SUP Yoga Teacher

SUP Yoga Teacher

Become an ASI SUP Yoga Teacher and combine your passion for yoga, paddleboarding, and wellness into a unique career.

Designed for 200-hour yoga professionals, the course equips you to lead safe and effective sessions that combines the benefits of traditional yoga with the added challenge of balancing on water, enhancing mindfulness, core strength, and connection to nature.

Additionally, the course includes some training in SUP rescue and paddling techniques, complemented by comprehensive reference manuals to support your learning. 

Special fees apply if you are already an ASI Level 1 SUP Instructor.

With internationally recognised certification, you can expand your career opportunities and meet the growing demand for watersports health activities, turning your passion into a rewarding profession.
 

What This Course Qualifies You To do

You’ll be able to teach : yoga on a SUP board 

In the following conditions:
  • inland waters or coastal locations 
  • flat water, no swell/non breaking waves or breaking waves
  • in standing depth water only (less than 4ft)
  • no more than 50 metres from shore
  • the SUP yoga activity area must be under 50 metres paddling distance.
After completing the course, you can:
  • Run safe, structured SUP yoga sessions
  • Manage groups in the water 
  • Assess SUP yoga technique, to help your clients enjoy the session
Note: 
If you plan to paddle more than 50 metres or run sessions in deep water, it is recommended, for safety reasons, that you hold ASI Level 1 SUP Instructor certification, which can be completed later.

Where Can You Work?

With your ASI qualification, you can work as a SUP Yoga Teacher: 
  • At SUP schools around the world
  • At wellness retreats and holiday resorts 
  • For yoga studios
  • For local government (or similar) health programs and activities
  • As a freelance SUP Yoga Teacher
  • At your own SUP Yoga school.  Apply to become an ASI Accredited SUP School, allowing you to operate your own professional SUP yoga school business under ASI’s global standards.
ASI qualifications are internationally recognised, giving you the freedom to work and travel.

What You'll Learn

This course covers essential skills for teaching SUP yoga sessions, including:

Laws & regulations:  that apply to conducting SUP yoga sessions 

Risk management & safety:  ASI guidelines, identify and assess risks, strategies to minimise risk, conducting location and dynamic risk assessments, emergency response 

Environment:  social & natural environmental impacts and minimisation strategies

Logistics planning:   locations, equipment (SUP yoga boards, anchoring systems, accessories), back up, student types

Session planning:  structuring SUP yoga sessions, creating session plans, ASI SUP yoga session plans and sequences set up and ready to use in own classes

Group management:  communication, positioning and client supervision 

Delivering sessions:  a library of beginner to advanced levels yoga poses modified for SUP  

Client assessment:  common mistakes, feedback, correcting technique

Professional standards: duty of care, codes of conduct, evaluating your own performance as a SUP yoga teacher, industry expectations

SUP technical skills: for the SUP Yoga teacher – an introduction to basic stand up paddle techniques and board control 

Business skills:  gaining and maintaining clients – SUP yoga marketing and business skills
 

Entry Requirements

To enrol, you must meet:

Minimum age: 18 years

Stand up paddling experience: 20+ hours of paddling. Able to paddle a board with confidence.

SUP yoga experience:  10+ hours (in class or self-guided)

Yoga teaching experience:   hold a Yoga Teacher Certificate (minimum 200 hours).
 

Course Requirements

Before you can be certified, you’ll need to complete the below: 

See the Study Option section below to confirm the specific requirements that apply to you.

(1) Personal SUP yoga ability:   
Demonstrate ability to perform a range of SUP yoga poses with safety.

(2) Knowledge:  
Complete multi-choice online tests for:  SUP Yoga Teacher  / SUP Rescue / SUP Wise Intensiv  (basic SUP paddling) 

Note: you do not complete the SUP Rescue and SUP Wise Intensiv online tests if you hold an ASI Level 1 SUP instructor certificate.

(3) Skills: 

(a) Prepare class:  demonstrate ability to prepare the class - enter the water, anchoring, organise group ready to start the session.
(b) Conduct class:  demonstrate ability to conduct SUP yoga class with correct sequencing, techniques and safety.

(4) Practical:  Hours Experience
Complete 10 hours practical work experience, assisting in the delivery of SUP yoga sessions, at an ASI accredited SUP school or other approved SUP school.  Submit logbook of hours/experience.

Note: Alternative practical hours experience can be conducted if no ASI school nearby to you. Recognition of previous SUP yoga teaching experience can be accepted.  Contact ASI for more information.

(5) Submit Required Certificates: 

Study Options

Workshop: Ideal for people who like to complete most of the course requirements at the workshop and interact with the trainer.
  • Face to face (in-person) training. 
  • Duration: 2 days 
Course Requirements: 
  • SUP yoga poses (your own) – completed at workshop
  • Prepare a class – completed at workshop
  • Conduct a class – completed at workshop
  • Online tests – completed after workshop
  • Practical hours experience:  complete 8 hours (10 hours less 2 hours signed off in workshop)
  • Submit current first aid certificate
  • Submit Yoga Teacher Certificate (minimum 200 hours)
     

Online Learning: Ideal for people who would like flexibility to complete their training.
  • Work at your own pace.
  • Face to face (in-person) practical hours experience required
  • Submit video of the practical assessments
Course Requirements: 
  • SUP yoga poses (your own) – submit video
  • Prepare a class – submit video
  • Conduct a class – submit video
  • Online tests
  • Practical hours experience:  complete 10 hours
  • Submit current first aid certificate
  • Submit Yoga Teacher Certificate (minimum 200 hours)
  • 2 free video assessments

What is Included

All study options receive online access to: 
  • SUP Yoga Teacher manual & assessments
  • Downloadable instructor logbook (for practical hours)
  • SUP Water Safety Rescue manual
  • SUP Wise Intensiv (SUP skills) manual
In addition: at the workshop, you also receive a paper copy of:  
  • SUP Yoga Teacher manual 
  • Instructor logbook (for practical hours)
  • SUP Water Safety Rescue manual 
Plus:  ASI membership for 12 months.
Plus: Yoga Alliance 20 hrs CPD is included at workshops at some locations (information provided on enrolment event) 

ASI’s E-learning Platform 
Provides access to training manuals, videos, reference materials and assessments, includes built-in language translation.

What Equipment You Use

The following equipment and clothing is required to complete the training:
  • SUP Yoga board or flat water SUP board, paddle, coiled leash
  • SUP clothing suitable for SUP Yoga
In addition:   
  • Computer or device to access ASI e-learning platform  
For online learning study option:   
  • Video camera or mobile phone to take video of skills/practical 
  • 2 x persons to be your clients 
  • Anchoring system

Certificate Issued

ASI Stand Up Paddle Yoga Teacher certificate

Valid for 12 months

Renewal

Each year, ASI Instructors renew their ASI SUP Yoga Teacher certificate.   
More about renewal requirements

Progression Pathways

Why Choose ASI?

  • Globally recognised SUP teaching and coaching qualifications
  • Industry‑leading safety and coaching standards
  • Flexible online and in‑person training
  • Clear career progression
  • Trusted by SUP schools, studios, wellness centres, resorts worldwide

READ: 10 Reasons to Become an ASI Instructor

FAQs

More FAQ’s: click here