New York, New York! What a wonderful city.
Famous for its imposing skyline, crowded streets and undeniable energy. The lights never turn off in the city that never sleeps. Opportunity rushes through the paved roads like cab drivers rushing you to your destination.
There’s a reason why it is one of the most famous cities in the world. Why millions of people flock to its shores every year, often becoming intoxicated by the power it holds, and staying there for the rest of their lives.
Besides the never-ending nightlife and pizza shops that never close, New York and its surrounding areas also offer outdoor enthusiasts plenty of breaks from the fast-paced living by providing activities to be enjoyed in natural lighting.
One of the fastest growing industries in the area are watersports- SUP, kayak, and boating. Out of these three, we will of course, be focusing on SUP. And more precisely, where to find the best yoga and fitness classes to experience on a board.
Next time you and your family find yourselves in the big apple, you will have additional choices for activities other than walking the city streets. So, welcome, this is Perfect Paddles Top 8 SUP Yoga and Fitness classes in the New York City Area!
Always at Aum Yoga School (West Babylon, NY)
First up on our list is a studio and SUP yoga specialist, Always at Aum Yoga School in West Babylon, New York.
This studio is strictly for those looking to spend some time practicing yoga on a SUP, extending their understanding of yoga, and feeling the immense pleasure of completing a class on a foreign surface.
Always at Aum offers private sessions only for individuals or groups in the West Babylon area. During the sessions, students can expect to be led through a standard flow, modified to make it easier to balance on the water.
The goal of the class is to keep you dry!
A short beginner paddle instruction is administered before each session to ensure participants are prepared for balancing on the water, and skills will be assessed in order to modify the flow in case students who show up are still beginner their SUP and yoga journeys.
As an interesting and exciting offering, Always at Aum also offers students teacher training sessions, so if you feel your calling is in the yoga field, and specifically the SUP yoga field, then Always at Aum is your place to go to develop a deep understanding of the teachings and begin your own career teaching.
For strictly yoga on a SUP, Always at Aum is the place to be!
Flatwater Paddle Co. (Ringwood, NJ)
Landing at our next spot is a company called Flatwater Paddle Co. out of Ringwood New Jersey.
Venturing into New York’s less attractive, but crazier cousin- New Jersey, we find ourselves in a space that has all the charm of the New York coast but with a quarter of the population.
Which for some people may be ideal. For others, more like dull.
Whichever you prefer though, Flatwater Paddle Co. is a first-rate outfitter and shop there to serve your every need in the SUP field.
Their featured class is a two-hour SUP yoga class with lead instructor Melissa Bee. Centered on Monksville Reservoir in Ringwood, the class is open to all experience levels- which means it can be great for beginner paddlers and experienced paddlers alike.
Melissa Bee is a highly qualified instructor, owning a 500-hour yoga certification, and is co-owner of both Country Flow Yoga in Hewitt, NJ and KozYoga in Ringwood, NJ.
Her high level of experience and understanding of yoga will ensure even the most timid paddlers of a fantastic time on the water, filled with plenty of smiles and sunshine.
Huntington SUP (Huntington, NY)
Next up is an outfitter located in Huntington, New York.
Huntington SUP makes it onto our list due to their class offerings of both PaddleFit and SUP Yoga.
During a PaddleFit class, participants are guided through a series of high intensity exercises, making for a fun and challenging afternoon on land and in the water. Focusing on endurance and strength training, participants are expected to work every part of their body to increase their cardiovascular output. These workouts take place both on land and in the water with a paddle in your hand- combining the two best platforms for overall fitness. All while enjoying the sun on your skin and the taste of sweat on your lips.
But, if moving slower is more of your pace, fear not! Huntington also offer a SUP yoga class where excellent instructors will take classes through a 75 minute experience, combining unique poses to challenge the experienced and simpler modifications to comfort the novice.
These two choices make Huntington SUP and versatile outfitter, encompassing both forms of exercise, ensuring participants will receive exactly what they are looking for!
And as a bonus, be sure to check out their page here to receive savings with our Buddy Deal!
Flow Paddle Yoga (Red Bank, NJ)
Making its way next onto our list is a company called Flow Paddle Yoga located in Red Bank, New Jersey.
Once again, we find ourselves roaming the shores to the south, where we find a wonderful outfitter offering rentals, kayaks, beginner lessons on SUP and of course SUP yoga.
Finding a home along the shores of Navesink River in New Jersey, Flow Paddle Yoga guides classes through a series of stretches and prominent yoga poses which even the novice is familiar with.
If you are still feeling skittish about involving yourself in an unknown activity, rest assured Flow Paddle Yoga employs only highly competent instructors who are all certified in WPA and Yoga Alliance, Red Cross Lifeguard, CPR, and First Aid. They have all your worries covered!
And the best part? They will modify any pose or sequence of poses to match your ability on the board, making for a fun afternoon, revitalizing your body on the water.
SUP OM Yoga (Rye, NY)
Gliding into our next spot is a floating yoga studio called SUP Om Yoga in Rye, New York.
This wonderful outfitter is the first floating yoga studio in the area! Making their expertise of experiencing yoga on the water, one not to be passed up.
Their main goal is to get as many people on the water as possible- getting beyond the sterile walls of a yoga studio and into nature where you can combine the wonderful feeling of stretching with the calming sounds of water lapping against your board, the birds singing in the trees, and the sun caressing your face under a cloudless sky.
One of the best features of enjoying a class with this outfitter is the location where they hold the gathering. Situated in Milton Point Harbor and the Long Island Sound, participants are often left with a sense of wonder and awe and they float peacefully on the calm waters, surrounded by nature and the soothing voice of their instructors.
Perfect Paddles highly recommends taking a yoga class with SUP OM Yoga if you are in the Rye are because it is their specialty, and this expertise shines through every class held.
Pocono Paddle and Fitness (Lake Harmony, PA)
The next outfitter on our list is a place called Pocono Paddle and Fitness in Lake Harmony, Pennsylvania.
Ok, so this outfitter may be beyond the area of New York and New Jersey, but we felt it needed to be included on our list for two reasons: 1) it’s still relatively close so don’t complain and 2) the services they offer in regard to yoga and fitness are fantastic!
Pocono Paddle has three choice for potential paddlers to choose from: paddle fitness, Pilates and yoga classes, and personal training and toning classes.
During a fitness class, participants can expect to receive a beginner lesson to test everyone’s knowledge about paddling, followed by a series of slow stretches to activate the body and the mind and get it prepared for the workout to follow.
Workouts include high intensity movements on land, including squats, pushups and burpees while intermixing paddle sprinting in the water, to keep your heart rate up and increase your cardiovascular output.
Their Pilates and yoga classes are slower paced, emphasizing holding poses for extended periods of time to increase pliability and cores strength. Participants will be challenged to keep their balance on the board with some standing poses as well- making for a fun and exciting class.
Or, if you want to hire Morgan Way, their on-staff fitness guru, for one-on-one personal training with SUP involved, you can expect to increase both your stamina and strength by combining the best of both worlds- yoga stretches and high intensity training on land and in the water.
Even with their distant location, due to their terrific class offerings, Pocono Paddle and Fitness climbs its way onto our list!
Kayak Foundation (New York, NY)
Next up is a staple here at Perfect Paddles because of their expert guides, teachers, and trainers, as well as location. We are talking of course, about the Kayak Foundation in New York!
Dear readers, do not be fooled by the name! They offer highly specialized classes on kayaks, but also on stand-up paddleboards- if that is the direction you want to take.
And while they currently do not have any yoga classes to partake in, they do have an excellent SUP Core Strength program to test your overall strength by putting you through a series of squats, lunges, pushups, twists, and of course paddling! This one-hour class will challenge your core and your balance to see if you can perform these intense maneuvers all while standing on the water.
Ok, so their exercise program is great, but they don’t offer any yoga classes, why then, would they land on our list you ask?
Well, the answer is surprisingly simple!
Location.
While you are partaking in this full-body workout where you will sculpt the body of a Greek god or goddess, classes will be able to peer out onto the horizon and spot all of New York’s most famous landmarks- the Statute of Liberty, the new World Trade Center tower, and more!
To get a true New York experience while at the same time experiencing your favorite sport of SUP, be sure to check out the Kayak Foundation!
Resilience Paddle Sports (Hoboken, NJ)
Onto our last outfitter on the list!
And landing at this spot is a place called Resilience Paddle Sports located across the Hudson in Frank Sinatra’s hometown of Hoboken, New Jersey.
Why does this outfitter land on our list?
Well, they have what’s great about the Kayak Foundation in that their location allows guests to see the wonderful New York City skyline from the water, but they combine this with a slew of choices to get you and your group on the water.
These choices include beginner lessons, tours around the State of Liberty, a Brooklyn Red Hook SUP Tour, a Manhattan Moonrise SUP Tour, and we can keep going. The point is, they offer what other places cannot. And on top of these tours, they also include SUP Fit courses and SUP Yoga classes.
The SUP Fit course is strictly paddling through difficult sections around the Hoboken and New York areas. Depending on skill and experience, instructors will push participants to increase their speed and make them paddle for distance, increasing cardiovascular output and core strength.
Bonus! Groups can expect to see the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, lower Manhattan, Weehawken Cover, Pier 13 and of course the Hoboken waterfront.
Push your paddling skills to their limits while at the same time takin in the wonderful, expansive views of the city.
But if you’re more of a yin person, then a SUP yoga class may be for you. Taking place on the Hudson River, groups will be guided through a relaxing Vinyasa and Hatha flow combining core strength with stability on the boards and long stretches to increase vitalization.
Due to their ample choices and exciting location, Resilience Paddle Sports lands at our last spot on our list of 8 SUP Yoga and Fitness Classes in the New York Area.
Conclusion
New York has a lot to offer.
Nightlife, museums, Broadway shows, outstanding food, the list can endlessly go on.
But what it can also offer is a slew of outdoor activities for those wanting to maintain and active lifestyle. And part of this lifestyle is SUP.
By participating in a SUP yoga or fitness class, you can combine exercise with the excitement of the outdoors.
Some may say this is a perfect combination.
We are Perfect Paddles sure think so.
Next time then, when you find yourself in the crowded city streets, wanting to find an outlet for escape, we hope our list of 8 SUP Yoga and Fitness Classes in the New York Area will help guide you in the right direction.
Get outside and feel the best you have ever felt!
About the Author
Share this Post