McYoga

/\|cazar · 11 april 2006, 13:56

Yoga's growing US popularity attracts cash

By Deborah Cohen Mon Apr 10, 11:27 AM ET

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Yoga, the ancient practice of postures, breathing and meditation, is gaining a lot of attention from the material world that its serious practitioners are trying to escape.
And no wonder. Americans who practice yoga are often well-educated, have higher-than-average household income, and are willing to spend a bit more on so-called "green" purchases seen as benefiting the environment or society.
"It's kind of growing out of the crunchy stage of yoga to the Starbucks stage," said Bill Harper, publisher of Yoga Journal. "From the videos and the clothes and the toe socks ... people are pursuing this market with a vengeance."
A glance through recent issues of his monthly magazine, whose readership has doubled in the past four years to 325,000, illustrates the point. There are four-color ads from the likes of Asics athletic shoes, Eileen Fisher apparel and Ford Motor Company. Yoga Journal is now licensing a Russian edition and preparing to expand in other international markets.
Americans spend some $2.95 billion a year on yoga classes, equipment, clothing, vacations, videos and more, according to a study commissioned by the magazine, fueled in part by aging baby boomers seeking less aggressive ways to stay fit.
Roughly 16.5 million people were practicing yoga in the United States early last year, either in studios, gyms or at home, up 43 percent from 2002, the study found.

FLOODING THE MARKET

Established sellers of yoga gear such as Hugger Mugger and Gaiam Inc. have been flooded with competition in the market for yoga mats, incense, clothing and fancy accoutrements ranging from designer yoga bags to eye pillows.
Vancouver, British Columbia-based Lululemon Athletica, for one, has seen sales of its yoga apparel rise to $100 million since its Canadian entrepreneur Chip Wilson founded the company in 1998. Customers are snapping up its trendy pants and tops to wear to class, and increasingly, to the supermarket or out to dinner.
The company operates some 40 stores, predominantly in Canada. It counts Japan and Australia among its new markets, and has a newly tapped management team that includes Robert Meers, former CEO of athletic shoemaker Reebok, to help set up shop in the United States. This month, Lululemon's reach extended to the U.S. heartland, with the opening of a Chicago store.
"A lot of investors are being attracted to the trend," said Corey Mulloy, a 34-year-old general partner with Boston-based venture capital firm Highland Capital Partners. Highland has stakes in Lululemon and Yoga Works, a growing chain of studios that now boasts 14 locations in southern California and New York.
Corporate types have indeed latched on. Rob Wrubel and George Lichter, best known as the men behind the Internet site Ask Jeeves, in 2003 provided refinancing for Yoga Works, which was founded in the late '80s.
Philip Swain, a former executive with national health club operator the Sports Club Co., now heads the company, which puts an emphasis on high-quality instruction and has grown by consolidating existing studios.
Another expanding business, Exhale, markets itself as a "mindbodyspa," with locations in Los Angeles, New York and other urban areas that combine yoga classes with facials, massage and alternative treatments such as acupuncture.
It lists nationally recognized yoga instructor Shiva Rea as "creative yoga adviser" and has backing from private equity firm Brentwood Associates.

MARRYING PROFIT WITH PRACTICE

Some question how all the consumption is changing a discipline with a strong spiritual foundation.

"We've taken this ancient tradition, science, and art of yoga out of a culture and a religion and world view and we've tried to transplant to the other side of the planet," said Judith Hanson Lasater, a longtime yoga instructor and author who holds a doctorate in East West psychology. "I believe there's not a complete match up."
Even so, several entrepreneurs stressed that they are able to adhere to yoga's healing principles while also turning a profit.
"It's about beauty and ascetics, not about opulence," said Joan Barnes, the former CEO and founder of children's apparel chain Gymboree Corp., who runs a small chain called Yoga Studio in Northern California.
For Cyndi Lee, 52, founder and owner of New York's City's popular Om yoga center, the business remains a labor of love. Lee said she has turned down numerous buyout offers through the years, worried a loss of control could erode the sense of community she has helped to create.
"It's not like McDonald's; it's not like popping out a hamburger," Lee said. "I don't want to have to commodify it."
(c) Reuters 2006. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by caching, framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.

De Westerse mens die yoga beoefent: heeft nougabollen nog te zien met yoga, flashy pakjes en in 3 maanden klaargestoomde yoga 'leraars'... fanchising Iyengar, Power yoga, kassa kassa voor 1 les : 20 €

In onze vereniging wordt les gegeven door mensen die het gemiddeld 30 jaar beoefenen, aan een gage van 60 euro, voor een half jaar, zonder flashy toestand.

Heerlijk toch, die debilisering die zich in alle aspecten lijkt te kristalliseren.

FISHERMAN · 11 april 2006, 15:55

Weer zo'n nieuwe trend die het waarschijnlijk maar een paar maanden zal volhouden.

Flippend Rund · 11 april 2006, 16:06

Citaat:

Oorspronkelijk geplaatst door /\|cazar

In onze vereniging wordt les gegeven door mensen die het gemiddeld 30 jaar beoefenen, aan een gage van 60 euro, voor een half jaar, zonder flashy toestand.

Welke vereniging is dat?

Bhairav · 11 april 2006, 19:06

Haha... "yoga"...

/\|cazar · 11 april 2006, 20:06

Citaat:

Oorspronkelijk geplaatst door Flippend Rund

Welke vereniging is dat?

Ik maak er geen reclame over.

Dat is echter niet de essentie van het verhaal, de essentie is dat iets zuiver spiritueel van aard op een platvloerse manier gemarchandised wordt en jan met de pet erin loopt, terwijl wat in 95 % van de yoga-scholen geleerd wordt, totaal niets met yoga te zien heeft, eerder wat onnozel turnen en stretchen.

cookie@vws · 11 april 2006, 20:08

Citaat:

Oorspronkelijk geplaatst door Bhairav

Haha... "yoga"...

"Yoga Bear"?

11 april 2006, 13:56	#1
/\\|cazar Banneling $/\\|cazar's schermafbeelding$ Geregistreerd: 5 maart 2004 Berichten: 4.052	McYoga Yoga's growing US popularity attracts cash By Deborah Cohen Mon Apr 10, 11:27 AM ET CHICAGO (Reuters) - Yoga, the ancient practice of postures, breathing and meditation, is gaining a lot of attention from the material world that its serious practitioners are trying to escape. And no wonder. Americans who practice yoga are often well-educated, have higher-than-average household income, and are willing to spend a bit more on so-called "green" purchases seen as benefiting the environment or society. "It's kind of growing out of the crunchy stage of yoga to the Starbucks stage," said Bill Harper, publisher of Yoga Journal. "From the videos and the clothes and the toe socks ... people are pursuing this market with a vengeance." A glance through recent issues of his monthly magazine, whose readership has doubled in the past four years to 325,000, illustrates the point. There are four-color ads from the likes of Asics athletic shoes, Eileen Fisher apparel and Ford Motor Company. Yoga Journal is now licensing a Russian edition and preparing to expand in other international markets. Americans spend some $2.95 billion a year on yoga classes, equipment, clothing, vacations, videos and more, according to a study commissioned by the magazine, fueled in part by aging baby boomers seeking less aggressive ways to stay fit. Roughly 16.5 million people were practicing yoga in the United States early last year, either in studios, gyms or at home, up 43 percent from 2002, the study found. FLOODING THE MARKET Established sellers of yoga gear such as Hugger Mugger and Gaiam Inc. have been flooded with competition in the market for yoga mats, incense, clothing and fancy accoutrements ranging from designer yoga bags to eye pillows. Vancouver, British Columbia-based Lululemon Athletica, for one, has seen sales of its yoga apparel rise to $100 million since its Canadian entrepreneur Chip Wilson founded the company in 1998. Customers are snapping up its trendy pants and tops to wear to class, and increasingly, to the supermarket or out to dinner. The company operates some 40 stores, predominantly in Canada. It counts Japan and Australia among its new markets, and has a newly tapped management team that includes Robert Meers, former CEO of athletic shoemaker Reebok, to help set up shop in the United States. This month, Lululemon's reach extended to the U.S. heartland, with the opening of a Chicago store. "A lot of investors are being attracted to the trend," said Corey Mulloy, a 34-year-old general partner with Boston-based venture capital firm Highland Capital Partners. Highland has stakes in Lululemon and Yoga Works, a growing chain of studios that now boasts 14 locations in southern California and New York. Corporate types have indeed latched on. Rob Wrubel and George Lichter, best known as the men behind the Internet site Ask Jeeves, in 2003 provided refinancing for Yoga Works, which was founded in the late '80s. Philip Swain, a former executive with national health club operator the Sports Club Co., now heads the company, which puts an emphasis on high-quality instruction and has grown by consolidating existing studios. Another expanding business, Exhale, markets itself as a "mindbodyspa," with locations in Los Angeles, New York and other urban areas that combine yoga classes with facials, massage and alternative treatments such as acupuncture. It lists nationally recognized yoga instructor Shiva Rea as "creative yoga adviser" and has backing from private equity firm Brentwood Associates. MARRYING PROFIT WITH PRACTICE Some question how all the consumption is changing a discipline with a strong spiritual foundation. "We've taken this ancient tradition, science, and art of yoga out of a culture and a religion and world view and we've tried to transplant to the other side of the planet," said Judith Hanson Lasater, a longtime yoga instructor and author who holds a doctorate in East West psychology. "I believe there's not a complete match up." Even so, several entrepreneurs stressed that they are able to adhere to yoga's healing principles while also turning a profit. "It's about beauty and ascetics, not about opulence," said Joan Barnes, the former CEO and founder of children's apparel chain Gymboree Corp., who runs a small chain called Yoga Studio in Northern California. For Cyndi Lee, 52, founder and owner of New York's City's popular Om yoga center, the business remains a labor of love. Lee said she has turned down numerous buyout offers through the years, worried a loss of control could erode the sense of community she has helped to create. "It's not like McDonald's; it's not like popping out a hamburger," Lee said. "I don't want to have to commodify it." (c) Reuters 2006. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by caching, framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world. De Westerse mens die yoga beoefent: heeft nougabollen nog te zien met yoga, flashy pakjes en in 3 maanden klaargestoomde yoga 'leraars'... fanchising Iyengar, Power yoga, kassa kassa voor 1 les : 20 € In onze vereniging wordt les gegeven door mensen die het gemiddeld 30 jaar beoefenen, aan een gage van 60 euro, voor een half jaar, zonder flashy toestand. Heerlijk toch, die debilisering die zich in alle aspecten lijkt te kristalliseren. Laatst gewijzigd door /\\|cazar : 11 april 2006 om 13:57.
$/\\|cazar is offline$

11 april 2006, 15:55	#2
FISHERMAN Parlementslid Geregistreerd: 16 februari 2006 Berichten: 1.569	Weer zo'n nieuwe trend die het waarschijnlijk maar een paar maanden zal volhouden.

11 april 2006, 19:06	#4
Bhairav Perm. Vertegenwoordiger VN Geregistreerd: 11 juli 2004 Berichten: 18.955	Haha... "yoga"...