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November 26th, 2014

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Some 6 percent of Danes now practise yoga, compared to just 1 percent in 1993, Politiken reports.

This is based on a study by the sports analysis institute Idrættens Analyseinstitut, which is part of the centre for public information, videncenter for folkoplysning.

Jack Davis, the American owner of Yogacentralen in Frederiksberg, is not surprised by the results.

“I have absolutely noticed yoga becoming more popular,” he told the Copenhagen Post. “We have 40 classes a week and 20 teachers, and lots of classes have waiting lists.”

One for the ladies
The study was based on reports from private yoga centres, sports centres and evening classes, and found that up to 90 percent of participants in classes are female.

“Unfortunately this is the case,” Davis confirmed. “Yoga is for everyone, and guys need to find that out!”

However, yoga appears to be popular with people of all ages, with 16 to 19-year-olds preferring to practise at the gym whilst pensioners frequent evening classes.

This difference in practice venue may have something to do with price, as classes held in fitness centres are often far cheaper than at private studios.

A worldwide trend
Yoga has been gaining popularity worldwide in recent times, despite the practice being around 3,000 years old.

The yoga industry is estimated to be worth around 27 billion dollars in the US, and there are over 120 yoga studios open in Copenhagen today.

“Yoga is a trend and a fashion,” Davis explained. “It is very cool to carry a yoga mat around today.”

Feel-good phenomenon
“It may be that Danes are looking for the spirituality missing in their lives,” Davis suggested, although he conceded that the relationship between yoga and spirituality is hard to pin down.

However, Davis is certain that part of yoga’s growing popularity is that it makes people feel good.

“You’re basically high after practising yoga, people love that!” he said.