Weird and Wacky Yoga Trends to Try

By Sarah Downs
Viva
Heather Lilleston is a co-founder of Yoga for Bad People. Picture / Yoga for Bad People x Deer Dana

Yoga for Bad People
Don't be fooled by the name, this isn't just yoga for the wicked. Founders Heather Lilleston and Katelin Sisson were sick of navigating their strict yoga practise around dating, dancing and going out. So in 2004 the New York pair created Yoga for Bad People offering retreats and classes around the world with a focus on good times, loose vibes and a little bit of mischief.

Doga
While bringing your dog along to yoga might sound barking mad, 'doga' is taking off. The classes involve stretching, meditation and massage for owners and their four-legged pals. While it's hard to picture dogs doing poses on cue, devotees believe doga improves heart health and digestion for dogs and stress reduction for their owners.

Rave Yoga
Strobes, music and mantras — rave yoga is bringing downward dogs to the club. Snap a glowstick, grab some face paint and prepare for a full blown yoga dance party. The classes are complete with a disco ball, DJ or live music and leave you wondering if your midweek class is the new Saturday night (minus the hangover).

Karaoke Yoga
If you've ever wanted to belt a song out while sweating it out, karaoke yoga is for you. The wacky brainstorm of Los Angeles-based yoga teacher Jennifer Pastiloff, karaoke yogis now sing their best Bohemian Rhapsody while bending on the mat. Classes include a DJ, TV screens with lyrics and even an "air guitar" flow. It's a high-energy session all about having a good time and having a laugh.

Beer Yoga
Crack open a cold one and salute to the sun with this style of yoga…just beware of spillage. Beer yoga is on tap around the world and it's exactly what it sounds like — you do yoga and drink beer. While its origins are contested, either created by Berlin hipsters or at the Burning Man desert rave in Nevada, beer yoga is commonly used by women to entice their boyfriends into their fitness class.

Cannabis Yoga
Weed yoga is most definitely a thing. As cannabis becomes legal across US states, the herby addition to the mat is on the rise. Though many yogis don't believe drugs have a place in yoga, some believe it's a perfect match. The combination is said to help students tune out thoughts and pain points becoming more mindful and free. Whatever your thoughts, poses for potheads does have a certain ring.

Cat Yoga
First it was cafes, now the cat flap is letting our furry friends into the studio. Cat yoga has gained a somewhat cultish following across the globe for those wanting a cat fix with their stretch. While cats don't actually do the yoga, the frolicsome friends wander around mats, sit and observe and cuddle up to those resting in savasana.

Aerial Yoga
Now this sounds like something we'd actually try. Aerial yoga or anti-gravity yoga combines aerial arts and traditional yoga by using swings and silks that hang from the ceiling. Your practise is quite literally off the ground and allows for more difficult inverted bends, poses and postures without pressure on your head.

Emoga
Emoji yoga or emoga is the creation of the tech age we could have all peacefully lived without. Started by Londoner Charlotte Bell, it's a mashup of yoga and emojis with each position inspired by your favourite emoticons. Stretch out with the screaming cat face and work up to the big finale of the 'dancing lady in a red dress'.

Nude Yoga
If you follow yoga trends, you knew this was coming. For spiritual enlightenment in the buff, nude yoga is exactly what is promises, a completely au natural experience. While being naked in front of a classroom sounds like something from a nightmare, nude yoga is said to remove negativity associated with the body and create confidence in students.

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