Aqua Asana

The global yoga fad is now brimming in water. Well…literally!

Aqua yoga is gaining in immense popularity at upscale wellness centres and resorts, with wellness enthusiasts taking a dip in salt water pools or hot water tubs to perform intricate asanas and emerge healthy in mind, body and spirit. A clear deviation from doing yoga on the mat.

Nikhil Kapur, founder and MD of Atmantan Wellness Centre located in Mulshi in the Sahyadri Mountains, says that aqua yoga is a low-intensity aquatic exercise where yoga stretches are conducted under water. “Aquatic yoga is known for helping improve the core functions of the body including strength, stability, balance and the range of motions,” says Kapur.

“Aqua yoga is getting popular because it can be done by beginners-, intermediate- or advanced-level yoga practitioners, and it allows to explore wellness in water. Aqua yoga makes participants feel lighter in water than in a normal yoga session and helps to improve balance. The pressure of the water helps to expand the lungs more for breathing, and this helps one to get greater amounts of oxygen,” says Jitendra Pokhriyal, wellness specialist at The Westin Resort Nusa Dua Bali, who conducts aqua yoga in a premium pool.

Amongst some of the popular yoga asanas that are being increasingly practised in water are the sun salutations or Surya Namaskars, a series of postures that warm, strengthen and align the entire body. Yogic poses such as the Vrikshasana that enhances stability and flexibility, Ardha Chakrasana that brings flexibility to the spine and back muscles, Dhanurasana or the bow pose that stretches the torso, opens the shoulders and increases spinal flexibility and the Virabhadrasana, an all standing pose are among the popular ones that are being done nowadays in water.

“Asanas like virabhadrasana, when performed in water that too on a floating platform, become all the more challenging. But being fluid and strong allows you to balance better,” says Kapur.

Wellness and yoga enthusiast Barbara Haas, who has visited India for acquainting herself and practising aqua yoga, says it is an extremely physically challenging workout, “because you have to hold your balance not only through breathing and body strength but also by controlling the water movements. For me, it was a lot of fun at first, and then it became really challenging. But in the end, it was a very successful mindful exercise. It is a lot harder than yoga on land, but it is also a better workout for the whole body.”

Paddleboard yoga, a variation of aqua yoga done on paddle boards that float in water, has caught on of late.

According to Kapur, whether you are a beginner or an experienced yoga practitioner, the moment you set foot on a floating board, “you will realise that practising on water is a distinctly different experience.”

Surfing aficionado Marie Tysiak loves boards and was curious to try paddleboard yoga while on a visit to India. “It was more difficult than I expected, but I enjoyed it. Especially keeping your balance while doing different asanas requires all the muscles in the body. It is rewarding for the body and mind.”

Kapur says that taking the process --yoga stretches and sun salutations-- out of the conventional yoga studios and onto paddle boards helps to develop a whole new appreciation for the balance and focus required for every pose. “Balancing poses done on a paddleboard improve muscle strength and tone, and helps in reducing the spasticity of muscles,” says Kapur.

Like aqua yoga, Aqua Zumba is also getting popular. Deveekaa Nijhawan, director of PR and communications, Niyama Private Islands, Maldives, says aqua Zumba increases muscle mass, helps to build endurance and increases body flexibility as the body is subject to water resistance during water aerobic exercises.

WATER MUDRA

• Popular under water asanas include Surya Namaskars, Ardha Chakrasana, Dhanurasana
   
• Paddleboard yoga, a variation of aqua yoga done on paddle boards, has caught on of late
   
• Like aqua yoga, Aqua Zumba is also getting popular