Instant dread swelled in my chest as Mary Prescott uttered, “OK everyone, stand up.”

My classmates stood with ease. I, kneeling on my stand-up paddleboard, shook my head in protest. I didn’t trust myself, or this board.

Mary, a seasoned paddleboard yoga instructor, didn’t press the issue. Instead, she encouraged me.

“It’s fi ne, Shemir,” she said. “You don’t have to stand up right now. You can wait until we reach the sandy bottom of the lake.”

I paddled steadily, concentrating on my breathing and core muscles. The yoga hadn’t started yet, but I could already feel my body getting a much-needed workout. Before long, the murky lake transformed into slightly tannic but clearer waters. Nevertheless, my worries persisted.

Realizing I needed more encouragement, Mary calmly left her board and walked over to me to show we were drifting in only 2 feet of water.

“It’s OK,” she said in a low, reassuring voice. “I know you’re scared, but you can do this.”

I took my fi rst shaky, albeit successful, steps to stand. And as I wobbled wildly trying to fi nd my balance, Mary reminded me to breathe, concentrate on the horizon and flatten my toes, which kept curling into clenched talons.

With each paddle stroke, my anxiety lessened. Soon, my breathing became natural. My legs stood strong and confident. My eyes looked less at the board and more at the breathtaking view. Peace, it seemed, ordered my body into submission. Who knew tranquility could be found atop a SUP — stand-up paddleboard — off the shores of Lake Minnehaha?

Channeling my inner sun goddess, I relished the midmorning rays. A band of beach flowers in bloom caught my attention as I dropped anchor.

We moved from standing to sitting and then standing again. For my upward reach, I inhaled and stretched my arms far above my head as if trying to pluck the sun from the sky. The board teetered beneath me, but I held my position. I realized it takes a lot of effort to fall off.

“I do a lot of research before I buy boards,” Mary said. “I try to buy ones that are very forgiving and easy to do yoga on. My boards may not be the best if you’re looking to move quickly through the water, but they’re great for what I use them for.”

Performing planks, lower push-up poses and downwardfacing dog poses wasn’t easy. My arms shook violently, probably from my lack of experience in yoga. My more athletic peers, though, handled the poses beautifully. Nevertheless, my determination kept me planted on my paddleboard.

Certain poses, such as the bridge and cobra, weren’t nearly as daunting. In fact, the skyward stretch with the cobra pose helped ease a twinge that had been lingering in my lower back. But the full-boat pose was too difficult for me. My core stability is nonexistent and I felt too much pressure on my tailbone. However, what made Mary’s class enjoyable was she allowed me to modify certain poses so I would be comfortable.

She’s accommodating, since most of her classes are a mix of skill levels. Those who are more advanced are welcomed to ramp up their routine; beginners can adjust accordingly.

By the end of our hour, I learned my favorite yoga poses were the easy pose (basically just sitting cross-legged), the happy baby (it’s relaxing, but could look strange to passersby) and the corpse pose (just how it sounds). Lying flat on my back, I traced the water’s surface with my fi ngers and concentrated on feeling the heat on my skin.

By the time we were paddling back to shore, I felt completely relaxed and overjoyed I had conquered my fears.

Mary has co-owned Florida from a Kayak for almost 3 1/2 years with her husband Phil, but she just recently, in 2013, began offering paddleboard yoga classes. Not only does she have her certification from the American Canoe Association, she is also a World Paddle Association-certified paddleboard instructor.

She said practicing yoga on the water best suits her personality. She could never imagine yoga in a studio, where you’re confi ned to four walls.

“I’m the fi rst to laugh at myself when I fall in the water,” she said. “I’m just much happier with my toes wet. Plus, you can’t beat the view. In the studio, you have dim lights and appropriate music. Out here, we have clouds and wildlife. During one recent class, a couple of sandhill cranes serenaded us. How cool is that?”

Tucked away in her secluded cove on Lake Minnehaha, Mary is able to build on her small-class experience and give people the attention they deserve while practicing yoga.

“I want my students to know and feel they are important,” she said. “I want people to be able to ask questions and interact. I want to help people conquer their fears.”

It also doesn’t hurt that yoga is great exercise.

“The practice of yoga helps you focus on fi nding your breath and connecting it to your movement,” Mary said. “You’re using muscles to build strength, which is big with paddleboard because there is resistance there. It’s more of a quiet fitness.”

Mary sees SUP yoga exploding into a new exercise trend.

“And boy aren’t we in the right state for it,” she said. “When people ask me why everyone loves stand-up paddleboarding, I always say they love it because we all want to be a Florida surfer. This sport is accessible to everyone. Your skill level, your fitness level, even your body type doesn’t matter. All you need is a board, a paddle and a willingness to try.”

Individual classes cost $20, which includes the paddleboard. For more information, call 352.406.0904 or visit floridafromakayak.com.