Yoga As An Olympic Sport? Taking The USA National Asana Competition Global?
National Yoga Asana Championship 2012 Begins March 2
02/29/2012 | 09:27 AM
Think of it - Yoga as an Olympic sport, complete with gold, silver, and bronze for the best standing bow pulling pose.
A statement on the website for USA Yoga, says "USA Yoga seeks to become the national governing body for the sport of Yoga Asana and has applied to the United States Olympic Committee to be recognized as such. USA Yoga’s goal is to join with similar organizations in other countries to form an international yoga federation and to qualify Yoga Asana as an Olympic sport"
The New York Daily News quotes the founder of USA Yoga, Rajashree Choudhury (wife of Bikram Chouldhury) "First of all, she says, the focus is on yoga postures. “I’m not trying to measure anybody’s ‘eight states,”’ she said, referring the meditative and spiritual aspect of yoga practice. “The posture can be competitive.”
Participants must do a series of seven yoga poses in three minutes. Five are compulsory — standing head-to-knee pose, standing bow-pulling pose, bow pose, rabbit pose, and stretching pose. The participants are allowed to pick the last two poses themselves."
Obviously, there is the whole notion of of Yoga being non-competitive at its core but USA Yoga's argument is that a strict "asana" or pose can and should be competitive.
Hence, the National Yoga Asana Championship being held in New York City from March 2nd to March 4th.
A statement on the website for USA Yoga, says "USA Yoga seeks to become the national governing body for the sport of Yoga Asana and has applied to the United States Olympic Committee to be recognized as such. USA Yoga’s goal is to join with similar organizations in other countries to form an international yoga federation and to qualify Yoga Asana as an Olympic sport"
The New York Daily News quotes the founder of USA Yoga, Rajashree Choudhury (wife of Bikram Chouldhury) "First of all, she says, the focus is on yoga postures. “I’m not trying to measure anybody’s ‘eight states,”’ she said, referring the meditative and spiritual aspect of yoga practice. “The posture can be competitive.”
Participants must do a series of seven yoga poses in three minutes. Five are compulsory — standing head-to-knee pose, standing bow-pulling pose, bow pose, rabbit pose, and stretching pose. The participants are allowed to pick the last two poses themselves."
Obviously, there is the whole notion of of Yoga being non-competitive at its core but USA Yoga's argument is that a strict "asana" or pose can and should be competitive.
Hence, the National Yoga Asana Championship being held in New York City from March 2nd to March 4th.
