Cool new yoga trends: From hip-hop workouts to ‘doga’ with your pup

By Brittany Anas

Yoga, an ancient discipline that is good for the mind, body and soul, has been twisted and re-positioned into a slew of different modern-day variations. Surely, there’s something to bring out the inner yogi in anybody — whether you’re a dog lover, martial arts fan or feel pumped and motivated when listening to your Jay-Z Pandora station.

Om sweet om, we love a good, traditional yoga session. But sometimes it’s fun to shake up your yoga routine by making it a social event at a “rave” or by bringing your pet to class.

Here are four unique yoga classes that are taking hold in studios across the country:

Hip-hop yoga. Mat check 1,2. Get ready to rock the mat. Did you know hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons — the co-founder of Def Jam Records – is a yogi with aspirations of his own active wear line? A hip-hop yoga class may be a great yoga entry point for those of you who prefer fast-paced workouts like Zumba or salsa dancing.

Need a remix for your gym wardrobe? HealthyChic picks up on the latest fashion trends – such as pink ombre – and infuses them into yoga apparel. We especially like this tank that has “gym doll” written in cursive along the side.

Doga. Who better to teach you the form of “downward dog” than Spot himself? Your dog may not need yoga for his spiritual well-being, but he’ll certainly love the extra attention you’re giving him and the opportunity to stretch out. Over the past couple of years, doga sessions have been popping up at yoga studios throughout the country.

If you share your yoga mat with your four-legged friend, might we suggest a yoga mat spray from Manduka following the session?

Yoga raves. Seems like an oxymoron, right? But the Yoga Rave movement is all about singing, dancing and meditating to achieve an authentic sense of joy and enthusiasm that comes from within. Call it a natural high. Organizers of Yoga Rave USA say that to enjoy such an experience there needs to be an environment that is free of drugs, alcohol and smoke. Yoga raves can be great way for teenagers to release energy and tension.

Trust us, you’re going to want a glow-in-the-dark hula hoop. You can easily make one yourself by spiraling some glow-in-the-dark tape from ACE Hardware around your own hoop.

Martial arts & yoga. Budokon fuses the two disciplines, mixing in meditation. The workout has been popular among actresses, including Meg Ryan and and Jennifer Aniston. Budokon, by the way, is Japanese for “way of the spiritual warrior.”

Want to try Budokon at home? Check out the fitness DVD Budokon for Weight Loss Collection from Wal-Mart. (It comes with a free self-empowerment CD).

Photo courtesy of HealthyChic.

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About Brittany Anas

Brittany Anas is a newspaper reporter, which she says is basically like going on a professional scavenger hunt every day. She became hooked on fashion in the early 1990s when her mom sewed her a pair of MC Hammer pants and matching headband. Brittany lives in Denver, Colorado and loves spending time with her southern gentleman of a boyfriend and their pot-belly pig-gremlin mix that the rescue organization described as a “Boston Terrier.” She fancies polka dots, Detroit Pistons basketball and brunch. Brittany blogs at LoisLaneLifestyle.blogspot.com and Twitters from @BrittanyAnas. Find her on Pinterest or ping her on Google+.