Yoga The Fastest Growing Physical Activity In NSW
Sunday, August 17th, 2008An article in the Sunday Telegraph of 17.8.08 caught my eye. It was entitled: “Outdoor sports loosing players”.
It began by stating that statistics showed that less people were participating in traditional outdoor sports. Participation had declined over the past 5 years. The number one reason seems to be lack ot time. One in five people did not exercise at all.
The sports for which numbers decreased were:
Tennis by 33%, bushwalking 24% and swimming 19%. Golf, basketball and netball participation also declined.
Aerobics, walking, cycling, touch football, weight training, running and cricket had increased participation rates.
The star performer was yoga - with a 53% increase in participation in the state of New South Wales.
My take on this:
Cycling and walking may have increased due to spiralling petrol prices. Bushwalking has gone down because of the time factor combined with high petrol prices. Most people have to drive a fair way to get to the start of a walk.
I also believe that sports go in and out of favour like fashion. Some are more trendy that others at the moment. Outdoor sports may also have gone down in popularity because people are worried about too much sun exposure, especially for their children. Most children spend a lot of time in front of computers and with other gadgets, walk less and are generally much unfitter than the last generation. Sport and outdoor play is not something all children naturally gravitate to any more.
Why has yoga become so popular?
My guess is that people are discovering how great they feel after a class, that it takes care of their mind and body. No other form of exercise leaves you feeling quite the same. Even a so-called “stretch-class” feels different. This is not my biased opinion! A lot of my students have said so!
It is the one space of time in an otherwise very hectic week during which they don’t have to worry about anyone else except themselves. It is peaceful and quiet. Minimal equipment is needed.
Maybe I should ask my students what is the most important benefit for them and why they started attending classes.
Connie
Your Yoga Partner
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