Aqua Yoga

When I’m on holiday I love swimming in the sea. There’s something really therapeutic about the sound of the waves lapping against the shore and the warmth of the water washing over you as the glow of the sun surrounds your whole body, it really is an amazing feeling. Sometimes though when I want to take a little break from swimming I like to practice a little ocean yoga.

Yoga in the sea is great for improving balance and focus but unfortunately many of us don’t have access to the sea all year round but we do have access to swimming pools so why not bring a little bit of that holiday feeling back home with you.

Now we’ve all heard of Aqua Aerobics so why not Aqua Yoga? Aqua Yoga poses are standing poses that you can do in the pool. Practicing yoga in the ocean or the pool can be a little challenging and we all know how difficult it can be just to walk in the water because of the water resistance, but this natural movement helps us to increase muscle strength and flexibility and build endurance. Exercising in the water is also much kinder to our joints as it relieves the pressure on our joints and helps give us more freedom of movement.

The first few times I did my Aqua Yoga routine in the pool I did get a couple of strange looks but I think they’ve gotten used to me breaking out into Warrior in the middle of the pool now 🙂

I like to start by walking forwards and backward in the water so my body gets used to the resistance of the water. Then I like to get my arms and shoulders moving a little by doing a few arm rotations one way and then the other. Then it’s time to move on to the legs and do a few leg kicks and some underwater cycling before moving into my standing poses.

If your pool has a shallow end it’s probably best to start these poses there so your feet can rest firmly on the bottom of the pool. If you’re not that confident in the water or struggle with balance you can wear armbands or a swimming ring around your waist. Remember it’s always safety first.

Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

• Stand with your feet together, firmly and evenly on the floor of the pool.
• Relax your shoulders and lengthen your neck. Let your arms hang by your sides, palms facing outwards and look straight ahead.
• Take a deep breath and raise your arms above your head with your palms facing each other and your fingertips pointing to the ceiling.
• If it feels comfortable tilt your head back slightly and gaze up to the ceiling.
• If you feel any pain in your neck keep your gaze in front of you so you’re looking straight ahead.
• Hold and breathe normally.

Hasta Uttanasana

• Standing in Tadasana, inhale and take your arms up and back
• Arch your back and bring your head between your arms with your palms facing each other

Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)

• Standing in Tadasana with your feet 4/5 feet apart or as wide as you can comfortably go in the water.
• Turn your right foot out to a 90-degree angle and your left foot in at 45-degrees.
• On the inhale raise your arms above your head, keeping them straight and shoulder distance apart, palms facing each other and fingertips pointing to the ceiling.
• On the exhale slowly let your head fall back taking care not to put any strain on your neck and gaze upwards.
• Stay here for a few breaths, breathing normally.
• Repeat on the other side.

Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)

• Standing in Mountain Pose with your feet 4/5 feet apart or again, as wide as you can comfortably go in the water.
• Turn your right foot out to a 90-degree angle and your left foot in at 45-degrees.
• On the inhale extend your arms out to the sides at shoulder level with your palms facing downwards and your torso facing forward.
• On the exhale bend your right knee so it’s in line with your right heel and the right thigh parallel to the floor so your leg is at a right angle.
• Your left leg should be straight and the soles of your feet pushed into the floor of the pool.

Chair Pose (Utkatasana)

• Starting in Tadasana bend your knees and drop your hips bringing your weight onto your heels. Go only as far as you can comfortably go keeping your head above the water.
• Dropping your tailbone and keeping your front ribs in, lift your arms up shoulder width apart.
• Keeping your shoulders firm rotate your arms inward and gaze upward.
• Stay here for a few breaths then straighten your knees and relax your arms back in Tadasana.

Tree Pose (Vriksasana)

• From Tadasana bend your right knee and place the sole of your right foot high up against the inner left thigh.
• Keeping your left leg straight breathe in and raise arms out by your sides to shoulder level, palms facing up and breathe out.
• Stretch and extend your arms up over your head and place the palms of your hands together. You should feel a nice stretch in your shoulder blades. Hold and breathe normally.

Eagle Pose (Garudasana)

• Standing in Tadasana wrap your left foot around the outside of your right calf (or ankle depending on where is comfortable for you)
• Bend both elbows in front of you to a 90 degrees angle.
• Put your right arm under your left and join your palms together, crossing your wrists. The fingers of your left hand may be touching the middle of your right palm.
• Repeat on the other side.

Lord Of The Dance/ Dancer’s Pose (Natarajasana)

This is a more advanced pose for Aqua Yoga and should only be done where the water comes no higher than your naval.

• Standing in Tadasana with your weight on your right foot, lift your left heel up towards your left buttock and bend your knee.
• Keeping your standing leg straight and strong and your torso upright reach your left hand back and grasp you’re the outside of your left foot or ankle.
• Lift your left leg up slowly and extend the left thigh behind you.
• When you have balance stretch your right arm in front of you.