'Rage Yoga' encourages posing while cursing, drinking, and listening to metal
There's a common saying cited by non-yogis as a reason not to practice and pose: "It's boring."
That's an understandable sentiment — some people just don't find the same kind of stress release in yoga as they do in, say, kickboxing — but with a new take on the practice, called "Rage Yoga," there may be more folks flocking to the fitness activity than ever before.
Created by a Calgary, Canada resident named Lindsay-Marie Istace after "the really painful breakup of a long term relationship," Rage Yoga is meant for those who are hoping to improve their posture and flexibility, but have never felt at ease in a modern yoga studio.
Or for those who just have a little extra aggression they need to work out.
"Want to better your strength, flexibility and become zen as f—? Enjoy the occasional f-bomb or innuendo?" the site reads. "You've come to the right place."
Istace also encourages participants to feel free to swear and drink while posing, telling Vice that "as soon as people get into the sequences they tend to naturally drink slowly." Metal music is also often played too, with albums by the likes of Metallica and Black Sabbath spinning in the background.
The whole thing may seem like blasphemy to those that consider yoga a highly spiritual process, but to Istace's fans, it's a respite and a quirky alternative to partaking in yoga as we know it today. It's also a welcomed option for some of those feeling uncomfortable by the generally quiet practice, or turned off by the yoga's less hardcore reputation.
"When I started going to yoga classes, I felt like I didn't really fit in at a lot of those different studios," she told Vice last month. "[They have a] very deadpan, serious, overly serene approach to things. And that's just not how I roll."
The practice is so far only offered live in Calgary, but Istace hopes to soon make it available to anyone with an internet connection. Coming off a very successful Kickstarter aimed at funding the creation and distribution of online classes, the dream of having an excuse to scream while exercising may not be that far off after all.
