Yoga has been around for thousands of years already but it was not until the late 1800s when it was introduced to the West, which became what we now know as Modern Yoga. Nowadays, a lot of yogis (practitioners) around the world seek yoga to not only find mental strength, but to also achieve physical and spiritual fortitude, and the art has become not only one of the most widely known and practiced forms of exercise and wellness habits, but also found a lot of traction among people with modern, busy lifestyles.
Here are some of the most interesting facts about yoga that goes beyond the mat.
Yoga Statistics Table of Contents
Most Interesting Yoga Statistics
Over the years, yoga has taken different forms and yoga studios sprung like mushrooms across the globe. These interesting yoga statistics will help you understand this wellness movement.
- Around 44% of yoga practitioners practice yoga 2-3 times a week.
- An average yoga practitioner spends around $90 a month on yoga.
- Over 55 million people will start practicing yoga by 2020.
- 37% of yoga enthusiasts have children who also enjoy practicing.
- The cleanliness of the yoga studio is a major factor for 70.5% of yoga practitioners, when deciding on where to take yoga classes.
- Lack of flexibility is what holds 32% of non-yogis from trying yoga out.
- Aside from in-person classes, 24% of people also use yoga apps or yoga guided by videos to practice.
- 1 in three practitioners in the US has attempted at least once to practice yoga outside of class.
- A research conducted on 52 women with anxiety and depression has shown a decrease in symptoms after 12 sessions of hatha yoga.
- 54% of yoga practitioners said that yoga helps them release tension.
- According to yoga injury statistics, yoga deteriorates 21% of existing injuries and triggers musculoskeletal pain in 10% of cases.
- The average yogi is willing to spend $40 to try yoga once.m
- 8% are willing to spend about $100 to get a memorable yoga experience.
- 66% of yoga practitioners do at least one class per year in an experimental setting.
- 40% of yoga practitioners in the US say that it motivates them to eat healthy.
- 94% of yoga practitioners say they do yoga for wellness-related reasons.
- 15 minutes of yoga practice everyday changes the brain’s chemistry and boosts mood.
- There are over 100 styles of yoga.
Types of yoga practiced in the US
Acro Yoga: 24
Acro Yoga
%Wellness Yoga: 24
Wellness Yoga
%Power Yoga/Yoga-Pilates/Yogilates: 17
Power Yoga/Yoga-Pilates/Yogilates
%Anusara Yoga: 14
Anusara Yoga
%Bikram Yoga: 10
Bikram Yoga
%Anti Gravity/Aerial Yoga: 9
Anti Gravity/Aerial Yoga
%Hatha Yoga: 9
Hatha Yoga
%Forrest Yoga: 8
Forrest Yoga
%Luna Yoga: 8
Luna Yoga
%Kundalini Yoga: 7
Kundalini Yoga
%Kriya Yoga: 7
Kriya Yoga
%Ashtanga/Vinyasa Yoga/Vinyasa Flow: 7
Ashtanga/Vinyasa Yoga/Vinyasa Flow
%Integral/Sivananda Yoga: 5
Integral/Sivananda Yoga
%Yin Yoga: 4
Yin Yoga
%TriYoga/Flow Yoga: 4
TriYoga/Flow Yoga
%Hormon Yoga: 3
Hormon Yoga
%Iyengar Yoga: 2
Iyengar Yoga
%Jivamukti Yoga: 2
Jivamukti Yoga
%Other: 2
Other
%I do not know: 17
I do not know
%Statista
Created by CompareCamp.comGlobal Yoga Statistics
Yoga has many benefits including improving posture and alleviating back pain, among other physical and mental benefits. So it’s no surprise that this 5000-year old practice has gained popularity over the last couple of years. Let’s look at how yoga is changing the world through these numbers.
- 56% of US yogis are beginners.
- 300 million people practice yoga across the globe.
- Japan has had a 413% yoga growth rate in just five years.
- In Germany, only 10% of respondents claim they practice yoga regularly.
- Around 30% of the Dutch prefer meditation yoga or mindfulness.
- 59% of yoga practitioners in the US believe that yoga helps improve their sleep.
- The number of Americans doing yoga grew by 50% between 2012 and 2016.
- In 2015, there were 36.7 million people in the US who participated in some form of yoga.
- There were 754 yoga facilities in Beijing in 2016.
- More than half of 200 million yoga practitioners worldwide are from India, according to a 2017 research on yoga statistics in India.
- There are over 10,000 yoga teachers in the UK.
- 28% of Americans have tried practicing yoga in their lives.
- 89% of people yogis in the US practice yoga an average of 1-5 hours per day.
- In the UK, there are around 460,000 yogis.
- The word “yoga” is one of the 15 most popular words in the UK.
- Tao Porchon-Lynch from the White Plains is the world’s oldest yoga teacher at 101 years old.
Statista
Who practices Yoga? Demographics Statistics
Part of the reason why yoga is so popular is because it’s a low impact physical activity—practically anyone can do it. Just look at the numbers to further understand the influence of yoga across all gender and ages. The age and overall health states of practitioners are quite varied.
- More than 43% of yoga practitioners are between 30 and 49 years old.
- 72% of yoga practitioners are female.
- There’s 150% increase in the number of men practicing yoga between 2012 and 2016.
- In 2016, 28% of yogis in the US are men.
- 1 in 12 children had practiced yoga within the past 12 months according to a National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health survey.
- There are 14 million people over the age of 50 who practice yoga.
- In Italy, 53.3% of female survey respondents are interested in yoga and pilates.
- 20% of yogis in the US are more likely to have a positive self-image after regularly practicing yoga.
- 44% of Americans who practice yoga consider themselves beginners.
- Only 2% of yogis in the US are advanced yoga practitioners according to the 2016 Yoga in America Study.
- 68% of yoga practitioners in the US make at least $75,000 per year.
- 71% of Americans who regularly attend yoga classes have at least one college degree.
- 67.5 % of yoga practitioners want to increase their energy levels.
- 56% of Americans who practice yoga treat it as a physical fitness program.
- In the US, 38% of yoga practitioners are vegetarian
Ages that practice yoga
18-29 years old: 19
18-29 years old
%30-39 years old: 43
30-39 years old
%50+: 38
50+
%Yoga as a Business: Key Industry Statistics
Yoga is more than a comprehensive spiritual practice. It’s also one of the largest growth industries in the world, but how big is the yoga industry really? These numbers will show just how big.
- The yoga industry is worth more than $84 billion worldwide.
- From $10 billion, the yoga industry spending went up to $16 billion in four years across the globe.
- The ages between 25 to 34 spent most on active wear.
- In 2016, Americans have spent more than $16 billion on yoga classes.
- Between 2002 to 2012, the pilates and yoga industry grew by 12.1% per year.
- People spend an average of $62,640 in their lifetime on yoga.
- In the US, close to 40% of studio owners report serving between 100 to 500 students per week.
- Over 1 billion posts on Instagram use a yoga related hashtag, which makes Instagram for businesses a viable marketing option in the yoga industry.
- In 2018, Lululemon’s value (one of the biggest yoga clothing brands) was $929 million, an 18% growth in just one year.
- The yoga industry’s revenue in the US was $9.09 billion in 2015.
- There are more than 6,000 yoga studios in the US alone.
Statista
Yoga Trends 2020: What’s Next?
2019 is the year we saw novelty yoga such as Beer Yoga and Goat Yoga. Now that we got that out our system, here are the trends to look forward to this 2020. Whether they stick around or not, only time will tell.
- Broga – It’s a new type of yoga that focuses around muscle toning, strength training, and cardio work. As the name suggests, it aims to encourage men to give yoga a try.
- Yoga Hiit – Fusion fitness has been popular for quite some time now, with the emergence of Yogalates (Yoga and pilates) and BarreConcept (Ballet and Pilates). But Yoga Hiit is a new hybrid that’s perfect for those who want a quick, high-tempo take on yoga.
- Aerial Yoga – Although this has been around for a while now, it’s only now that more and more people are trying it out. Instagram influencers have been showing the things you can do on a few pieces of silk and people are buying it.
- SUP Yoga – Looks like this trend is here to stay as more and more people turn into the water to find peace as they find a calming practice of stretching on a stand-up paddle board.
- Virtual Yoga Classes – Although virtual yoga classes have been available on Youtube for years now, virtual wellness programmes have been on the rise. It takes your wellbeing to another level by offering customized classes and nutritional advice, available at your most convenience. Some instructors also offer virtual meditation and goal setting programs to provide a more holistic program in just one click.
Yoga has been around for a long time and will continue to do so. The multitude of benefits one can gain from practicing yoga has been recognized that even athletes and wrestlers practice yoga not only to improve their flexibility but to find calm and relax mindset. Namaste!
References:
- Yoga Trends For 2020 | Me Time Away
- 21 Staggering Yoga Demographics – BrandonGaille.com
- 35 Mind-Bending Yoga Statistics to Merge Your Body and Soul
- 60+ Insane Yoga Statistics: Why Yoga is the Fastest Growing Industry
- Yoga Statistics: Surprising Data on the Growth of Yoga [Infographic] –Eventbrite
- 31 Yoga Statistics: The Modern World Embraces Yoga
- 34 Life-Altering Yoga Statistics & Facts for 2020
- Yoga Statistics: Staggering Growth Shows Ever-increasing Popularity
- 20 Fresh Yoga Statistics & Facts You Should Know in 2020
- History of Yoga • Yoga Basics
- Yoga – Statistics & Facts | Statista
- Popular types of yoga in US 2016 | Statista
- US yoga participation 2012-2020 | Statista
- US yoga industry revenue 2012-2020 | Statista