With previous years causing all sorts of stress and chaos, it’s unsurprising that so many of us turned to yoga and meditation to alleviate our anxiety, but what new yoga trends look set to be on the cards for the 2022- 2023 season? Read on to find out what new yoga styles will be gracing studios near you and what tricks and techniques you can try this year to ensure you stay sane, safe, and grounded no matter what 2022 and beyond throws at you!
Outdoor Yoga
While many of us have been enjoying our yoga practices outdoors for years, the Covid-19 pandemic caused some to be reticent about returning to studios and thus a trend towards more outside classes was born. Whether it’s beach yoga, a meadow flow, or a mountain pose, quite literally on a mountain, outdoor yoga classes look set to boom in 2022, especially in spring/summer when you can combine classes with activities like mindfulness in nature and forest bathing.
SnowGa
OK, so this is probably one of the more novelty yoga trends for 2022 and 2023, but SnowGa is undoubtedly a growing trend among the ski set with resorts all over the world now offering short snow-based yoga sessions to get you ready for your day on the slopes. Wim Hof aka The Iceman himself swears by Cold Therapy, so, I guess SnowGa is at least worth a try to see if we can practice our postures and reap the benefits of breathing through the brrrrrs!
Inversion Workshops
As more and more yogis move towards intermediate and advanced practices, the appetite for Insta-worthy inversions increases. The London School of Hand Balance has long been teaching epic handstand and forearm balances and with specialist inversion workshops popping up all over the country, 2022 and 2023 look likely to be an upside-down kind of years.
Some have even taken the upside-down trend one step further by moving their practice to the ceiling for an anti-gravity flow!
Single-Day Yoga Retreats
While many people wish they could go on week-long yoga retreats in far-flung destinations, this isn’t always realistic within our hectic modern lifestyles, hence the new-found favourite for 2022 and 2023: single-day yoga retreats. These retreats are often run by yoga influencers or popular studios and comprise in-person yoga classes, meditation sessions, live Q&As, and sharing circles. Single-day yoga retreats also sometimes include cacao ceremonies, kirtan, or sound healing sessions which can add to the whole calming, rejuvenating vibe.
Yoga For Kids
Home-schooling during the coronavirus pandemic meant many parents had to get creative with the way they entertained their children. This led to the rise in popularity of YouTube classes like Joe Wick’s ‘PE with Joe’ and online yoga flows with channels like Cosmic Kids Yoga. Not only did these classes help to get children moving but they also assisted with mindfulness and managing anxiety. This trend of yoga for kids looks set to continue into 2023 with online classes as well as local and school-based yoga lessons and clubs blooming.
Sports-Specific Yoga Classes
Yoga is no longer a practice reserved for hippies and old people (as it was once thought of in the West) but is a well-rounded modality that can be enjoyed by anyone and everyone. There has been a rise in professional sports stars swearing by their yoga practice (think: Mohamed Salah, LeBron James, Andy Murray, and Jessica Ennis-Hill to name a few) keeping them fit and healthy both mentally and physically, and as such, sports-specific yoga classes are likely to be a burgeoning yoga trend in 2022. Whether you’re into cycling, golf, running, football, or triathlon, there will be a yoga class out there tailored to stretching out your overworked muscles and improving your strength and stamina.
Pranayama / Breathwork Classes
Along with the aforementioned rise in popularity of yoga postures (aka Asana), there is also an increased desire to learn more about the practice of yoga as a whole, including meditation, spiritual philosophy and pranayama (breathwork). As we discover more about the importance of the breath for our overall wellbeing, the fourth of the eight limbs of yoga, Pranayama, is likely to become a meaningful part of modern life. Yoga teachers will share more breathwork techniques during their standard classes and there also look to be specific pranayama-based workshops for those looking to master their breathing habits.
Have you heard of any other yoga trends that look set to boom this year or in 2023? Which yoga trends are you most looking forward to trying in 2022 and beyond? Let us know in the comments below!
