Santa Monica yoga class hits the sand and the waves

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (KABC) -- Another seemingly perfect day in Santa Monica where you'll find surfers, strollers, and even a few taking a siesta.

But even more fun: those striking a pose.

Yoga instructor Vaidehi Gomez is actually a Jersey girl who came to California to live her dream. She took over a 15-year-old business, then called "Beach Yoga by Brad." It's now known as Beach Yoga SoCal.

"We start off with a little bit of restorative stretch-it-out, get everything warmed up and then we move into a nice Vinyasa flow," said Gomez.

Leonard Atlas of West Los Angeles is among those who enjoy the class setting.

"Never thought to do it outdoors. Never thought to do it at the beach. Physical, the emotional, the spiritual. Just phenomenal," said Atlas.

The hour-long workout offers a bonus to cool you down.

Many who come to take yoga love to take the poses on the beach but having a workout in the water creates quite a splash.

"When you start to get moving, you're working up a sweat, you want to cool off. We take a little dip in the water, get your hands and feet wet," said Gomez.

"It tests your balance, it tests your flexibility and tests your ability to deal with change because you didn't see the wave," said Atlas.

"To be honest, since I've done this I just can't go back into a studio again," said Zeina Kabbani of Santa Monica.

Yoga is done seven days a week, on the beach south of the Santa Monica pier at 10:30 am and again at sunset, which this crew says is stunning.

It's a class Atlas has been taking five years now, due to all the extras.

"It's hard to do it indoors because you want waves, you want dolphins, you want whales! People love the photographs," said Atlas.

Fifteen dollars a class and picture perfect.