ABOUT US
ABOUT PADDLE INTO FITNESS
Paddle Into Fitness started in 2010 with Roxy athlete, ocean lifeguard, aquatic EMT, and yoga and fitness instructor Gillian Gibree. The first location launched in San Diego with beginner lessons and SUP Yoga & Fitness classes before expanding to Orange County. After training instructors throughout Southern California, Gillian recognized the need to create a quality teacher training program for the public. Paddle Into Fitness began offering Paddleboard and SUP Yoga Certifications approved by Yoga Alliance and the World Paddle Association, along with a SUP Fitness program recognized by the American Council on Exercise (ACE), NASM, CanFitPro, and AFAA. Paddle Into Fitness also provides Master Instructor training, enabling graduates to conduct PIF trainings around the world!
In addition to certifications, Paddle Into Fitness has created an inflatable SUP Yoga & Fitness Paddleboard specifically designed for yogis and fitness enthusiasts looking to expand their practice to the ultimate studio or gym of all: the water! Our travel-friendly Paddleboard rolls up into a backpack and can be checked at the airport without incurring oversized luggage fees. Beyond yoga and fitness, the board can be used for SUP adventures of all kinds, including fishing, fitness, whitewater, and small wave surfing.
In 2015, Paddle Into Fitness launched Float Into Fitness, featuring a curriculum that teaches yoga and fitness using inflatable mats in a pool setting. This certification is available in both a ‘live’ format and an online format approved for CECs from top fitness organizations. To complement our Float Into Fitness pool training, our rectangular pool fitness mat is ideal for creating fun and challenging workouts in the aquatic environment while adding a fresh twist to your yoga or fitness routine. This system is suitable for both indoor and outdoor pools, enabling gyms, recreation centers, resorts, and athletic clubs to conduct yoga and fitness classes on the water.
Paddle Into Fitness also offers lessons for individuals and small private groups in Ventura, California. Activities may include beginner lessons, paddle surfing, SUP Yoga, SUP interval training, and ocean paddling. If you cannot meet with us in person, you can always connect with us online through our Intro to SUP & Beginner 12-Week SUP Fitness Online Training Program. Alternatively, you can represent the brand by wearing our Paddle Girl and Paddle Into Fitness gear.
Over the years, Paddle Into Fitness has received outstanding reviews from certification graduates and gained international recognition from numerous media outlets, including a cover and feature article on SUP yoga in Yoga Journal Magazine! Paddle Into Fitness has also been highlighted in Shape, The Huffington Post, Self, Yahoo Sports, San Diego Magazine, Reuters, and Fitness Magazine. Our passion for stand-up paddleboarding, yoga, fitness, and the outdoors is contagious, and we at Paddle Into Fitness are excited for you to learn this life-changing sport and incorporate it into a healthy lifestyle!
ABOUT GILLIAN GIBREE
Gillian Gibree is a Massachusetts native who developed her love for the ocean through prone paddleboarding, ocean swimming, stand-up paddling, and surfing while working as a lifeguard in Cape Cod, New Zealand, and California. Her passion for water sports, adventure, and outdoor fitness inspired her to create Paddle Into Fitness.
Once Gillian moved to California, she began competing and teaching at ocean events around the world as a Roxy athlete. Some of her highlights included placing first in the Quiksilver Waikiki Festival in the SUP Survivor Race and the Water Woman Race, as well as traveling to Peru as a member of Team USA for the ISA World Championships. She has regularly finished on the podium at the Battle of the Paddle in California and Hawaii and was a top finisher in national lifeguard championships. She also demonstrated her philanthropic side by paddling across Cape Cod Bay to raise money for Boston Children’s Hospital.
Gillian holds a Bachelor of Science in Sport Management, is certified as a Health Coach and Personal Trainer by the American Council on Exercise, is an E-RYT through Yoga Alliance, and is certified in Fitness Nutrition. She has over a decade of ocean lifeguarding experience and is an aquatic Emergency Medical Technician. Gillian has also worked as a fitness model for Sports & Lifestyle Unlimited and collaborated with brands like Athleta and Nike. She has appeared on the cover of Yoga Journal and San Diego Magazine, and has been featured in Self, The Huffington Post, Shape, Men’s Journal, and Yahoo Sports. Additionally, she has presented at the San Diego Yoga Journal Conference and Wanderlust Festivals.
Follow Gillian’s adventures, workouts, and healthy lifestyle here –
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“Hey Gillian! Just wanted to thank you again for an amazing 4 days of training and growth. To be honest for the first time in my life I felt very vulnerable because fitness has always been a huge part of my life and for the first time I was challenging myself at a point when my fitness was at its lowest point. But right away you all made me feel comfortable and most of all inspired to get back to my peak fitness level. So thank you for EVERYTHING! Remember you ladies always have a free place to stay in NZ! Cheers and all the best!”
— Shayna Teutsch Auckland, New Zealand