Have you ever wondered how a new practice is born? Well…

Here’s a taste: Surfasana was born from a hammock meditation and a deep desire for change, a dream to share a love and curiosity for surfing, yoga and meditation. (More on this in future blogs to come).

After much play between yogis and surfers a previous version of the Surf Salutation was born. Through continuous “surf talks“ about how we need our bodies to move, how to best build muscle memory and rehearse the pop up movement on the mat, we thought…How can we bring the perfect pop up to the mat? How can we bring the surf experience to the mat, to increase our increments of progress while out of the water? And the Surf Salutation A was born… directly inspired by the first pop up technique used by beginner-surfers.

Today we are thrilled to share with you that practice as it continues to evolve. Below is the latest rendition of the start to Surfasana -SURF SALUTATION A !

Enjoy, read along, play along with our tutorial video and let us know what you think. 

INSPIRATION: The basic beginner popup reflected on the mat.

In Surfasana, the surf salutations are the fundamental postures we practice on the mat. Building up movement and muscle memory to later take on the waves. There are three surf salutations, A, Be, and SEA. Each inspired by the three different types of surf pop ups from beginner to more advanced surfing ability.

Surf salutation A is inspired directly by the basic pop up used by most beginner surfers: from a pushup position, bring in your back leg and open your knee on a 90 degree angle. Pivot around your leg while gently pushing up and land in a surf stance. One hand in front low, your back hand up for balance. That’s your basic pop up position.

THE FLOW: Surf Salutation A step-by-step.

And now let’s flow through surf salutation A:

  • Inhale, right arm up, left arm follows.
  • Exhale, hollowing your belly, reach forward and stall.
  • Empty your air all the way out, inhale for a halfway lift.

 

  • Exhale, plant your palms and step back into a high plank pose. 
  • Hold here for an inhale. 
  • Exhale, lower your knees, untuck your toes, chest and chin down. 

 

Knee Chest Chin

 

 

  • Inhale, hips down, chest up.Exhale, lower down to the mat, shift your hands back and kick your feet up. 
  • Pop up prep. Inhale. Exhale, pump the feet, lift the chest. Inhale, chest down, feet up. Exhale, tuck the toes. 

 

 

 

 

 

Pop up Prep

 

 

 

  • Shift back into a downward facing dog.
  • Hold for an inhale here. Exhale, step your right foot up and roll onto the outer edge of your back foot. Inhale, reach up.

 

 

 

 

Knee in – reach up

  • Exhale, step up, landing in a low surf stance. Hold here for an inhale. 
  • Exhale, rotate your back arm up, left knee up and find balance.
  • Bring your weight into the pinky toe side edge of your right foot. Find a hollow in your belly and relax your left shoulder. 
  • With control swiveling your hips towards the front of the space. Taking your left toes down to the mat, right hand down and coming into a high plank pose. 
  • Hold here for an inhale. Exhale, lower the knees, the chest and the chin. 
  • Inhale hips down, chest up. Prepare for pop up prep.
  • Inhale, feet up, chest down. 
  • Exhale, pump the feet. Inhale, chest down, feet up. 
  • Exhale, tuck the toes, downward facing dog. 
  • Inhale. Exhale, step your left foot up and in. Reach up. 
  • Exhale, step up landing in a low surf stance.

Surfer Stance

  • From this low surf stance, imagine using the momentum of your body and your breath to glide into the wave. 

 

  • As you exhale, rotate your left arm up, right knee up into the chest and find balance here.
  • Swivel your hips towards the front of the space.

 

  • With control, take your right toes down to the mat, left hand down, and find a high plank pose. 
  • Hold here for an inhale. Exhale, lower the knees, the chest and the chin. Inhale, hips down, chest up. 
  • Exhale, release and prepare for pop up prep. 
  • Inhale. Exhale, pump the feet, lift the chest. 
  • Inhale, chest down, feet up. Exhale, tuck the toes, downward facing dog. Find rest here. 
  • Hold for another inhale. 
  • Exhale, release. Inhale, look up. 
  • Exhale, step up, land low with the arms reached out long in front, kangaroo.
  • Press into the outer edges of your feet. Inhale, reach the arms out and up. Exhale, hands down through heart center. Hands by your side. 

Surf salutation A – With Love, from Alexandra Ruiz, Thierry Daher and Luciano Gonzalez