7 Trends to upgrade your Yoga Classes in 2022

Throughout the global pandemic and multiple lockdowns, the yoga industry chose to be flexible and find ways to adjust, readjust and redirect its attention towards building a fit community no matter what. In fact, quick HIIT training, wearable technology, fitness trackers, home workouts, mindfulness yoga were some of the most popular trends that fitness enthusiasts hopped onto between 2020 and 2021. Yoga particularly emerged as one of the most sought-after trends adopted by people.

In 2021, the Major Depressive Episode(MDE) in youth has increased to 13.84% from 9.2%! That being said, the Mental Health Foundation UK suggests that 10 minutes of physical activity can improve the quality of life. It is because of the release of Dopamine, Serotonin, and Endorphins. These hormones are responsible for making us feel good, reducing symptoms of depression, and increasing mental alertness. This is where yoga comes in. Yoga is all about seeking a healthier lifestyle, mental wellness, and holistic wellbeing in the face of this continually mutating virus and alarming global health crisis.

To be specific, low-impact physical exercises such as yoga has innumerable health benefits and are recommended to everyone- pregnant women, diabetic patients, people with PCODs, kids, elderly, fighting obesity, so on and so forth. And all it takes are a few hours of dedicated practice and a yoga mat!

For the yoga industry particularly, it is all about making your classes innovative, interactive, and interesting. Evolving fitness trends bring in more and more elements to play with. Apart from enabling yoga businesses to stay relevant with the latest industry trends, trends also help studios in their business front, say increasing membership sales to start with.

Read: Comprehensive Guides to Build, Grow and Consolidate your Yoga Brand.

Daily Burn, an online workout video library, saw a 268% year-over-year surge in membership as the pandemic took hold across the US. As fitness trends continue to change globally, we handpicked some popular yoga trends in 2022 for you to experiment with.

So, What are the popular Yoga Trends for 2022?

1. Active Meditation
2. Virtual Classes
3. Outdoor Yoga
4. Multi-Sensory Yoga
5. Capsule Classes
6. Hybrid Yoga
7. Eye Yoga

These yoga trends for 2022 will help you bring something fresh to the table for your studio and your members. Let's learn each of these in detail.

1. Active Meditation

Indian spiritual guru, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (Osho) was the pioneer of active meditation. It is a form of meditation that is most suited in today’s time. Regular meditation requires the time and place to sit still and attain the calmness of mind and spirit. However, the immediate need of the hour is to be able to add in some zen time in our busy schedules. That’s where active meditation comes in and is also popularly identified as modern meditation or millennial’s meditation! Yes, it is possible to reach a meditative state even while moving, working, or staying active. Active meditation involves focusing on breathing patterns. It is a blend of movement and mindfulness. These are different and easier to do, especially when one finds themselves in difficult situations. It relieves stress and works as a great time-out during a busy day or a burnout. Osho’s active meditation is just the right remedy for people trying to break their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual blockages. After all, the true aim of yoga is the ability to declutter, stay calm, and restore mental health even during a chaotic situation.

2. Virtual Classes

While Youtube provides online classes for Yoga, the rise of virtual training and online fitness is a different story. After all, it lets members interact with their personal trainers and fitness providers on creating a more personalized experience for them. In fact, virtual yoga classes were that one fitness trend that was revolutionary during the pandemic and exactly what people needed to reach their fitness goals.

While few COVID-19 restrictions are partially removed and worldwide vaccination programs are giving a boost to everyone's immune system, the need for virtual programs or online training does not end. People with different sets of requirements find virtual yoga classes more accessible and appealing. Moreover, when it comes to cutting down the cost and time, virtual programs are sure to work. People can now attend live classes from the comfort of their homes. It is primarily a great option for someone who doesn't want to go out or lacks a good studio nearby. Bonus, trainers can also aid with diet and flexible timings for their members.

Virtual yoga is a blessing to the fitness world. It is movements-inspired and a strong trend to catch up until there is a digital world!

Read: Getting Creative with Virtual Fitness for Kids

3. Outdoor Yoga

Outdoor recreation and outdoor workouts were something that was missed by many during 2020 and some months in 2021. As outdoor activities are returning to the scene, it is important that fitness studios create fresh fitness routines for their students and members for increased interest in the classes.

Practicing yoga in the outdoors is a great way to connect with nature. Outdoor yoga also helps in breathing exercises by taking in the power of fresh air! It also works as a great mood booster by enabling ample 'Sunshine Vitamins' in our bodies.

With the rising significance of outdoor recreation and green spaces, yoga studios are coming up with outdoor yoga classes say in a park or by the beaches. It not only helps in addressing the contextual 'social distancing' measures but with asanas like Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar), Triangle Pose (Trikonasana), and Low Lunge Pose(Anjaneyasana), the experience of doing Yoga is even largely elevated.

Yoga outdoor is aesthetically pleasing and a super trend to hop onto. Help make the experience for your clients and members more lively and fun with techniques like walking meditation, beach yoga, Stand-up Paddle Board yoga (SuP), and much more.

Just think about providing an out-of-the-box experience for your studio members. Make sure the location and permits are covered. Outdoor meditation once in a weekly class can perk up your members' mood and provide a fun recreation.

4. Multi-Sensory Yoga

As the name suggests, it targets the three senses: sound, sight, and smell while performing Yoga. As colors affect our moods, it makes sense if you play around with them for your studio. Likewise, you can use soothing sounds for meditation sessions to make your members feel more comfortable. Using calming and stimulating fragrances as a part of aromatherapy induces sessions to be even more relaxing. People with autism, disability, injuries, etc., can find such experiences more lively than ever.  

Read: How Kriya yoga studio provides welcoming sessions of stretching, meditation, and mindfulness.

5. Capsule Classes

Has your member ever skipped a session because they were too busy to attend classes? Try incorporating capsule classes. Try incorporating capsule classes for them. Members are valuable. It's always nicer to find workarounds so your clients do not miss a class. Capsule classes do not take more than 5 to 15 minutes and can be adjusted between their work and office hours. Like traditional classes, capsule classes help in easing the mind and body from stress. It is a favorable option for people who struggle with irregular work hours or schedules. It can be valuable for someone who wants to take a trial or cannot put in more time. It can also work as after school/class/meeting workout to stretch muscles.

6. Hybrid Yoga

Fitness hybrids create a perfect blend of healthy recreation for your members to try out, such as combining Yoga with CrossFit, Pilates, Acrobatics, and much more. They are fun to try and let members gain the benefits of two in one go. These are viewed more like exciting activities to have fun and unwind stress. The broad spectrum of hybrid yoga covers a diverse range of people's needs. Moreover, each of them provides exceptional health benefits that you can not overlook. Creating fun challenges to new techniques, your members would never skip a day!

7. Eye Yoga

'Stay-at-home' orders and hybrid work culture have led to a rise in the increased screen time phenomenon. Stressful 'Work-from-Home' practices, increased indulgence in OTT platforms, Online Shopping sites, excessive usage of online platforms for almost anything from attending classes to online consultations, meetings, facetime, and much more have resulted in the eyes getting affected. Concerns like dry eyes, redness, and irritation have increased. A survey concludes that 1 in every 5 users has experienced discomfort in their eyes. While we need digital support for daily life, eye yoga will help improve the eyes' health. A study conducted on 60 nursing students shows that Eye yoga decreased strain and fatigue. Taking short breaks and doing eye exercises like Palming, Focus Shifting, etc., can improve eyesight.
‍

While these trends will help yoga studios bring more dimension to their classes, yoga trainers can use them as per the suitability of their members. It would indeed offer a new array of opportunities for Yoga studios in 2022!

If you are a Yoga studio looking to leverage your services, get in touch with OMNIFY or Start a FREE TRIAL

‍