Ever heard of weird kinds of Yoga? We all know yoga has its own benefits for your body as well as the mind. It is great for meditation or brings flexibility to your body etc. Yoga has been a popular form of exercise since around 1980s in the western culture and is ever since growing after there was an interesting spike in the year 2001.
Yoga has never stopped surprising us with the weird ways to mix it with the traditional beliefs and modern lifestyle. From new moms to animal lovers, from laughter yoga to naked yoga, there is yoga for almost everyone.
Check out all the weird yoga practices that we have put together that makes the simple traditional yoga out of ordinary.
1. Naked Yoga:
Yes, don’t be too shocked as this is exactly why we called them as weird yoga practices. This yoga is practiced in naked form. This has been practiced in one or the other ways and form since ancient times. The naked yoga was practiced in Europe in mid of 1980s which was common amongst the naturists. Along with the many benefits of yoga, the practitioners claim naked yoga when practiced, multiplies the health benefits and also trains the practitioners in accepting their body and others along with achieving the sense of separation from the worldly possessions and calms the mind and thoughts. This is the modern day could get difficult to adjust to since the classes are usually open to all genders. This is also called as Noga and known for its freedom of expression. Freedom of movement, beauty of human body and greater awareness of your skin and exploring much more with Noga. Take a look at the account in Instagram Nude_Yogagirl to understand why thousands are falling for Noga.
2. Laughter Yoga:
We know the saying laughter is the best medicine, but did we know laughter yoga is as well? The more developed unusual style of yoga which has its own “Laughter Yoga University” as well is indeed something you want to give a try. Laughing not only increases our blood pressure but also helps burning calories and releasing endorphins and stimulating immune system and stimulating brain. Isn’t this list enough to prove all the benefits? Another great logic behind this Yoga is to fake until you make it. Which means it could be embarrassing to start with but you must never underestimate the power of laughter and laughing!
3. Beer Yoga:
Wow! As incompatible as it sounds, it is a great success in Germany which is also a beer motherland. This is as well growing in Australia and many more other places around the world. No wonder, the followers do not find it contradictory since both of these could be their passion – beer + Yoga which is indeed centuries old known for “therapy of body, mind and soul”.
4. Doga:
The very famously known as “Yoga Doggie Style” and the one type which you practice with your dog. Doesn’t your joy double to do anything with your lovely pet? What better than exercising and practicing yoga with your loyal best friend! The type of Yoga which was developed by Suzi Teitelman, and calling it as a partner yoga class where you have the dog as your partner. Your pet would take part in the yoga too and you help them either by holding the pet through the different poses or through massage. You will be impressed with how much the dog learns too and capacity to do the asanas that you teach them. Doga is obviously much shorter a session as compared to the conventional yoga for about 20 minutes but it has health benefits for both the dog and you. Doga lets you share the benefits with your dog and strengthening the bond between the two of you. Trending in Instagram nowadays is the picture of a dog on top of you while doing yoga to strengthen. By far, when it comes to unconditional love and relaxation along with strengthening, Doga is the best.
5. Cannabis Yoga:
The story goes back to Hindu Mythology where Lord Shiva was known to consume cannabis before he entered into the deep meditative state. Applying the same principle here, the Cannabis Yoga is trending in more states and increasingly sanctioned legally usage of drugs. There is a Yoga session in Los Angeles – 4:20 Remedy Yoga that encourages you to get high before getting started with Yoga. Also known as “Ganja Yoga” where many practitioners from California also have got legalized Marijuana. It is said that conscious use of Marijuana or Cannabis enhances your practice in many ways. It has benefits that cannot be ignored like increasing the relaxation and inner peace, sharpening the focus and concentration power, reconnection with your body, getting you into practice faster and easier and increase awareness and energy flow in your body taking the whole experience into a new level and intensity.
6. Hoga:
Also called as Equine Yoga. The special practice of yoga with the connection and interchange of energy with a horse. It is believed that this form of yoga is from the ancient tradition of “Doma India” which was specialized in the taming practice of South America. This style of yoga is growing and spreading so fast among all the horse lovers and believe it, there is already a whole 100h Holistic Equine Yoga Certification available in Costa Rica. The participants are expected to develop a skill to stretch, connect and heal with their horse and among many others. The horseback yoga encourages bonding with the partner and maintains a mental and physical harmony with the equine partner. There are different classes which usually involve standing with a horse in the yoga poses while concentrating and focusing on the breathing. This is to establish one foundation for the horse and human. The main focus on maintaining the balance with the horse through its movement is a challenge to the human to stay focused and balanced.
7. Tantrum Yoga:
The most emerging type of yoga that involves dance and vocal exercises along with the traditional routine of breathing and stretching their body. The tantrum yoga encourages one to release the stress by screaming, shaking and yelling along with chest-pounding, and stomping. This is the best way to let go off the emotions and especially the older ones that sit in your head and bother. These stuck emotions in our head affects our body and change it into stress or disease etc.
8. Mum/ Dad Baby Yoga:
The practicing of Yoga with baby can be one of the best ways to tone your body post pregnancy. When the baby develops motor skills and rocking motion of some movements, pretty much the same as that of inside the womb, helps improving relaxation and helps in sleeping easier. Of all the above, the best is to aim at inner peace and deepens the connections and bounding between the mother and the baby. This yoga is also called as mommy and me yoga which is designed to strengthen both the kid and mother with the healthy workout. Stimulating the overall development for both, this is a highly trending type of yoga all over.
9. SUP Yoga:
This type of yoga where you stand up on a paddleboard and balance your body while stretching and doing asanas is indeed incredible. The whole focus and strength of your body is needed along with strengthening the flexibility and reflexes of the body. Standing on the paddleboard is itself very difficult however mastering to perform yoga on this unstable surface in the middle of the ocean could make your muscles workout automatically while being soothed by the sea. It is indeed a relaxing experience that improves the sense of connection with the nature and body while on the ocean. Doesn’t this sound great and tempting to do?
10. Aeroyoga or Aerial Yoga:
This type of yoga where you defy gravity and have a total new experience exploring the new sensation by performing yoga while hanging on a belt or hammock. An extremely fun to practice with the numerous health benefits strengthening you mentally and physically. This improves and works on your spines specifically to have advance asanas safe and easily. Antigravity Yoga where you achieve a total body workout is not like any other exercise. Giving you a fit and fabulous body and fun added to it.
11. Karaoke Yoga:
Incredible as it sounds indeed, a fun activity where you practice yoga by singing, dancing, stretching and sweating your way to joy and physical fitness. If you think Yoga is taken too seriously, this is the right thing for you. Letting go off your fear and connecting to your heart is simple way of enjoying the yoga. While the karaoke yoga could be a little easier than the conventional yoga, as it includes DJ, tv screens to call out the lyrics and even sometimes air guitar. The traditional yogic objective here is to connect with your body, focus and balance. It is all about being you and being yourself.
12. Hoop yoga:
this type of yoga where you practice with a Hula hoop can be fun to do. The Hoop Yoga is full of energy and helps improving the coordination, creativity and body along with the immune system of the body. This Hoop yoga helps in strengthening both the core of the body and inner joy. Can you imagine doing the Hula hoop alone, and on top of it, some Yoga? Wow! Incredible won’t that be?
13. Kilted Yoga:
This type of yoga id very special yoga where it helps you to strengthen up completely. The Yoga which is a freedom mix of Scottish and Indian traditions that turn out to have common values of freedom, serenity, strength and connecting with nature.
14. Harry Potter Yoga:
Are you excited reading the name already? Well, yes this is a type of yoga where you get to practice your magic spells in warrior pose. While listening to the passages of the Harry Potter Saga in the class and perform “Downward Dumbledore” is one of this types. The Harry Potter sold-out classes which was started by Isabel Veltran has opened up doors to various other or rather any type of themed yoga classes.
15. Yoga Raves:
Rave and Yoga would never as such mix in any sentence usually. But now since we spoke about the weird yoga practices, this tops in the list too. The Art of Living Foundation have found this where the two – yoga and rave go together. While you have the four hour rave, you are expected to meditate and burst out your moves, even chow down on some gourmet vegetarian feed. At the party one could enjoy dance, music and silence. The yoga begins with a warm up to the body and continues with an easy meditation which is guided, leaving the attendees relaxed and slowly connecting to the music. At the end of the night, there is another meditation to relax and calm.
16. Stripper Pole yoga:
The weirdest of the names, we have stripper yoga which uses a stripper pole. Technically it is all about the connection here. Be it on an animal, or on water, the more you are able to balance, the more focused you are, and stronger. The strength similarly will be needed to hoist self around the pole adding more strength to your core and fun to your yoga routine.
