What the HECK is SUP Yoga and Where Can You Do It in Yakima?
An acquaintance of mine recently posted that she was hooked on SUP Yoga and I was like, what the HECK is THAT?!
WHAT IS SUP YOGA?
SUP Yoga stands for "stand up paddleboarding" and it's the latest craze amongst the outdoorsy types here in the Pacific Northwest. People all over the state are raving about it and I have seen more than one of my Facebook friends speaking on how much fun it is and how much they love it. I have heard that this experience is so much fun. A friend of mine did a SUP yoga class in the river. She said she was really nervous but the teachers are very skilled and helped her relax and have fun.
WHERE CAN YOU FIND SUP YOGA IN THE YAKIMA AREA?
Mahre Made and Just Breathe SUP Yoga are the two local places I found offering stand up paddleboarding lessons and adventures.
- MAHRE MADE:
- They offer public and private SUP clinics in Yakima at Aspen Lake, the Yakima River, and private locations in Yakima, Rimrock Lake, and Whidbey Island.
- JUST BREATHE SUP YOGA:
- They offer public and private lessons at the Selah Aquatics Center, Yakima Athletic Club, Naches, Rimrock, Vantage, Crescent Bar, and Lake Chelan.
You don't have to go out on the lake to try out paddleboarding. Some of the certified SUP instructors offer classes at the Selah Aquatics Center and the Yakima Athletic Club. You can find 1-hour classes and some that are 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- SELAH AQUATICS CENTER
- This one-hour class is $25 on Tuesdays. Certified SUP Yoga & Stand UP Paddle Board Instructor Sara Washburn gives classes here every Tuesday from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Folks of all ages can participate in the class, yes, even young kids. Just make sure you bring your own life jacket.
- YAKIMA ATHLETIC CLUB
- You will need to pre-register for this $25 class. You might want to call ahead to make sure you don't have to be a member of YAC to participate.
PRIVATE GROUP CLASSES
If you have a birthday party, sorority or fraternity crew, church group, bachelor/bachelorette party and the like, this might be the best bet. You all can take the private tour that the instructors do on the lake! Just gather a group of your friends to do the private tour with you and you will have an exciting adventure together. Just sign up and then you can go have some fun! The instructors even supply the boards you all will need. Prices start at $75 for one person and decrease the more you have in your group. This is a 1 hr 30 min class and if you want to host your private lessons in Naches, Rimrock, Vantage, Crescent Bar, or Lake Chelan then there will be an additional mileage fee.
WANT TO PRACTICE PADDLEBOARDING FIRST?
If you have never tried paddleboarding before and you want to practice before you take one of the more intricate events, sign up for the Practice Sessions!
ADULT-ORIENTED CLASSES
Just Breathe SUP Yoga also offers adult-oriented classes including classes at local breweries (like Bron Yr Aur) and wineries (like Owen Roe). One of the new popular events is the midnight glow-paddle SUP yoga.
PADDLEBOARDING ON THE OCEAN AND THE LAKE IN THE YAKIMA AREA:
Mahre Made offers ocean-level training in paddleboarding and Ladies/Womxn Retreats on Lake Chelan. Take your SUP adventures to the next level!
Some local paddleboarding teachers offer retreats so if your nonprofit board is looking for a new way to bond, this might be it!
I can't wait to take my 10-year-old daughter Willow to our very first SUP Yoga class. It's going to be my birthday treat for the both of us!