Yoga is now a massive industry in the U.S with the average yogi spending $62,640 over their lifetime. This includes classes, accessories, and workshops all contributing to the $90 that the dedicated yogi will shell out every month. The pilates and yoga studio market size is worth $12.1 billion with an annual growth of 9.1% since 2014.
There are so many different types of yoga out there from Bikram to Laughter Yoga with the demand for a diverse range of classes stronger than ever. The reasons to start yoga range from stress and tension relief to feeling happier and wanting to unplug from technology. Either way, 87% of people are in a better mood when they leave the yoga studio. If you’re wondering what’s going on in the world of yogis, we discuss the latest yoga trends you need to know about.
3 Amazing Yoga Studios You Should Visit
The yoga industry is competitive with new studios popping up all over the world. If you own a yoga studio or planning on opening a yoga studio, the need to stay current and in-demand is crucial. We take a look at a few incredible yoga studios who have created a unique space and the style of yoga they offer.
Humming Puppy, New York and Sydney
With two locations, the high-end yoga studio uses a minimalist space with the perfect lighting. The lounge echoes the interior of an upscale penthouse and creates a place yogis want to hang out in. The classes are lower-intensity and based around deep-breathing, movement, and awareness. All yoga classes take place at a warm 80-degree heat.
Om Factory, New York
New York City is a yoga hub. Om Factory teaches a range of styles including Vinyasa, Aerial dance, Restorative yoga, Aerial Yoga Core and Aerial Yoga Blast. Their main selling point is their community and vibe that they have created. The strong community feel and yoga classes that push pass traditional yoga makes them a popular choice.
Sky Ting Yoga, New York
Based in Brooklyn, Tribeca, and Chinatown, each studio is eccentric, modern and slightly different. Having said that, they’re all based on free-flowing movement and zen. The classes blend together numerous forms of yoga in a relaxing space with lots of natural light. Sky Ting roughly translates to the heavens or sky space.
13 Exciting Yoga Trends You Need to Know About
In recent years, yoga has been steadily growing in popularity with new forms of yoga popping up along the way. These yoga trends encompass modern forms of yoga as well as a new take on traditional styles that are perfect for both the seasoned yogi and beginner. When it comes to yoga trends, it’s hard to pick just one so we’ve gathered 13 of the latest yoga trends that you need to know about.
Kundalini
Kundalini blends spiritual and physical practices that focus on breathing, movements, chanting of mantras and meditation. The goal of Kundalini is to build physical strength and increase consciousness. This form of yoga takes a holistic approach to gain full control of the mind and activate your physical body to its fullest potential.
It combines movements with prayers and chanting of mantras. You can either choose to visit a Kundalini yoga retreat or find a local teacher for independent classes. A well-taught Kundalini session leaves you feeling like you’ve had an incredible workout at the gym and enjoyed a fun group exercise with friends.
Aerial Yoga
Aerial Yoga was a huge trend in 2018 and it’s not going away. Ideal for core strength and balance, it uses a lot of floor-based movements of yoga but uses a hammock-like strap to hang from the ceiling. This helps to deepen awareness and alignment and relieve spinal decompression.
This form of yoga helps people to perform backbends, inversions, and full-splits without actually putting a lot of pressure on the spine, neck and hands. By using a strap to hang from the ceiling, it helps yogis to protect their bones and spine. It appeals to all ages and abilities and encourages you to use your body weight to achieve each pose.
Laughter Yoga
Laughter Yoga allows you to get together in a group and just laugh. The fake laugh eventually turns into a real laugh that can benefit the body and mind. A Laughter Yoga session may include some light stretching and breathwork at the beginning before delving into the laughing session. It’s a simple concept and has been sweeping the wellness world for some time.
A new twist on an ancient practice, it’s meant to increase happiness and boost the immune system. Laughter is contagious and it’s thought to relax the whole body, helping with stress and tension.
Inner Axis
A new-age form of yoga, Inner Axis aims to bring your body, mind, and spirit into alignment. Founded by a teacher based in the U.S, Ma Strom, Inner Axis uses a combination of mindfulness, yoga poses, and a technique known as qi gong. Benefits of Inner Axis include better sleep, improved anxiety and better coping of stressful situations.
This form of yoga has been adopted by corporations globally as a wellness program designed to be accessible to practically everyone. Inner Axis aims to improve your overall wellbeing in a way that can benefit both your personal and professional life.
Restorative Yoga
Restorative Yoga is based on the principles of B.K.S Iyengar. The idea is that you hold each pose for a certain amount of time and focus heavily on your breathing and alignment. It’s all about staying in the moment, holding alignment and reaching a feeling of inner peace. The form of yoga makes use of blankets, bolsters, and blocks to make sure there is enough support for the neck, spine, and back.
The aim of Restorative Yoga is to fight the effects of stress that come from a fast-paced lifestyle. By focusing on your breath, it helps to improve overall mental and physical wellbeing. This is a much slower form of yoga and doesn’t flow like a Vinyasa rather you hold and appreciate every pose.
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Discover more Yoga for Mental Health Programs
Mental health is currently a major topic of conversation in today’s stressed and busy culture. With increased work pressure, social media and daily stresses, the need to support mental health is critical in both the workplace and at home. Yoga programs specifically designed for mental health and support are taking center stage when it comes to yoga trends.
With yoga and fitness retreats for complete wellness or a detox retreat for cleansing, yoga has a role to play in mental health and wellbeing. Health vacation packages and corporate wellness programs are looking for sustainable ways to help people and employees manage stress and support their mental health.
HIIT Yoga
A number of fitness studios are creating hybrid HIIT classes by combining yoga and HIIT. CorePower Yoga offers its HIIT Yoga class. For years, the studio has been blending high-intensity workouts with the traditional flow and mindfulness of a yoga session. The yoga-based workout combines strength training and yoga to create classes suitable for all abilities.
Another studio getting on board the trend is the luxury fitness resort, Life Time who offers a yoga class called Fire Yoga. The HIIT yoga class combines high-tempo exercise for an intense anaerobic workout with recovery periods. Yoga continues to take on new forms and by combing two popular formats, hybrid classes have been a hit amongst fitness fans and yogis alike.
AcroYoga
Yoga trends for 2019 and 2020 have set the stage for new forms of yoga that combine wellbeing and fun. AcroYoga combines acrobatics and traditional yoga movements with partner work. AcroYoga has been making its way through the yoga world and doesn’t seem to be slowing down. You have a base, flyer, and spotter. The base provides the flyer with a platform and together they create amazing shapes and poses. But, it incorporates a therapeutic practice as well.
The sessions help you to grow as a person while improving your cardiovascular and physical health. AcroYoga requires communication and trust in your partner. By combing fun, yoga and meditation into one session, AcroYoga is a must-try for yogis and looks set to stay.
SUP Yoga
SUP Yoga or Paddleboard Yoga combines yoga with standup paddleboarding for a unique workout. If you love water and want to challenge your core and balance then SUP Yoga is perfect for you. You can practice SUP yoga in a pool, river, lake or the sea. Wear whatever feels comfortable as long as your prepared to get wet.
The yoga style is much slower than a regular flow. On average, you move at about half the speed, to begin with until you get used to practicing yoga while floating on water. Stoked Yogi have fully trained teachers across the globe who are all registered with the Yoga Alliance and PaddleFit certified.
Chair Yoga
Chair Yoga is aimed at people who want an easier difficulty of yoga. It’s more gentle on the bones and joints. It’s a calm, gentle and therapeutic practice. The name gives it away, this form of yoga is taught on a chair or using the chair for light support. It’s ideal for those needing a gentle session or recovering from injury or have limited mobility.
A Chair Yoga class puts more emphasis on simple movement and accessibility rather than nailing the form and technique. The all-inclusive style of yoga means you can reach an audience that might have been put off with a very intense yoga class.
Light Therapy Yoga
Light Therapy Yoga or Chroma Yoga is all about harnessing the power of lights. The main reason for practicing this form of yoga is to help regulate sleep by increasing the production of serotonin and decreasing levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. In the environment where you perform each yoga pose, the lighting mimics daylight and uses a low power red light.
It’s based on the concept that by exposing the human brain to red light, it can help to alleviate fatigue, sleeplessness and mental health issues. Even though the research on the benefits of Chroma Yoga is still debatable, the calming environment with comforting lights provides a sense of wellbeing and safety.
Yoga Wheels
Yoga wheels are all about giving love to your spine. Although there are already forms of yoga that offer considerable spine support, the yoga wheel takes it to the next level. One of the major trends in yoga recently has been the growth in the use of yoga wheels for spine support. It aims to provide better spine health and less muscular pressure during practice.
The plastic wheel can be used in a number of different classes and poses to help support the spine. It helps to strengthen your core and gives you the opportunity to perform backbends and forearm stands without putting so much pressure on your neck, back, and spine.
Digital Yoga
Yoga is embracing technology with digital transformation. With YouTube channels like Yoga with Adrienne and Purple Valley Ashtanga Yoga, thousands of people subscribe for daily digital yoga content. In addition to in-person classes, 24% of people are turning to yoga videos and apps to guide them through their flow.
Online yoga videos can also form a part of your yoga studio marketing strategy. Video not only helps to increase your organic search but people love it too. By 2021, almost 17,000 hours of video will be watched online every second. Digital yoga has the power to bring yoga to a new audience who are all about flexibility, convenience, and technology.
In Summary
Yoga has taken the world by storm with growth in both traditional and modern forms. With different trends and styles popping up, yoga studios need to stay on top of the latest yoga trends. By blending yoga practices with fun and high-intensity movements, there’s a practice out there to suit all abilities and ages.
