Yoga for Surfers’ humble beginnings
13 years ago back in 2002; Louisa founded Lunge Yoga for Surfers in Manly at Queenscliff Surf Club. While Louisa was embarking on her solo-professional teaching career she began working with a small group of friends, helping them to repair their surfing and other sport-related injuries. In just a short time, her friends were feeling stronger, healthier in general and some were getting back in the water and surfing better.
Her success stories convinced her to add a dedicated surfer’s class to the Lunge Yoga timetable and Lunge Yoga for Surfers was born.
After a short time at Queenscliff, the Lunge studio moved to North Steyne Surf Club and Newport Surf Club for over 3 years, and then onto a dedicated Lunge Yoga studio for 8 years and today calls Manly Seniors Centre home. Interestingly though, since Yoga for Surfers was coined back in 2002, the classes have consistently been 98% men. The classes are mostly filled by local surfers but over the years they have attracted all kinds of active and sporty men from the area.
“I’ve been doing different types of yoga for just on 30 years, the last 7 of those have been at Lunge with Louisa and trust me, it’s the best. One energetic session keeps my body aligned all week. As someone who ‘drives a desk’ I really notice when I miss a class. Lunge yoga classes help me focus, release tension, realign back issues, build core strength and balance. While some sessions are more challenging and strenuous than others, you don’t need to be a Yogi to fit in and get the most out of any class.”
Hunter, 48, Managing Director
February 2015
How does Yoga for Surfers help?
Louisa specialises in helping her students unlock their full health potential. Louisa has done extensive training in the understanding & wisdom of yoga, meditation and holistic health. From the beginning of her yoga teaching Louisa has always taught in a way to make yoga accessible for clients from all walks of life, especially men and active locals.
“Men that would have never imagined doing yoga, men of all walks of life and age groups, come along to the classes.”
Louisa Kolega, Founder of Lunge Yoga and Health
The clients who have committed to the Yoga for Surfers classes once to twice a week have noticed a significant improvement in their energy, focus, fitness and surfing technique in general. In time, not only has their performance improved in the water but out of water as well. Their work and family life have become more productive and enjoyable.
The style of teaching at Lunge is a modern way of looking at yoga. Louisa has been told that she makes yoga sound ‘normal’ and accessible to people of all ages, lifestyles and abilities. The style of yoga at Lunge is modern, dynamic and challenging. The poses and sequences target specific parts of the body to improve core strength, balance, flexibility, energy levels, lung capacity and old injuries.
Louisa sees yoga as a simple tool taught over thousands of years, and when taught simply – there really is no mystery in it. Beyond the physical benefits of yoga, if taught properly, it should also affect how you feel in your body, your mind and spiritually. Your inner person affects the people around you. This concept is fundamental to the yoga taught at Lunge.
Yoga for Surfers today
13 years later and Lunge Yoga for Surfers is still Lunge’s most popular specialised class. Since the opening of the first Yoga for Surfers class in 2002, there are now three, dedicated and fully subscribed Yoga for Surfers courses on the Lunge timetable.
Today, the Yoga for Surfers courses at Lunge run for 8 weeks at a time, 4 times a year in sync with the seasons. The courses are designed not only to benefit surfers, but sporty, active and athletic people in general but surfers do take preference when booking.
Louisa also teaches private sessions and designs personalised yoga programs for surfers that travel. Louisa also teaches group private sessions for people who want to develop their technique further or for those committed to a daily yoga practice.