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Amy in the Zuma Surf Suit in Burgundy. Photo by Luki O'Keefe. |
Leave your smartphone and distractions at home, the common threads we love about surfing and yoga is that both practices snap us into the present moment with our breath, the horizon, and our inner selves.
We rounded up the best Seea suits for surf and yoga to lengthen your limbs and limits, tested by Amy Reda, our resident yogi Seeababe who teaches both practices. Most people associate yoga with the acrobatic poses, but Amy said her practice is equally mental as it is physical.
"Many great teachers have taught me that yoga isn't just about poses — though they can be fun and feel good. Yoga was meant to be a process of preparing the body for deep states of meditation, and I believe that to be true as well," Amy says.
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Amy wears the Pavones in Tiles. Photo by Luki O'Keefe. |
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| Amy wears the Pavones in Tiles. Photo by Luki O'Keefe. |
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Amy wears the Capitola Top and Balboa Leggings in Blue Tide. Photo by Luki O'Keefe. |
We caught up with Amy to gain deeper insights into her practice, and what she looks for in her yoga clothes.
Why do you like practicing yoga? How does it make you feel afterwards?
I love yoga because it helps to quiet my mind and connect me to my inner self. Like surfing, yoga can be meditative and can be a tool used to greater connect one with his/her "true" self, and with others too! It might sound cheesy, but I really do believe yoga can help harmoniously connect one's body, mind and soul.
How does yoga go hand in hand with surfing?
Surfing is a lot like meditation. Its difficult to be attached to your thoughts when you're on a wave :) But practicing meditation — without any tools except your breath — can be a bit more challenging than just going out and surfing. I think you can get so much out of both, so I prefer to do both.
A meditation practice can help you so much in the water as well! It can help you to stay calm, and to find your inner peace in hairy situations. It can help you to keep your cool when you feel like you 'owned' the wave that someone just burned you on. Easier said than done. But I've noticed in myself, over the years of practicing more yoga and mediation, that I've been able to let go of a lot of superficial things. Yoga and stretching of course can help increase your strength and flexibility, which can positively lead to a more enjoyable surfing experience!
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Amy wears the Capitola Top and Balboa Leggings in Blue Tide. Photo by Luki O'Keefe. |
What do you look for in clothes that you wear for yoga? What features are important to you and why?
First and foremost, I want comfort. Like I said, I'm going to be meditating after a yoga session, and the last thing I want is to be distracted by something that is rubbing me the wrong way. It can also be nice to wear something pretty and something that makes you feel good. When I'm teaching kids yoga, I usually wear really bright colors, fun prints and patterns, but also something appropriate.
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The special features of the Pavones Top and Mid-Rise Bottom. Photo by Luki O'Keefe. |
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The special features on the Capitola Bikini Top and Balboa Leggings. Photo by Luki O'Keefe. |
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The special features on the Capitola Bikini Top and Balboa Leggings. Photo by Luki O'Keefe. |
You also teach yoga to children. How is teaching yoga to kids different than teaching to adults? What can we learn from them?
I've taught yoga classes for adults and kids over the years. I enjoy both but I love teaching kids! For one, I think a lot of kids need yoga and meditation in their lives and if I have the ability to teach people at a young age how to find more inner peace, then I'm happy to do that. Kids are easier to mold. It can be more challenging to work with adults because some already have their minds made up.
Kids aren't looking for "a good workout" or looking to "tone their arms." They just want to have fun and thats pretty refreshing to work with. What's challenging is keeping them engaged. Therefore, every class we will usually do lots of yoga games, partner yoga, acro yoga, yoga-related crafts, guided meditations, and breathing exercises, like "the bunny breath". We are really just trying to get them to find confidence and love for themselves, their classmates and the earth.
Thank you Amy!
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Amy wears the Capitola Top and Balboa Leggings in Blue Tide. Photo by Luki O'Keefe. |
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Amy wears the Capitola Top and Balboa Leggings in Blue Tide. Photo by Luki O'Keefe. |
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