Taking yoga to the water in Joburg

Yoga instructor Steve Heyman says, “The water adds both a relaxing and challenging aspect to the yoga session.” Heyman indicates yoga has slowly evolved from a niche activity, to an activity that everyone agrees is healthy and beneficial.

Students prepare to launch into Emmarentia Dam for a Saturday morning session. Co-founder Susanna Smith indicates the combination of paddling makes for a great and fun core workout. “Doing yoga on a SUP board makes you pay more attention to your balance, activating core strength and forces you to focus on moving in and out of poses more mindfully”.

The hour-and-a-half-long classes accommodate nine participants. They involve the yoga session and some time to paddle around the dam. The SUP yoga classes are a cooperation between Smith of Sasmita Stuff, Heyman of Yoga Works and Chad Andrews from Canoe Concepts.

A participant performs a wheel pose, which tones the spine and back and keeps the body alert and supple. These postures are also known as asana. The asanas serve as stable postures for prolonged meditation. More than just stretching, asanas open the energy channels, chakras and psychic centers of the body.

A student practices a Janu Sirsasana with side bend. This pose stretches the hamstring and inside of the straight leg and lengthens the side body.

A student practices the Matsyeasana / Fish pose. It releases compression in the throat, stretches muscles of the chest and is a good way of beginning to feel the backbend working into the upper back. “The tongue sticking out is called the Lion’s Breath, and is intended to get rid of negative accumulations,” explains Smith.

The Adho Mukha Svanasana/ Down Dog variation works the entire body, reaching into the shoulders, back of legs and forms a good preparation for handstands. “The SUP yoga sessions immediately received lots of interest in Joburg and the sessions are often fully booked in advance,” states Heyman.

Heyman, pictured here, adds, “Yoga is an ancient solution to modern problems. I am always amazed at how this ancient practice (some say yoga is several thousands of years old) is still so relevant and effective in addressing many challenges we face today (sitting for long hours, being flooded by information, etc). Through the physical practice (stretching and strengthening) we also learn how to calm the mind and be comfortable under stressful circumstances.”

A Sirsasana or headstand stimulates pituitary and pineal glands inside the brain which in turn has an effect on the entire endocrine system that helps run the body. Heyman says, “We may not have a beach in Joburg but we do have amazing outdoor locations like the Emmarentia Dam, plus Joburg has lots of vibrant and active inhabitants that love to do healthy activities.”

Smith, pictured here on the right, also runs her own yoga clothing company. Heyman is also dedicated to bringing yoga to a lot of people in interesting and unusual locations and bringing a bit of adventure and inner city exploring into his yoga practice.