Amidst the studios sprouting across the world, Singapore’s Jal Yoga stands out for making history as the first Asian yoga brand expanding across countries, including Malaysia and Indonesia.
Established in 2018, Jal Yoga, founded by couple Pardeep Fogat and Jasmine Loh, is a pioneering 3-in-1 studio offering yoga, pilates, and barre classes.
However, its origins are humble, rooted in a simple love story between two yoga enthusiasts.
“I met my now wife Jasmine in a yoga class. I was an instructor, and she was one of my students,” shared Pardeep, an accredited Yogi. “Yoga is our entire lifestyle.”
Brought together by this mind and body exercise, Pardeep and Loh were determined to share their love for yoga with the world. The name Jal, meaning water in Sanskrit, sums up the essence of their mission.
“We want to help people tap into their ability to be like water, to adapt,” Pardeep told FMT Lifestyle, adding that there was more to yoga than meets the eye.
“There are many misconceptions surrounding yoga. Firstly, people assume that it’s only meant for women. People also think of yoga as being more spiritual rather than a form of fitness.”
Dispelling these myths, Pardeep stressed that the numerous benefits of yoga are grounded in scientific principles.
“Yoga is very important for our mobility. Science says that whichever muscles we contract, we also need to stretch. Yoga is the only exercise which focuses on stretching,” he explained.
Loh added: “Another common misconception, among men in particular, is that you can’t lose weight with yoga. They think yoga is easy, you don’t sweat much, it’s just a body weight workout. However, they soon realise that yoga is not as easy to practise as they thought.” And weight loss is possible.
Jal Yoga not only offers traditional classes but also adapts to the demands of modern living.
“For example, we’ve had members who come in having back and shoulder pain or a stiff neck because of working in front of a screen all day. We then designed our classes to target those areas,” Pardeep explained.
Their standout contribution to the wellness landscape is Jal Yoga’s introduction of Infrared Heat Yoga.
This innovative approach, utilising infrared panels, provides therapeutic benefits such as pain relief, improved blood circulation, and enhanced skin texture, without having to endure the overheating typical in traditional hot or Bikram yoga.
“I’ve noticed that our teachers who are in these classes day in and day out, have seen drastic improvements in their skin condition,” shared Loh.
Beyond the studio’s walls, Jal Yoga has witnessed life-altering transformations.
“One lady working in the IT industry came to us, initially very introverted, and overweight. She even developed a hump at the back of her neck, due to her desk-bound job,” Loh said.
After participating in their yoga classes, Loh was amazed at her transformation. “Over time, the hump disappeared. She felt so much more flexible, but not only that, she became a much more cheerful person. Now, after taking our training courses, she teaches in all our studios,” Loh said.
Pardeep said yoga is for everyone. “We even have a 78-year-old aunty who attends our yoga classes in Singapore every single day without fail.”
Loh added: “Yoga is the reason she is ageing slowly. She can do back-to-back classes, and sometimes I have to come out to take a break but she can continue. We want to help people do what they cannot do. We want people to be mobile, live a healthy lifestyle.”
As for the future, Jal Yoga’s plan for global domination is well underway. Having expanded rapidly in Singapore and Malaysia, they now have their sights set on Dubai, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Africa by 2025.
“Our goal is to make Jal Yoga a global brand with the highest number of yoga studios in the world,” Pardeep said.
Loh concluded: “Unless you experience it yourself, you won’t be convinced of the benefits of this practice. Once you do, you’ll never look back.”
For more information, visit Jal Yoga’s website.
Jal Yoga Malaysia (The Row studio)
Level 1, 32 Jalan Doraisamy,
Chow Kit, 50300 Kuala Lumpur
Jal Yoga Malaysia (Megah Rise studio)
L2, Lot 3A&13, Second Floor
Megah Rise Mall,
Jalan SS24/8, Taman Megah,
47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Jal Yoga Malaysia (Pavilion Bukit Jalil studio)
Lot 5.05, 00, Persiaran Jalil 8,
Bukit Jalil, 57000 Kuala Lumpur