10 Tips for Yoga on the Beach

If you take your practice to my FAVORITE studio … the beach … try these tips to stay safe and enjoy yourself:

1. Bring a towel or blanket, not a mat. Your mat will not stay in place! It’s best to take a large towel or blanket so you don’t have to worry about whether you creep off center.
2. Wear sunscreen and sunglasses. Find some sunglasses that can stay on comfortably when you’re moving between poses and upside down.
3. Ditch your iPod. Use the sounds of the ocean as your background. Allow the rolling of the waves to remind you of your own rolling breath. The yogi breath, ujjayi breath, is often called the oceanic breath!
4. Protect your wrists by avoiding too many poses on your hands. My video below describes some simple tips for keeping your wrists safe on the beach.
5. Avoid too much flow. It is hard to keep your towel even and sand out of your clothes (or eyes) if you’re moving quickly. Aim for more grounding poses and not too many vinyasas.
6. Use balancing poses. The sand will challenge the fast twitch muscles in your ankles and legs. If you can balance on the sand, you can balance anywhere!
7. Try inverting. The sand is the most forgiving place to fall over. It can help you conquer your fears of flipping upside down, and you may just find yourself venturing into headstand next time you’re in the studio!
8. Make room for meditation. If you have a hard time meditating indoors, you may find the fresh beach air helps you remain still and calm without feeling stifled. Leave time for a mid-length (5 or 10 minute) meditation before savasana.
9. Bring a jacket or blanket. If you live in California, like I do, you will need a blanket for savasana even in the midst of summer. If you are in a warmer climate, you may be able to skip this step.
10. Hydrate! The beach is actually a dehydrating place to practice due to the exposure to sun, wind and dry air. Always bring a water or coconut water with you to immediately hydrate after your practice.

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