11 Indian Celebs and Their Love for Yoga

There are many out there who would rather sweat it out on a treadmill than practice yoga in the comfort of their homes. This mindset comes from the fact that we are still unaware of the health benefits that yoga provides. It is a form of exercise that not only keeps us healthier and more flexible, but it also helps a person to de-stress and feel more positive in life. That’s why Indian celebs swear by yoga.

Here are 11 famous celebs who swear by yoga

1. Shilpa Shetty

Shilpa Shetty’s name has become synonymous with yoga. She began yoga around 18 years ago when she began suffering from chronic spondylitis. The actress feels that yoga is not just a form of exercise for her but also a discipline. It helps her to stay flexible and it also helps her mind to stay calm.

She practices yoga for an hour three times a week. Some of her favourite asanas are Bhujangasana, Vakrasana, Naukasana, and Adho Mukha Shavanasana.

She has released several DVDs about yoga. The first came out in 2008 and was called Shilpa’s Yoga. More recently she started the ‘Shilpa Shetty yoga app’ to encourage people to take up yoga on a larger scale. Not only the global audience but her son, Viaan, also seems to be following her footsteps and regularly does yoga at school.

2. Kareena Kapoor Khan

The lady with the zero size means Kareena Kapoor. She is so flexible that she can do some of the most difficult yoga poses like the headstand and the chakrasana with ease. She might be married and a mother now, but that does not mean that she has given up on her routine of daily yoga sessions.

Kareena, who had put on a lot of weight during her pregnancy, lost all her kilos due to regular yoga post-childbirth. Her yoga trainer for almost 10 years, Anshuka Parwani, who runs the yoga institute ‘Anshuka Yoga,’ has revealed in interviews that the actress managed this weight loss by doing pranayams and surnayasmaskars. While the former helped to get the hormones back on track, the latter did a lot to improve her posture. Currently, she does 50 suryanamaskars daily along with 45 minutes of other asanas.

3. Malaika Arora

When it comes to talking of celebrity yoga, how can we forget this lady? Malaika Arora was introduced to yoga by Kareena Kapoor Khan. She trains with Payal Gidwani Tiwari. Her favourite poses are dhanushasana, padmasana and suryanamaskar. She enjoys the breathing that yoga involves. Since yoga needs a lot of focussing, she feels that yoga has helped to improve her concentration power. While talking of the advantage of yoga, she has said that suryanamaskar has helped to improve the glow on her face since it improves the blood circulation within the body.

4. Sonam Kapoor

Regular yoga that Sonam Kapoor does manifests in the way she looks. Her positive bent of mind is also due to the yoga that she practices regularly. Radhika Kale trains Sonam Kapoor in yoga. When the actress began yoga, she loved aerial yoga because it kept her more flexible and also it helped to seat off the extra calories more easily. Sonam also joined Bikram Yoga classes. These classes have been formulated by yoga guru Bikram Choudhury. In this class, 26 asanas and two breathing exercises are practised.

5. Nargis Fakhri

She is good looking and she is so because of the hours of yoga that she does. This Bollywood actress embraced yoga more than ten years ago. In fact, she says that it was yoga that gave her both mental and physical strength. She is always motivating women across the globe to lead a healthier life. Recently Nargis Fakhri led a yoga session that was being conducted on the first day of the XYoga Dubai Festival at the Kite Beach in Dubai.

6. Lara Dutta

Last but not the least – Lara Dutta. She is fit and she has never compromised on this. Being trained by Deanne Panday, she has been practicing yoga for over ten years now.

She even did prenatal yoga during her pregnancy which helped her to recover faster. Today she devotes half an hour to yoga every day.

The first DVD that she released – Yoga: Recovery and Rejuvenation – was about how various asanas can help to improve the condition of mind, soul and body. She also has a YouTube channel where she uploads videos of the various asanas that she does. Some of her favourites are pranayam, utkatasana, and vrikshasana.

7. Bipasha Basu

The actress who has a DVD named Bipasha Basu: Love Yourself is one who not only works out in the gym and eats correct, but also regularly practices yoga to keep fit – physically and mentally. After all, as she says, she wants to live till 100!

She is trained by Deanne Panday. Her day begins with suryanamaskar post which she does 108 rounds of a unique yoga module that has been designed for her.

8. Akshay Kumar

Akshay Kumar is known to be the person who loves martial arts. However, did you know that, this fit man who ‘never grows old’, does yoga and meditates regularly? His yoga guru, Suveer Balvi, has said that Akshay is like a yogi – he leads a disciplined life and is extremely focussed. In keeping with yogic principles of discipline the actor wakes up at 4 a.m. every day and goes to bed by 9 p.m. Sometimes he even has fun doing yoga in water! In many interviews Akshay has credited yoga for making him feel more contented with life.

9. Sidharth Malhotra

The man with the melting good looks keeps himself in shape with not only cycling and basketball, but also with regular doses of yoga as well. In fact, he often uploads pictures of him in various yoga poses on his social media page. Like Akshay Kumar, Suveer Balvi teaches Sidharth Malhotra yoga as well. The actor has been practicing yoga since 2016. He feels that over the years he has been able to tackle the pressure of giving box-office hits only because yoga has kept his mind calm.

10. Sachin Tendulkar

Did you know that Sachin Tendulkar practices asanas regularly? He was initially taught by BKS Iyengar and then by Dr S.N. Omkar. A few years ago, when the cricketer was suffering from a stiff back, the latter came to his rescue. During that time Tendulkar not only did yoga with the team but 45 minutes of personal training even after that. Sachin feels that cricket is a game that needs a lot of concentration and it was yoga that helped him to improve on his levels of focus a lot.

11. Shikhar Dhawan

Shikhar Dhawan practices yoga regularly. His coach, Manoj Kumar, has said in an interview how yoga has changed Dhawan as a person from one who was impulsive to one someone who is more balanced now. Dhawan is known to practice yoga regularly – right from suryanamaskar and pranayama, to headstands and backbends.

Hollywood celebs who can’t do without yoga

Believe you me when I say that yoga is not restricted only to Indians only. Right from Madonna, the famous American singer to Oprah Winfrey, the lady who shot to limelight with her show; and from England’s star footballer, David Beckham to the famous Hollywood actress, Jennifer Aniston, everyone has incorporated yoga into their lives.

1. Jennifer Aniston

In fact, Jennifer Aniston, who is trained by Mandy Ingber has said that it was yoga that helped her to give up smoking. She does yoga sessions at least 5 times a week where she does not stop at the normal yoga poses but goes a level higher. For example, while doing a half moon she lifts her fingertips off the mat and while doing a basic triangle she extends out both her arms.

2. David Beckham

England’s star footballer, David Beckham, has benefited immensely through yoga. It has made his body more flexible and also keeps him feeling more relaxed.

3. Madonna

Madonna, the famous American singer, has benefited a lot from yoga – more so after childbirth. She has said that amongst others she practices ashtangawhich involves a lot of movements and various postures.

4. Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey who shot to limelight with her show practices transcendental meditation every single day. She says that this keeps her mind feeling more calm and satisfied.

5. Eva Longoria

The celebrated American baseball player, Evan Longoria practices yoga as he feels that it helps him to improve on his concentration which, in turn, improves his game.

In December 2014 the United Nations recognised yoga’s benefit at providing a holistic approach to a person’s well-being. Following this, on 21st June 2015, the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, declared 21^stJuneas ‘International Day of Yoga’. With celebrities across the world recognizing the benefitsof yoga, it is time we gave it a chance too.

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