For 21-year old student Sakshi Verma, her 7 a.m. yoga class at a posh studio in South Delhi is not only about practising asanas for an hour before she heads to work, but is a way of life.
From shopping for clothes and trendy yoga gear to ordering organic produce and switching to a healthier lifestyle, she and her “yoga buddies” are a part of a generation that has taken the practice that has its origins in ancient India and given it a trendy twist.
Stay motivated
“You need to keep yourself motivated and be regular. Therefore, these classes organised at gyms are glamorous, fun and an attempt to re-interpret the basics of yoga to create a different workout everyday that is crafted to achieving personal fitness goals,” says Sakshi.
Her friend Himani adds, “Wearing a kurta pyjama or a loose T-shirt and trackpants is something that our parents would wear. It’s all about colourful tanktops, comfortable yoga tights and trendy accessories that keep us fashionable during our workout.
“It is what keeps us youngsters engaged in keeping fit. It is different from an aerobics class or a gym workout because there is a calmness to it that is meditative, silent and peaceful.”
Even classes have been modified to draw trends from across the world to keep people coming back. Sanjay, a yoga instructor says, “Yoga is something that you can practise on your own everyday or even take tutorials from the internet once you know the basics. But, the goal is to make it a way of life so that you stick to your routine. With group classes, we shake things up a bit to make it more exciting. The basic spiritual, mental and physical practice is the same, we just package it differently. It brings the social element into the discipline.”
Social media also has played its part to keep practitioners of yoga up-to-date with fashion trends as they often post pictures of their workouts and fitness goals to motivate others and adopt a healthy lifestyle and find time to find inner peace.
Body and mind
Radhika Bose, a yoga enthusiast who blogs at yogasini.com says one of the main reasons for the youth to get attracted towards yoga is because of our super hectic and stressful lifestyles.
“We are constantly on the go. Yoga as everyone knows is not only a way to improve your body but mind as well. It’s the connection of the mind body soul. That 5 minutes you spend meditating is probably the only time in the day when you are not stressing or thinking about what to do next. “You clear your mind, concentrate on your breathing and let things be. The youth needs that 5 minutes of peace and serenity.”
About dressing up to practise yoga, Radhika says, you dress to feel better about yourself. Yoga makes you feel better about yourself. So if you are in trendy active wear doing yoga, it’s a double feel good factor. That being said, comfortable active wear is a must.
For women, a supportive sports bra is essential. Don’t wear super tight clothes while doing yoga.
They restrict your blood flow and breathing. Wear clothes that are comfortable and make you happy, she adds
(With inputs from Simran Khanna, an Intern with The Hindu )
