Liz Bowden leads a class in the James River near downtown.
When Richmond resident Liz Bowden became interested in yoga in 2017, she decided to travel to India to train to become a yogi. She integrated the paddleboard aspect into her yoga sessions after taking a class with a friend. “I realized how beneficial it was floating on the river and being able to hear the sounds of nature while getting into a yoga practice,” she says. Bowden shares the advantages of being on the water, reaching a level of mindfulness and how to get people on board with paddleboard yoga.
Richmond magazine: What are some differences between yoga and paddleboard yoga, aside from the obvious?
Liz Bowden: The major difference is the core work. There’s a lot more core work going on as you stabilize yourself on the board. You are forced to move with more intention because you are forced to move more slowly. Any sudden movements on the board and you could go flying off. Paddleboard yoga almost forces you to stop and enjoy every second, every movement. It kind of forces us to be more aware of our actions, our thoughts, because we have to be intentional on the board or we will literally fall off.
RM: What are some health benefits of paddleboard yoga?
Bowden: There’s so many. Physically, it’s obviously really good for working our muscles. If you have weak ankles or anything stabilizing yourself, it has benefits [that you’ll experience] probably even sooner than regular yoga [because of] the added element of a moving plane. It calms your nervous system. You teach yourself how to calm yourself by breathing, and the added benefit of nature is so helpful. A lot of people try to meditate, but find it difficult when they’re inside a room. What’s really cool about being on a paddleboard is you really get the sense of being on your own private island.
RM: What would you tell someone who is hesitant about paddleboard yoga?
Bowden: You’ve just got to try it. [Laughs] There’s so many things that our mind can think something might be, but in the end, you never really know how great something is until you try it yourself. I’m also really big on something called “yogi’s choice.” If you just want to go out there and feel like you need to be in child’s pose the whole time, please do so. This is for you, and this is something I’m offering to the Richmond community to de-stress and let go and try something fun.
Bowden offers classes Mondays and Tuesdays at 615 Tredegar St. Visit Liz Bowden Yoga on Facebook for more information.
