Too Hot for Hot Yoga? Time for AquaX and BOGA

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Despite recent rain, there's still a bit of potentially sweltering summer left. It might be too warm for hot yoga, but a different take on downward-facing dog now provides a cooler option for yoga enthusiasts. When she's not doing her duty as a Lululemon Ambassador, AquaX Paddle Board Academy’s Queenie Xiao can often be found floating in the lotus position on Chaoyang Park's lotus pond. She told the Beijinger all about the possibilities for paddleboard yoga:

What is the difference between land-based yoga and paddleboard yoga?
So, BOGA is a brand of American surf paddleboard. The founder, Dave Meyler, designed and produced the world's first stand-up paddleboard (SUP) dedicated to practicing paddleboard yoga (SUP YOGA). I thought this was a cool idea and that people in China would love it, so I brought BOGA yoga to Beijing in 2016 and founded the AquaX Paddle Board Academy. We started the first AquaX SUP yoga class in a swimming pool in the CBD, AquaX's characteristic paddleboard yoga, can be practiced on a SUP board or a Fitmat (inflatable fitness board) that we call Fitmatflow.

The biggest difference from ordinary yoga is that you can practice yoga on a paddleboard (sup) or Fitmat (inflatable fitness board) in the water. Practicing the movements on a swaying board uses a lot more small muscle groups that are rarely used in normal yoga. Because it is on the water, the basic movements are specially designed for the Fitmat group class. They combine comprehensive training movements based on combining aspects of surfing, paddleboarding, yoga, and Pilates. It's a full-body workout, including core muscles, plantar cores, abs, buttocks, and back, and as I mentioned, strengthens the small muscle groups that are usually difficult to train, like the effect of doing exercise on a flat Bosu ball. Barefoot training on a fitness board is also beneficial, as it can fully stimulate the plantar nerves. In order to maintain stability, the plantar grip is extremely effective in activating the arch of the foot. In addition to training muscle endurance, explosive power, flexibility, coordination, and stability, it also has a very strong training effect on cardiovascular fitness training.   

Do participants need to know how to swim?
In principle, there is no need to know how to swim, because the paddleboard and Fitmat are each like a big, floating rescue platform. The first action every student in the class must learn is how to quickly return to the board from the water, so that if they fall in, they can safely get back on the board and continue training.
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In terms of exercise volume, is it harder than yoga?
The same action is more difficult on a floating board. You can imagine the difference between doing some actions on a BOSU ball and on the ground. Practicing yoga on a floating board in the water will have higher requirements for stability and balance. For example, the warrior 1 position on a paddleboard will be very challenging, requiring more concentration and mobilizing small muscle groups to maintain stability.

We realize that not everyone is at the same level of fitness. At present, AquaX has launched four group classes: Fitmat Flow, SUP yoga class; Fitmat conditioning water fitness class; Fitmat Dance water dance class; and Fitmat High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) group classes.

Can I practice only in summer?
Summer is more suitable for outdoor classes in open water. At present, AquaX has outdoor paddleboard yoga and paddleboard racing in the lotus pond of Chaoyang Park every weekend. In winter, you can continue to take the FITMAT group class in the swimming pool. At present, the Fitmat group class of AquaX has classes in the Oxygym Upper East Side swimming pool every Saturday. In winter, you can also participate in AquaX's SUP retreat to explore tropical destinations.

How can I find you if I want to experience it?
Our class locations in Beijing are: 

Every Saturday at Oxygym, Upper East Side (Oxygym Upper Eastside)

Every Sunday in Chaoyang Park's lotus pond (Chaoyang Park)

WeChat ID: BOGA_ACADEMY

Tel: [phone]

Instagram: aquax¬academy

Images: AquaX Paddle Board Academy 

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