Ficke launches ‘SUP Yoga’

Certified yoga instructor Lisa Ficke, center, and two of her yoga students perform yoga poses atop stand-up paddle boards “SUP Yoga” at Micro Beach, Garapan in front of Hyatt Regency Saipan. (Neil Fama)

In coordination with Saipan Seawinds, a local business that offers kayaks, paddleboards, and other beach amenity rentals, certified yoga instructor Lisa Ficke has started a new yoga practice on Saipan known as stand-up paddle board yoga or “SUP Yoga” in which traditional yoga is performed while balancing on a paddleboard in the water.

According to Ficke, her first introduction to “SUP Yoga” happened after receiving her yoga certification just last year while she was in the Florida right before the pandemic started. She said that one lady in her yoga class was doing it, and said it was really big in the U.S.

On her way back to Saipan, Ficke learned that no one on island was doing “Sup Yoga,” which coined the idea in her mind to introduce it to the island herself.

“When I got back, I didn’t see anybody doing it here so I wanted to bring it to Saipan, because we have a very active community here, and because of COVID, a lot of people have started practicing their healthy lifestyle at the beach,” Ficke said.

Ficke currently holds one session of “SUP Yoga” every Thursday at 5pm at Micro Beach right in front of Hyatt Regency Saipan. “SUP Yoga” sessions cost only $10 per person, and can accommodate about 10 participants per class. Ficke says additional sessions will depend on the total amount of people who sign up.

“SUP Yoga” is every Thursday, 5pm at Micro Beach right in front of Hyatt Regency Saipan. (Neil Fama)

“It’s a very centering experience. You have to put all of your focus in balancing on your core while you practice your yoga. Also, if you’re not in the proper position, you can fall off your board. But all you need do is get back on your paddleboard and continue. It’s a one hundred percent judgement free zone,” Ficke said.

She mentioned that at first it was very intimidating to some of her students to do yoga on a stand-up paddle board.

One student of hers doesn’t even know how to swim, but she comes with a little floatie attached to her waist, and she was able to do the poses. She added that there isn’t any skill level expected going into it.

“I feel very connected to Lisa, and to everyone in class. We feed off each other’s energies.”

There’s no judgment whatsoever,” said one of Ficke’s students.

For more information on Ficke’s “SUP Yoga” classes, contact Ficke on her Facebook page: Wild Wahine SUP Yoga Fusion.