to selling equipment.

A typical class lasts for two hours, and begins with a group paddle warm-up followed by yoga guided by Valerie. Currently, classes are on Wednesdays from 10 am to noon ($75 including all rental equipment, $25 if you bring your own), but Justin hopes to expand the schedule as more interest develops.

“Stand-up paddleboarding offers a great low-impact core workout and is a popular cross training activity for Olympians and pro athletes like Lance Armstrong,” says Justin. “And I can’t imagine a more serene or enjoyable setting for a yoga class than on the water.”

As a severely uncoordinated yoga rookie myself, I think I’ll bring a swimsuit just in case…