Yoga: The Nation’s Favorite Workout Trend

I think it’s safe to say that as a contributor to Blyss Brand’s blog, I love yoga. I have been using yoga as a form of exercise for several years, but more recently have turned to it as a form of therapy and healing. When I suffered a back injury about one year ago, yoga became the only form of movement that I could use daily. I could no longer lift weights, do high intensity circuits, or run, which had been a favorite past time. So, I dove into yoga for the freest form of exercise as I could find. And I’ll attest that it changed my life for the better. But somewhere in the process of trying to stay fit, despite my limitations, I found that there was so much more to yoga than just the exercise element. You’re probably reading this, thinking, “Duh!” But think back to the first time you began to invest yourself in yoga. Were you instantly aware of its mental benefits? Did you know how the movements would offer relief to heartburn, or healing to a headache? In my understanding, nearly every yogi must engage in some sort of journey like this to realize the benefits of yoga practice. And I think we can all agree that this journey never truly ends – which is why we call it “yoga practice,” and not just a “yoga workout.” But one day, in searching for a quick yogic practice to do at home before work, I came upon some higher intensity “yoga” workouts on YouTube. The instructor claimed it was yoga, and all of the movements and names of movements were the same as those used in yoga, however the flows and actions were not reflective of a true yoga practice. They skipped over the entire mental journey that I understood to be so essential to yoga practice. There was no focus on breathing, no encouragement to show gratitude, no peaceful introductory mountain pose and no peaceful corpse pose at the end. It was at this moment that I realized how yoga practice has become so widespread today in a variety of exercise industries, geographical locations, and cultures. A recent USA Today article (http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/03/01/yoga-health-fitness-trends/23881391/) recognizes yoga’s widespread popularity, stating that nearly 10% of adults in the U.S. participated in yoga in 2012, up from 5% just a decade before. It’s safe to assume this number has increased since. Researchers attribute this growth to the availability of the practice, since most gyms now offer yoga classes. Previously, classes were mostly offered at yoga studies. Additionally, numerous instructional videos are available online for free, or very low cost. I understand that this instructor, whose YouTube video I found, has only positive intentions for the workout. I’m sure she truly hopes that her followers are feeling better and reaping the benefits of such an exercise. But I also hope that in the future, those users recognize what the basis of yoga practice is about to most of those who practice: to mindfully find peace, balance and gratitude, in both the mental and physical being. Regardless, I am grateful that the practice has become available to so many more individuals today. Hopefully, it will encourage even the most sedentary people to move, stretch, and grow a little more, whether they practice for fifteen minutes or an hour every day. Every little movement helps, and I think the availability of practice today will help support that! And in that movement, Blyss Brand hopes to have your back! We want to support you in every way possible, which is why we’ve created the most comfortable line of yoga clothes, perfect for every movement. Keep in mind that these clothes have been created for a greater purpose, with a portion of the proceeds from each item going to our non-profit in support of women’s freedoms abroad.

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