Yoga’s popularity continues

Do You Practice Yoga?

About one-in-five (21%) Canadians indicate that they practice yoga. Significantly more younger Canadians aged 18-34 (35%) practice yoga compared to older generations. In Quebec, fewer people practice yoga (16%), compared to the rest of Canada.

Yoga dates back thousands of years and offers a host of mental and physical health benefits to those who practice it. It is no surprise that yoga continues to be a popular phenomenon.

The 2019 Canadian Fitness Industry Trends Survey (recently conducted by the National Fitness Leadership Alliance among their members) revealed that yoga continues to be a trend. The places yoga is practiced in are becoming more unique over time.

Some may prefer to practice in their own home (perhaps using the assistance of an app or video to guide their practice), while others may prefer taking part in classes at a community recreation centre or specialized boutique studios (catered specifically to yoga, or to a few specific activities including yoga), to name a few.

A recent article titled “15 Instagram-Worthy Spots to Practice Yoga in Canada” mentions other unique yoga classes which may take place beside waterfalls, in botanical gardens or even on stand-up paddleboards! Animal lovers might enjoy partaking in yoga classes with different animals, which may include (but are not necessarily limited to!) goats, cats, or puppies. The places where people practice yoga are as diverse as the people who practice it.

Among some practitioners, an important aspect of yoga is the sense of community created when people come together to practice.

To build community and foster relationships between people, some retailers who sell yoga apparel and/or equipment may offer yoga classes to the community (for free or at a low cost). These retailers may also offer the opportunity for people to come together to engage in other athletic pursuits (for example, some lululemon locations also offer running clubs, where people can meet at certain stores to go on group runs together). In addition to classes and clubs, some companies may also put on special events related to yoga, which invite people to come together to practice yoga and/or meditation, as well as other activities. A couple of examples include the lululemon Sunset Festival (which takes place annually in Vancouver, BC, Canada following the popular Sea Wheeze half-marathon) and the Lolë White Tour (which takes place in a variety of locations across Canada, the United States, and Europe).

A community today means so much more than just sharing a space. To remain relevant, businesses must harness the power of their community to build and create brand awareness, and to keep in touch with their customers. It will be interesting to monitor whether yoga continues to be a popular activity for Canadians in the future. Until then…

Namaste!