International Yoga Day: 5 yoga trends that are worth trying out

As we celebrate International Yoga Day today, here is all you need to know about the fun, new additions to this age old tradition.

Jahnavi Sarma | Updated: June 21, 2019 10:58 am

As we celebrate International Yoga Day today, let's take a look at the new-found fun practices of yoga. © Shutterstock

Yoga, an ancient Indian practice that improves and balances the mind and body, has undergone many changes over the years and today, there are many innovative ways of practising this holistic art. Earlier, yoga was serious business where practitioners tried to ground themselves into mindfulness. But now, resourceful practitioners have introduced several fun elements to it. This is luring many who were earlier sceptical about it. This is to ensure that people from different cultures, religious identities and geographical locations are able to identify with the concept of yoga and practise of this mind-body technique. Though yoga was universally recognised as a way of life for some years, it got a new lease of life when the United Nations declared June 21 as International Day of Yoga. As we celebrate this day today, let’s take a look at the new-found fun practices of yoga.

TRENDING NOW

Here, we list a few modified and fun yoga practices that are sure to appeal to the uninitiated and aficionados alike.So, get your yoga mats out and give these trends a try as part of the celebration of International Yoga Day. These are not only different but also exciting.

Chroma Yoga

This is a revolutionary new approach to yoga and it combines colour and light therapy with yoga. Here, you need to do yoga in a room shining with coloured lights. Doing yoga in this ambience with soothing music in the background and relaxing scents permeating the air can help you get back in touch with your natural circadian rhythm. It regulates your sleeping patterns and decreases stress levels. Chroma yoga will also create a multi-sensory fitness experience. It creates a cocoon-like space for the practitioner. Chroma yoga is known for its calming benefits. It increases metabolism, boosts circulation and promotes detoxification. It is a wonderful therapy for people with depressive tendencies.

Aerial yoga

Here, you need to suspend yourself from the ceiling with a hammock or rope. Inspired by the acrobatics of trapeze artists, Aerial yoga came to the limelight in 2018. It is not only fun but also very effective. It improves joint flexibility, builds up strength and leads to better balance coordination. It lends a grace to your movements and improves posture. Ideal for a beginner, it increases endurance, tones the abs, improves flexibility and relieves spinal compression. The best part is that you can burn of 320 calories in a 50-minute session. In fact, a research by American Council on Exercise (ACE) found that women who did three 50-minute aerial yoga classes a week for six weeks lost 2 percent of their body fat and almost one inch from their waist.

Chair yoga

As the name suggests, you can practise this yoga by sitting on a chair. It was developed by Lakshmi Voelker-Binder in 1982 for a student suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. Though there are many who say that this kind of yoga is not beneficial at all, it is not true. Here, you sit on a chair and do your breathing exercises and then get up to use the chair for support while doing the other poses. It is great for balancing the mind and body and grounding oneself. It increases muscle tissue volume and helps in relieving stress. It is excellent for the elderly who can do stretches and exercises sitting comfortably. It helps lower blood pressure, builds endurance, protects the joints, increases flexibility and reduces anxiety.

Eco yoga

Inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, Eco yoga is all about reconnecting with nature. It brings in a freshness to your life and helps you appreciate the wonders of nature. It can easily be called an outdoor spa experience for the soul. You need to practise this yoga in the open in a natural environment. It reduces stress and enhances mood besides promoting cardiovascular and respiratory health. It boosts metabolism and strengthens the joints too. All you have to do is take your mat, go to a nearby park and start striking the poses. You might just be surprised by other people joining you for a daily yoga workout. With the International Yoga Day around the corner, it is the perfect time for you to start with practising eco yoga.

Yoga wheels

Yoga wheels first made an appearance in 2018 and it involves a plastic wheel that you can use as a support while practising various yoga poses. It is great for spinal stretches and is helpful in poses that require forearm stands. It helps in toning the neck, shoulders, hands, back and other areas that are hard to reach. It improves stability and provides you with a core workout besides providing you with all the other benefits that yoga gives. But it is not as easy as it looks. Be sure to do it under the guidance of a trained yoga instructor.

HOW DO THESE BENEFIT YOU?

Well, we have listed a whole lot of innovative and fun yoga practices that you can adopt. But know that whatever you choose, you will enjoy the benefits that come with practising yoga regularly. As we celebrate International Yoga Day today, this is the right time to revamp your yoga regime with these innovative techniques. The buzz is all the more with Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking special personal interest in yoga, and rightly so.

Some of the benefits of yoga are increased flexibility, stronger and toned muscles and an increase in energy. It improves respiratory, cardio and circulatory health. This fitness regime also boosts our metabolism and helps to keep our weight in check. It helps us get a better posture and boost our immune system while strengthening our mental health. It also relieves stress and anxiety. People living with depression benefit greatly from yoga.

Published: June 21, 2019 10:28 am | Updated:June 21, 2019 10:58 am

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