If you started this year by promising to pay more attention to your health and wellbeing, then the chances are, you’re not alone – and after a trying 2020, it seems sensible to prioritise keeping your cup as full as possible to get you through round two.
But as we reach the mid-way point in February, six weeks into the new year, most people’s new year’s resolutions have been long forgotten, with all of the usual stress and worry creeping back in as we, this time, juggle working from home with home-schooling, and continuing to navigate the current lockdown.
If you’re one of them, then perhaps you could do with a reset – and a great way to go about it is by implementing some yoga into your daily routine. This ancient, low-impact form of exercise focuses on strength, flexibility and breathing to improve both physical and mental wellbeing, and as well as getting you moving, can leave you feeling better equipped to cope with each new day.
Already a yogi? Then perhaps it’s time to up-level your skills even further – read this article on yoga certification online on The House of Yoga to find out how you can get certified yourself, and you could soon be sharing your wisdom with others and making a positive impact on their lives, as well as benefiting from it yourself.
Not quite there yet? Then why not mix it up a bit with one of the new novelty varieties that are doing the rounds this year? By injecting a little fun into your practice and learning a new skill, you can instantly refresh your routine and could quickly find yourself falling in love with it all over again.
From beer yoga to goat yoga, we saw all sorts of novelty iterations gaining momentum in 2020 – but if you’ve been there, done that and got the t-shirt, then take your pick of these trends to try in 2021.
HIIT yoga
You likely never expected to see ‘HIIT’ and ‘yoga’ appearing in the same sentence – let alone the same workout – but in 2021, it’s time to relearn everything you thought you knew about both with the arrival of this burgeoning new trend.
Comprising gentle vinyasa flows, holds and stretches alongside a variety of muscle strengthening and toning exercises at various different paces, a quick HIIT yoga session offers you the best of both worlds – from improving your fitness to boosting your wellbeing, all in one quick workout.
Chroma yoga
Meanwhile, if your mind has taken a particular hit from the stresses and strains of life in a global pandemic, then Chroma yoga might just be your ticket out of there. Also known as ‘light therapy yoga’, this innovative and unique new practice aims to soothe the symptoms of stress, anxiety and even insomnia, utilising light and music to create a multi-sensory experience that will up-level your yoga sessions to all new heights.
If you thought your practice was already an important tool on your quest for wellness, then prepare to be impressed – chroma yoga uses alternative colour spectrums to the blue light we are usually exposed to from laptops and mobile phones, leaving you feeling refreshed, calm and ready to face the day.
Broga
Although an increasing number of men are recognising the benefits of a regular yoga practice, an incredible 72 per cent of yogis globally are still female – but this year, that could all be about to change.
Interestingly, the origins of yoga indicate that it was originally invented by men, and with celebrities including Colin Farrell and Robert Downey Junior outspoken advocates of the practice, the number of gents opting to get involved or integrate yoga into their daily routines is now rising.
Enter, Broga – a new variation of yoga aimed specifically at men, placing emphasis on strength training, muscle toning and cardio to make it a more attractive prospect to the reluctant man. In 2021, we can expect to see more men than ever being won over by the sport, which they perhaps have long been tempted to take part in, but have never quite felt comfortable doing so until now.
SUP yoga
As lockdowns dominated the summer of 2020, SUP boards sold out across the country, with people swapping luxurious long-haul getaways for staycations on home soil, and taking to the water to get some exercise and while away the long, hot days, all without breaking the rules.
With it came the sharp uptake of SUP yoga, which we can expect to see making waves once again in 2021. Simply put, it involves conducting your yoga practice on board a SUP board – and offers added benefits when it comes to balance and strength, all whilst connecting you with nature and the great outdoors.
What’s not to love about it?
