What can yoga do for your surfing? Some serious good, according lifelong surfing pioneer Gerry Lopez. Known worldwide for his legendary skills as a surfer and a board shaper, Lopez talked to Surfer Magazine about how yoga helped him come to master his sport.

According to Surfer, Lopez has been practicing for more than 40 years and espouses the many benefits waiting for surfers on a yoga mat. One of the main skills that translates from yoga to surfing is focus, Lopez said. He noted that having a clear mind is key to progressing as a surfer. Achieving a quiet mind starts with an awareness of our breath, something Lopez mentioned in the article.

“It’ll calm you down when you’re stressed, relax your body, and tighten your focus.

These are all things you want to be doing when you’re surfing,” Lopez said. “When done properly, breathing can really contribute positively to your overall health. But so many of us forget how to breathe. We become mouth-breathers and take really short, shallow breaths. When you breathe like that, you’re not getting the oxygen you need and you won’t be performing at your highest level.”

Back when Lopez started practicing at 19 years old, surfers carried a stigma as beach bums who slept in their cars and scavenged for daily meals, he said. Lopez remembers when that tide began to turn in the early ‘60s, in no small part because of yoga and a desire to live a healthier lifestyle.

“We started to care about our bodies and minds, and we began to exercise,” Lopez told Surfer, “I’d say yoga changed surfing.”

Take Lopez’s advice and get on your mat. Who knows? Maybe you’ll take a class and then the next time you’re on your board with a storm swell rolling in behind you, you’ll take a deep breath, focus on the perfect wave and have the ride of your life.