If you’re a yogi who also loves the ocean, Corpus Christi has just the thing for you. Practice your downward facing dog on a paddleboard in Corpus Christi Bay at the downtown marina.
Standup paddleboarding (SUP) is a test of balance in and of itself. A single SUP session works your abdominal muscles, shoulders, arms and legs as you balance on the board.
Now, throw in some complicated yoga poses. Get into positions such as warrior pose and tree pose and do your best to stay upright. With SUP yoga, you have a full-on workout to test your core strength, agility, flexibility and — most important —  inner zen.
While the goal is to stay upright, it’s OK to lose balance and fall in the water. Beginners and SUP pros alike fall in all the time. It feels like a great accomplishment to do a shoulder stand without going overboard. It also feels great to take a dip in the heat of the summer during a workout.
Water Dog Yoga is the pioneer of SUP yoga in Corpus Christi. Its floating studio in the marina offers a variety of Vinyasa and Ashtanga yoga for all levels. Classes are held at all times of the day from sunrise to sunset. Express classes are available for those who want to slip in a quick workout during lunch hours.
No matter what time of day, be sure to wear plenty of waterproof sunscreen! The sun rays do double damage when you’re on the water, which reflects ultra-violate rays from above and below. After a SUP yoga session, you don’t want anything to be burning except your abs.
For more about Water Dog classes, call (361) 760-1050 or check out the online schedule at waterdog.cc.
The floating Water Dog Yoga studio is located at the Corpus Christi Marina, 89 Coopers Alley L-Head, in slip T5.