One of the best things about yoga is that it can be done anywhere: in a class, at the beach, on a mountaintop and, yes, even in your backyard pool.

In honor of International Yoga Day on June 21^st, we’re exploring some of the best ways to merge your love of yoga with your passion for pool time. Take a look below!

In-the-water poses

While some yoga poses may look simple, actually doing them is another story! For help with toughing out those more complex poses, your pool might be just the ticket. Who says you can’t try them in the water?

Taking your yoga poses to the pool can help you achieve a sense of weightlessness, allowing you to master certain moves in an all new way. The upward dog, for example, requires you to create an arch with your whole body: shoulders pulled toward the back, arms down, and face and chest up, facing the sky. You can take these movements to the water using the help of pool noodles in lieu of a traditional mat, giving your feet and hands a place to rest and pull the rest of your body.

Another great pose to try in the water is the handstand! The handstand in yoga begins by putting your hands on the floor, then putting your knees into the crooks of your elbows as a sort of “boost,” which allows the lower half of your body to rise up and, once you’re in form, move around freely. It’s a fun pose, but one that also requires some practice (and may seem daunting at first!). Why not try it out in the water for a fun, floating variation on this classic pose? Handstands in the pool are especially fun, since you know that, even if you topple over, you’ll simply be able to float up and start over!

Poolside serenity

Of course, you don’t actually need to slip into your bathing to enjoy a new kind of yoga experience. Simply put your mat by the pool (enjoying the sounds of nature and maybe your trickling waterfall), and practice your poses there. You can even bring your outdoor speaker for some relaxing background music. In the muggiest summer months, you might consider surrounding your outdoor yoga space with citronella candles for bug protection that doesn’t stink.

Floating free

Another way to stay relatively dry is to perform poses on a float inside your pool! The same densely-packed foam floats you use for sunbathing or reading in the pool can be used to do yoga. This is also a great way to make use of the other novelty floats you have floating around: your larger-than-life flamingo, unicorn, pizza-shaped float or just about anything else that puts some distance between you and the water.

Yoga is all about serenity—so we can’t think of a better place to practice than a spot already inundated with pleasing moving water sounds and stunningly colorful vistas. If you’re looking to make your pool even more conducive to your favorite pastime, call us today! Extreme Pools can help you with wet shelves, waterfalls, and other features that can make your yoga experience a better one.