To think that doing yoga in a public place is just attention seeking?

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Several times this year I've seen people crack out a mat in the middle of a public place and start doing yoga.
When I say public place, I'm not talking about a park or a beach, but an airport, bus station and a waiting room.
It seems to be a trend on Instagram too, the culprit usually kitted it in something very reveaking.
I love yoga and it's great for being a "portable" exercise but AIBU in thinking that doing it in a place where you stand out is just showing off, and is a little bit wanky?

Glitterkitten24 That's hilarious!

Anyway OP it could be worse - she could be freebleeding in a white leotard like that woman on Instagram.

Definitely attention seeking! There seems to be a big trend on instagram for people to do yoga poses in front of landmarks. Witnessed quite a lot of this at Stonehenge a few weeks ago

MIL and FIL do this. It’s excrutiatingly embarrassing.

When dd was about 2 and everywhere we went would be at a snails pace, I would do 'dynamic stretches' as she walked to fill the time. Lunges, squats etc. Wasn't doing it for attention, was doing it to avoid being driven mental by the pace. I wonder if that was wanky if I passed anyone.

I used to live with such a wanker and I can confirm that, yes indeed, he was a total and utter tosspot.

We lived in a terrace house with a bay window and a tiny little yard at the front. I lost count of the number of (shameful) evenings I had to walk up our road in winter dusk to see him backlit by our living room light, in our bay, with the blinds open, doing fucking straddles IN A HEADSTAND.... in his appalling grim ass Y-FRONTS. That walk up the road with that sight burning into my retinas brings me out in a cold sweat.

He was a total knobber and we eventually got rid of him, thank god. (There were multitudinous other wankerish offences including performance veganism and petty theft)

Badweek - I’m so sorry, I’m crying laughing

Jesus Badweek that's grim!! I practice yoga in a small front room, and once my neighbour casually mentioned me doing a new yoga pose, I had never mentioned my yoga to him and our houses are opposite each other but a really good distance opposite each other. He must have been watching me through his window and probably with binoculars as our windows are tinted!!

marge! That’s creepy. If you want I could try and track down our ex tenant and send him over. I’m pretty sure he’d cure your neighbour of his peeping tom proclivities....

(Might have to excavate the patio though....)

It is creepy, he is creepy, I avoid him!!

I wish I had the confidence to do yoga in a public place.

I saw it at an airport with dad and kids doing it, so I got a double dose of cringe - the public yoga and the performance parenting.

I walk for exercise in the shopping mall early before it opens and do yoga stretches in store alcoves in between and it's very brief yoga stretches.

I would do yoga stretches at work in the restroom but it was just one locking room.

I'm pretty inflexible but I have long-standing problems with my back/shoulders/neck which flare-up now and again and one of things that really helps is gentle, regular stretching, so I am forced to do this in public sometimes to help relieve pain and improve my mobility. I find it really embarrassing and avoid it unless absolutely necessary, because I know people like you OP will be hoiking up your judgey pants. An airport is one of the prime locations you'll catch me doing this because travel involves lots of carrying heavy luggage about, lots of sitting still in one place, and lots of stress, all things that aggravate my back.

What's the difference between that or any other outdoor exercise? Running, cycling, etc?

There is no ego in yoga, I can assure you, they aren't doing it for attention.

I often see a beautiful sunset and want to do a few rounds of Surya Namaskar (sun salutations) but I wouldn't because of people like the OP and others on this thread.

Trust so many people to take something deeply personal to the yogi and make it about themsleves.

@PunkrockerGirl59

You sound delightful.

There are a couple of people who do it in the steam room at the pool I use. Not talking swanky private gym, it is an Edwardian baths run by a community enterprise scheme. I love that attracts all sorts, is a historical gem and socially vibrant place in an area that would be hipster central if it was in a trendy part of the city. However the steam room antics give me the rage! Not just the yoga but the (mainly) men who sit/ spread, taking up all the space, making horrible gutteral noises for hours. They bloody live in it and whilst they have every right to be there I resent them. Yes I am being unreasonable.

I don’t think I would dare do it, but did have a personal trainer once that I met in the local park as I do prefer to work out outside.

I was called a cunt by some man with a dog, who was defecating in the seating area, (think like handstand but for sitting) for making the benches unsanitary by having my feet on them whilst doing some core training.

So you are probably a tad unreasonable, I am quite jealous of those who have the time to continue a work out routine!

*band stand not handstand

I don't see how doing Yoga in public places makes you an attention whore.

Surely it's no different to jogging in the street?

If more people felt comfortable working out in the open, maybe we would be a healthier nation.

People do it everywhere in India

Yeah and we all break out into choreographed dance routines at every opportunity too. Train stations, airports, shopping centres - we only really go to these places to have a good old public stretch and get on down to some bhangra
OP, YANBU. It's wanky, in any country.

Badweek there's a whole sitcom series jwaiting to be written right there

Sidles up to badweek as she makes a cuppa. You know if you wanted to use proper milk, instead of stealing it from baby calves, my friend Parsley will sell you a pint of breastmilk.

There was a woman doing ultra wanky exercise on the plane last time I flew (short haul) , in the aisle.
With people trying to get to the loo, and the trolleys blocking the aisle , she was there, bending, flinging her arms about , sticking her legging clad arse in another passengers face.
I'd have bitten it

Niki I am indeed a delight.
At least I have some self awareness
It is wanky, and the height of pretentiousness. HTH

So is calling yourself punkrockergirl. Pretentious and wanky.

Are you under 18? So not a girl.

Hth