The healthy living boom fares well for the yoga industry

Yoga is growing in popularity, particularly as people are taking a greater overall interest in healthy living.

According to the 2016 Yoga in America study, more than 36 million people practiced yoga in the U.S. in 2015, up from 20 million in 2012. In 2016, 80 million Americans said they were likely to try yoga for the first time within the year.

Back in 2000, yoga was still a fringe activity. In 2006, I told my parents I was going to leave my job in advertising to work for a new yoga studio, and they looked at me as if I (literally) had a third eye.

This is not the case today. Knowledge on the benefits of yoga is far-reaching – a regular yoga practice increases flexibility and muscular strength, resulting in a calmer state of mind, reduction of stress and overall happiness.

Beyond yoga, there is an appetite for specialized fitness concepts, and consumers are seeking a greater sense of community that traditional gym environments typically do not provide.

This is evident at CorePower studios throughout Colorado and beyond.

Students often call the studio their home away from home. They are attracted to the group workout where they feel apart of something communally positive, even though the physical yoga practice is individualized.

The fitness industry has witnessed a shift toward formerly fringe activities, like meditation and mindfulness, growing more mainstream. People are focusing more time and energy on the intentionality and whole body wellness, rather than just getting a high-impact sweat on. 

A wide range of people arrive on their mats on a daily basis, but they have a few things in common. First, they prioritize fitness. Most everyone has busy schedules, and only a few hours a week to work out – so when they do, they want to make the most of it. Secondly, while they tend to come for the physical workout they crave, they end up staying for the mental and emotional benefits.

CorePower Yoga got its start in Colorado in 2002, and it wasn't by accident. The company has since grown to become the largest privately held chain of yoga studios in the country. The primary reasons for starting yoga include increased flexibility, stress relief, improved overall health and physical fitness.

For those who call Colorado home, they are inspired by the 300-plus days of sunshine and the bountiful outdoor activities that follow. They prioritize health and wellness. Yoga achieves this and therefore finds a natural home in the Centennial State.

With increased focus on incorporating healthy living as a way of life, boutique fitness now accounts for 21 percent of the fitness industry, with yoga making up roughly half that. At this trending clip, Colorado seems poised to have more Namaste in its future.