Yoga and scuba diving have a lot in common, these activities build skills that complement each other, making you better at both.
If you already dive, yoga will improve your technique. And if you love yoga, you’re sure to love diving. Yoga and scuba challenge you to push your boundaries and step out of your comfort zone, which is just one reason why they are a perfect pair.
The following poses open your chest cavity and promote strength and flexibility in your back, hamstrings, quadriceps and calves, the places you need it most when you’re hauling gear on your back. Mastering these poses leaves you feeling balanced, strong and competent for your next dive.
Perform each pose one to three times, holding the pose for at least 10 seconds, working up to a full minute. Breathe deeply throughout.
Locust:
- Lie on your stomach with your chin on the floor and your arms at your sides, hands under your thighs. Your palms should be facing up, and pressing gently on your legs.
- Raise your head, chest and legs off the floor as high as comfortably possible, tilting your head back and keeping your legs and feet together
- Hold. Then lower yourself back to starting position. Turn your head to the side to relax before repeating the pose.
Crescent Moon:
- From a standing position, bend forward and place your fingertips or palms on the floor beside your feet (you can bend your knees).
- Take a big step back with your right leg, raising your torso and head.
- Bring your hands over your head, palms together, thumbs crossed.
- Arch your body from the toes of your right foot through your leg and torso up to your fingertips.
- Tilt your head back to look to the ceiling.
- Hold. Then release. Switch legs.
Triangle
- Stand with your feet wide apart in a straddle stance. Turn your right foot out 90 degrees and turn the left foot out about 45 degrees, while you continue to face forward.
- Lift arms out to your sides.
- Bend to the side and reach your right hand down your right leg as far as comfortably possible, while extending your left hand up toward the ceiling. Look up toward the ceiling.
- Hold. Then release. Switch sides.
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Forward Bend
- Sit on the floor with your back straight and feet out in front of you with your toes pointed up toward the ceiling. Push heels away from your body to lengthen the legs as much as possible.
- Reach your arms over your head.
- Keeping your ears between your upper arms and your eyes looking at your fingertips, bend forward and reach toward your feet dropping as far as comfortably possible without rounding your back or bending your knees.
- Hold. Then release.
Eagle
- Stand with your feet together and arms by your sides.
- Bend your left knee and bring your left foot upward. Cross the left leg over the right so your left thigh is resting on your right thigh. Bend your right leg slightly and wrap the left foot behind the right leg.
- Cross your arms at the elbows, left over right. Bend your arms, bringing your palms together so your hands are in front of your face and fingers are pointed upward.
- Hold. Then release. Switch sides.