Meg'n Braida can hear church bells ringing across downtown Naperville while her students hold warrior pose in the sand at Centennial Beach.

She's been building mornings like that for 18 years. Braida, a certified yoga instructor who joined the Naperville Park District staff in 2007, leads Beach Yoga sessions at the historic limestone quarry at 500 W. Jackson Ave. The Park District's ParkTalk Podcast, released Wednesday, July 8, featured Braida and fellow instructor Anne Gasperec discussing what keeps drawing yogis to the water.

"There's such a different feeling from being outside and doing yoga," Braida said on the episode. "It's more freeing, there's no music … you just listen to the birds."

Out on the water, Gasperec runs the companion program: Paddleboard Yoga. A certified instructor who has taught for the Park District since 2020, Gasperec guides participants through poses on boards that shift with every ripple in Centennial Beach's 6.2-million-gallon quarry pool.

The surface movement is the point. Both instructors say the unstable ground, whether sand or a floating board, forces extra stabilization and core engagement that a flat studio floor never demands. On a paddleboard, the water moves beneath you throughout the entire class.

"Most students just find being on the water better than any class they've ever done," Gasperec said. "It's more calming, soothing and gentle."

Both programs welcome all levels. Braida said on the podcast that beginners often arrive intimidated after watching experienced yogis, but the outdoor setting keeps things accessible. Gasperec echoed that, noting participants go only as far as they feel challenged.

Braida's early-morning Beach Yoga classes start before lifeguards begin their shifts. Gasperec's Paddleboard Yoga puts participants directly on the quarry's spring-fed water, which ranges from zero-depth entry to 15 feet deep.

Registration details and the remaining summer 2026 schedule are available at napervilleparks.org/programguides.