Spend a couple minutes rounding your spine and lifting your tailbone on your exhale, then opening your chest when you inhale. (Feel free to get funky with it!) Tap into your breath and move in any way that feels good. Flexion and extension, side to side, or circles. Explore all the different ways your spine can move. So yummy!

Since we spend much of our time in this posture while paddling, it’s a good idea to practice cobra postures on land to warm up your spine before heading out. This can actually improve your paddling positioning and technique on your board. Start by lying on the ground, belly down and legs hip distance apart. Anchor through the tops of your feet, pubic bone, and hips before you inhale, then lengthen and lift your chest off the ground or surfboard. Do this as a dynamic movement, inhaling as you rise up into cobra and exhaling as you descend.

Balance is an important part of surfing. Practicing the Tree Pose will not only improve your steadiness and focus, but also help open your hips to prepare for those graceful pop-ups. Start by standing with your feet hip distance apart, weight distributed evenly over both feet. Look straight ahead and focus on something to help you balance. Shift your weight onto your right foot. Bend your left knee and open your left hip. Depending on your flexibility, you can rest your left foot on either your right ankle (easiest), calf (more challenging), or inner right thigh (most challenging). Hold as long as feels comfortable while breathing calmly. Come back to the starting position. Close your eyes, take a couple deep breaths, and repeat on the opposite leg. Notice the difference?

This is a fantastic pose for stretching all those tired paddling muscles. It also feels great for the hips after straddling your board. Start by standing with legs hip width apart. Cross your right foot over your left foot and glue your inner thighs together. Cross right arm under left arm and either give yourself a big hug or wrap your forearms so your palms touch. Take this pose further by pretending to sit in an imaginary chair with your legs still crossed. Plant your top foot on the ground for balance or challenge yourself by lifting it behind your other calf. For a deeper sensation, lift your elbows up and away from your body. Repeat on the opposite side. I love practicing just the arm portion of this pose while sitting on my surfboard after a challenging paddle.

To relieve those sore paddling muscles and soothe lower back tightness, the Shark Fin offers a nice little tricep stretch. Come into Child’s Pose with knees nice and wide to create space for your body to settle towards the earth. Lengthen your arms along the ground towards the top of your mat, bringing palms together. Bend your elbows, bringing your hands towards the back of your head and enjoy the sensation in your triceps and down the sides of your body. To intensify that yummy goodness, try walking your elbows forward and let your heart melt a little deeper to the mat. Aaahhh.