Some Things Are Simply Better on the Beach

What do napping, reading, picnicking, walking, people watching, bocce and Coronas (plus a few unnamed pastimes) all have in common? They are better on the beach. So why not try yoga on the beach with Common Roots or other yogis along 1A?

The 1A coastline is dotted with an endless lineup of beaches (this is where you look up and thank your lucky stars). There’s soft sand, meditative sunrises, rolling waves, infinite vistas, and an endless space where your mind – and problems – just melt away. Simply put, there’s no better venue for releasing tension and discovering mental wellness than the beach.

We all get the intrinsic benefits of the beach. Most can immediately appreciate the benefits of the beach. However, there are a few secrets regarding beach yoga that you may not have anticipated. First is the session’s soundtrack. On the average beach day you can fully expect to be serenaded by Harry Styles, Jack Johnson, Taylor Swift, Bob Marley or Miley Cyrus playing on your neighbor’s boombox. But beach yoga’s soundtrack is sweet Mother Nature, centering your breathing with the white noise of lapping waves, an occasional gull, and a warm breeze. Sounds nice, right? It is.

The second mystery is the friendly challenge of uneven sand and finding your balance. Yoga in the sand is an entirely new experience, requiring a slower movement than one might be accustomed to in a studio. The “beach speed” is the gateway to slowing down the mind, the body and your breathing. At the same time, the beach can be unforgiving during the customary balance work. “Wait, you want me to try this stuff?” is probably top of mind at this juncture. Don’t throw in the towel yet. This ancient practice focuses on strength and flexibility, as much as breath work and stillness. And what better way to amp up the strength and core conditioning than challenging your balance in the troughs and peaks of the sand.

Too much mumbo jumbo for those who haven’t experienced yoga, but might have “Try yoga in 2023” on their New Year’s Resolution list? Well, if you’re a runner, cyclist, surfer or tourist on 1A, beach yoga has your name written all over it! This author is an AARP card-carrying member trying to keep up with 45-year olds on daily 1A rides. After the young guns whip me into submission, my quads are screaming at me. In fact, I’m gathering my quads have not been asking me for gummies all this time, but instead, a little post-ride beach yoga to stretch my aggravated limbs. If surfing is your passion, you can probably relate to the fatigue you feel after a session of swimming out through the shorebreak in a 4/5 suit. When your done with the on-water lineup, trade it in for an on-land lineup, stretching every fatigued muscle so you can rip it up the following first light.

You’re still wondering about the tourist thing, aren’t you? Well, it’s summer and the bumpah ta bumpah has started on 1A from Van Buren to Key West. Talk about slowing your roll! If the rubbernecking, crazy Ivans, parking wars, family road trips, extended hours on the asphalt, and population-inflation gets you down, jump into a session of beach yoga and say sayonara to stress.

Summer goes fast and beach yoga is running for a limited time. Ditch the mats and grab your beach towel. Meander down 1A to Common Roots, a café, market, and yoga studio located a stone’s throw from Cable Beach in Rye, NH. The beach yoga sessions take place on Thursday and Friday from 8 to 9 AM, Saturday 7:30 to 8:30 AM, and Sunday from 8:00 to 9:00 AM. To learn more or to register for a class, check them out at www.commonrootscollective.com If you’re thinking this may be an ingenious way to simply enjoy the beach in the morning light, don’t worry, there’s no judgment for those who sneak to the back of the classroom and just space out. There’s no better place for that escape than one of our spectacular beaches.

We look forward to seeing you this summer, playing on 1A. If you’re still missing the music soundtrack after you give this a go, crank up I Can See Clearly Now by Jimmy Cliff on the way home and thank your yoga instructor for the clarity of mind.