At Shutters on the Beach and Casa del Mar, relaxation is our specialty.
So it is only fitting that our yoga classes should explore restorative poses designed to open the body and relieve stress – with instructors covering a range of styles from Prenatal to Vinyasa Flow.
Best of all, our daily practices take place right on the sandy shores of Santa Monica.
“The beach as a backdrop provides a truly memorable experience,” says yoga instructor Elena Schuber. “The waves lend the perfect soundtrack, the sun welcomes us into our morning, and the sand molds and forms with our bodies.”
When you reserve a room with our Well By the Sea package, you receive a customized yoga mat upon check-in for all of your fitness endeavors. After a mango-papaya smoothie or an egg white omelette (on the healthy menus at Coast and Terrazza), head to the fitness studio or the beach for a soothing yoga session with Elena or another skilled instructor. (There are also more high-impact classes such as To the Core, a mix of yoga, pilates, and martial arts.)
“All of our classes combine the perfect blend of pranayama to center us and deepen our connection to our breath,” Elena says, plus “external poses to open our hips and release any stuck energy and neutral poses to strengthen our core and back body.”
Her goal with each beach yoga class is to leave guests feeling grounded, peaceful, and positively ready for their day ahead.
As for promoting relaxation, a few poses come to mind:
• Balasana (Child’s Pose) immediately connects us to our breath – facilitating a sense of groundedness – stretches the lower body, and calms the mind.
• Viparita Karani (Legs Up the Wall Pose) helps restore our bodies to their natural state. The inversion quiets the nervous system while widening the lower back and reversing the flow of energy.
• Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide Leg Forward Fold) stretches the back of the legs, elongates the spine, and calms the nervous system by lowering the head below the heart.
• Savasana (Corpse Pose) may seem simple, but only those in true, present attention can achieve a deep sense of relaxation.
