It’s no secret that exercise is key when it comes to clearing your mind and taking the stress out of life, everything from amping up your at-home workouts with the best resistance bands (opens in new tab) to a brisk hike can help unwind and give a much-needed boost of clarity and positive vibes.
And while gyms were closed and group sports were cancelled for the majority of this year, workouts didn’t stop as people took to at-home workouts or tried something completely new to get their daily endorphin boost. In data from 30 countries across the globe, ClassPass has revealed that yoga was the workout most people turned to this year, increasing in popularity by a massive 25 per cent. It seems the combination of exercise, mindfulness and meditation paired with millions of yoga tutorials online meant that people all over the world were turning to the ancient Indian practice to relax, unwind and get fit.
Originating in ancient India, yoga consists of a series of poses joined together in a flowing sequence known as vinyasa, breathing exercises known as pranayama can make up part of the yogic sequence and sessions usually end with a period of meditation. There’s an abundance of styles and flows yoga fans can follow depending on individual preference and skill level. Yoga was also the most popular workout for someone taking their first livestream class proving anyone can get involved.
Sounds fun, how can I try yoga?!
• Sign up to Class Pass (opens in new tab) to find yoga classes in your area
• Head to YouTube to find millions of free follow along sessions, my current fave is Hatha Yoga Traditional Practice with Yogacharya Rakesh
• Check out Yogarise (opens in new tab) for online membership packs with 20% off
The ClassPass study also revealed the most popular time to workout on a weekday is 12pm as people cram a sneaky workout into their lunch breaks, while the most popular day of the week to work out on is Wednesday.
