How fitness icons perfectly blend ancient knowledge with modern perspectives
Once upon a time, fitness was seen in two lights - 1. Lifting heavy weights in the gym, sweating and panting for breath, 2. Turning yourself into a pretzel on the Yoga mat, struggling to keep up with the Yoga expert in front of you.
But thankfully, with time, the way people saw fitness changed, and so did the ways in which fitness is achieved. And for many, somewhere between a Himalayan herb and a calorie counter, and between a running track and a sweet treat, the sweet spot was found.
Fitness icons today know how to blend ancient wisdom and knowledge of modern fitness perfectly. They know how to attract their target population, and also how to genuinely help them make a difference in their life.
Whatever they do, perform, and preach is a mix of physical health, mental wellness, and staying up to date with trends.
Ancient wisdom on fitness
Ancient Indian knowledge talks about health and fitness in a very holistic sense. The Bhagavad Gita talks about the importance of Yoga, emphasises the integration of body, mind, and spirit, and saw physical fitness not just as muscle strength or endurance but also as the road to mental clarity.
And with time, several fitness icons blended ancient knowledge with modern perspectives, making the youth of their times interested and keen on improving their health.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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Name
Ancient Knowledge
Modern perspective
Blending outcome
Baba Ramdev
Yoga, Ayurveda, pranayama, sattvik food
Used TV, YouTube, and Patanjali products to reach the masses
Made Yoga accessible to all, spread awareness around Holistic wellness
and ancient healing approaches like pranayama, sattvik food
Milind Soman
Natural movement, simple living, body awareness
Uses social media, marathons, nature workouts, and everyday fitness routines
Inspires a natural and sustainable fitness lifestyle through visible, modern content creation
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Breathing exercises, meditation, yogic science
Built global platforms, online courses, and stress-relief workshops
Made ancient spiritual practices part of modern corporate and wellness culture
Sadhguru
Inner engineering, Yoga, meditation, energy science
Uses apps, videos, podcasts, and live events like overnight dhyana sessions
Makes inner transformation feel scientific, structured, and contemporary
Baba Ramdev
In modern times, Baba Ramdev has been one of the most important figures in popularising Yoga and Ayurveda globally. He showed the world how ancient practices can be adapted to modern lifestyles, and the ease of Yoga people experienced while following him, was unmatchable.
Baba Ramdev talked about Pranayama, asanas, and a simple, sattvik diet to promote balance and health.
Thousands of people, including seers and saints, regarded him as the 'God of Awakening' and the man who travelled thousands of kilometers, all around India to teach people about Yoga, Ayurveda, and holistic living.
And the way he blended modern perspectives and ancient wisdom was through his use of television to make Yoga a part of everyday lives, and then launching Patanjali Ayurved, where people received healthy, nutritious products, in a way they liked.
For example, when Patanjali Ayurved launched a series of juices, the one that piqued people's interest most was the Aloe vera juice they offered. Full of vitamins, minerals, and good nutrients, the Aloe vera juice comes with fiber, and is an excellent, healthy alternative to packaged juices filled with sugar.
Milind Soman
Icons like Milind Soman come very rarely, but when they do, they influence generations. Be it Yoga, pilates, calisthenics, or strength training, Soman endorses it all to maintain a youthful, healthy life, and the way he talks about running, walking, and more such activities, and shares videos of himself practicing in nature, makes people wish to make some changes in their life.
From running personal marathons between lush, green trails to talking about balanced nutrition and good sleep schedules, he does it all.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Another icon, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's 'Art of Living' foundation, shows the perfect mix of ancient spiritual techniques and modern wellness strategies. With a combination of breathing exercises, meditation, Yoga, stress management, personal development, and more, Art of Living simplifies the complexities of modern life, and gives solutions that improve mental peace, physical health, and emotional health too.
The Art of Living's emphasis on breath control and mindfulness is a part of ancient yogic science, but the way they have spread the word via modern technology, and in accessible formats, has quickly gained them contemporary audiences.
Sadhguru
Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev is another icon who talks about not just physical health, but also mental and spiritual one. He advocates yoga and meditation not just as physical exercise but as a way to expand your consciousness and improve the 'Prana' in you.
Sadhguru's teachings talk about 'inner engineering', be it in the form of mobile applications like 'Miracle of Mind' or overnight meditation and dhyana sessions he organises, which in turn help people achieve a healthy mind, body, and soul.
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