CorePower Yoga Teams With NFL Athlete, Pro Dancer on Mental Health Campaign
The nation’s largest yoga studio brand has enlisted Arik Armstead and Allison Holker to help spread awareness about the mental health benefits of yoga as it launches free on-demand classes
CorePower Yoga, the largest yoga studio brand in the U.S., is celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month this May with a campaign designed to highlight the modality’s science-backed benefits for mental health.
Supported by celebrity ambassadors Allison Holker, a professional dancer, and Arik Armstead, a defensive lineman for the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, both of whom have experienced yoga’s mental health benefits, the campaign provides various resources to members, including CorePower Yoga’s Mental Health Hub and a curated collection of free yoga and meditation classes on CorePower’s digital platform, Yoga On Demand.
CorePower’s Mental Health Hub will serve as a central resource, sharing the latest scientific research on the connection between hot yoga and mental health, specifically depression. A recent study from Harvard Medical School’s Massachusetts General Hospital found that hot yoga can reduce depressive symptoms by 50 percent or more.
As many CorePower Yoga workouts are in a heated room, the brand is bringing attention to the benefits of the practice for all members.
“It’s so important for me to speak out about mental health because as a family, we’ve experienced so much pain and hurt, but also had so much growth by learning to find our joy again,” said Holker who is best known for her appearance on FOX’s “So You Think You Can Dance” TV show. “CorePower Yoga is somewhere I have been going to for years. It’s a place I feel safe. I want to help others to find sanctuary in it like I have.”
Armstead, a four-time nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, turned to yoga after an injury.
“When I suffered my worst physical injury to date at the end of my last regular season with the 49ers – as we were heading into the playoffs – I was crushed. Yoga and mindfulness have played a crucial role in my wellness routine as a professional athlete,” he said. “My aim with this partnership is to increase awareness about mental health, help destigmatize the topic – especially among athletes and men – and encourage individuals to prioritize their mental wellbeing.”
As part of this campaign, CorePower Yoga donate to charities focused on mental wellness. For every new Intro Month membership purchased, $10 will be donated to charitable organizations chosen by Holker and Armstead.
From May 6-15, proceeds went to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Holker’s charity of choice. From May 20-29, proceeds will go to the Armstead Academic Project, which provides resources to students from all socioeconomic backgrounds.