Traditional Yoga vs Yoga Sports Science® A Perspective from India

Originally published 2014· Written by Yoga Sports Coach™ Vedant Patwardhan

What happens when the traditions of yoga meet the contemporary demands of competitive sport?

In this short video, Yoga Sports Coach™ Vedant Patwardhan, from Pune, India, shares his perspective on the differences between traditional yoga teaching and the Yoga Sports Science® approach.

A long-standing yoga practitioner and former professional cricketer who played at national level in India, Vedant brings a valuable combination of personal experience, sporting knowledge and yoga education to the conversation.

His observations offer an opportunity to explore how traditional yoga practices can be understood and adapted through the lens of sports science, with consideration for the specific physical and psychological demands placed on athletes.

At the Institute of Yoga Sports Science®, this relationship between yoga and contemporary movement science has been central to our educational approach.

The aim is to understand how yoga practices can be applied appropriately within different sporting environments while respecting the traditions from which they originate.

Watch Vedant's Perspective

Hear Vedant discuss how his background in yoga and competitive cricket has informed his understanding of Yoga Sports Science® and its application to athletes.

About Vedant Patwardhan

Vedant Patwardhan shared his perspective on traditional yoga and Yoga Sports Science® in this article, originally published in 2016.

Drawing on his experience of yoga in India, Vedant explored how traditional yoga practices could connect with contemporary sports science and the needs of athletes.

Following his original training with the Institute of Yoga Sports Science®, Vedant went on to become an Advanced Yoga Sports Coach™ and a member of the YSS faculty, contributing to the education and professional development of fellow Yoga Sports Coaches™.