Nike Inc. wants you to do yoga, but not at the expense of all those miles you run.
The athletic-wear brand is releasing a new apparel collection created specifically for yoga, including its first ever men’s yoga line. Nike’s enlisting a group of professional athletes to push the yoga-specific T-shirts, shorts and leggings, which hits stores globally this month.
Nike had previously shied away from directly battling Lululemon Athletica Inc. on its own turf – the yoga mat. This push now pits Nike and Lululemon firmly against each other, though Nike’s not going full spiritualism and granola. Rather than leaning into yoga as a primary form of exercise, it’s touting the practice as a component of a wider workout regimen so gym rats can become more flexible, reduce recovery time and transfer movement patterns to the field.
