steve ross: The 7 Influential Principles of the Guy Who Brought Yoga to the Masses
If you have ever rolled out a yoga mat for a yoga session and a bit of relaxation, you have Steve Ross to thank. Decades before YouTube and fitness apps, Steve Ross was the first person to bring yoga into the living rooms of millions of people, and do so for free. He created a show called “Inhale with Steve Ross”. It was sensational, and many people enjoyed his show. Who was Steve Ross? He was a philosopher, a TV personality, a teacher, and, most of all, a musician. He had an incredibly radical approach to wellness, and he loved what he did. He was the first of his kind.
This article is a biography, but it is also a study of his principles, how his philosophy affected many lives, and his countless influences in the field of health and wellness. It will be a detailed study of 7 principles, and because we will study the principles, we will also study the philosophy behind them.
Table of Contents
From Chaos to Calm: The Making of a Teacher
Every teacher has a journey, and to understand a teacher, you must understand their story. Steve Ross is not a story of a lifelong yogi, born to a life of ease and comfort. He has shared his story with candour, stating that his early life was marked by a search for meaning, a quest that led him down many different paths. Before Steve Ross found his true calling, he was deeply embedded in the colourful, at times chaotic world of music. This background was not a detour in his life; instead, it was a foundation. It gave him a particular flow, an appreciation for the different elements of a performance, and a passion for music that resonated with him and would, in turn, become the pulse of his yoga classes. The first encounter with yoga doesn’t usually present itself as immediate salvation, although it can always be the discovery of valuable, life-altering tools. After studying the intricacies of yoga with numerous revered teachers, the real Steve Ross method was conceived when he began combining those ancient techniques with his own modern, spirited music. He began teaching in Los Angeles, and his classes at Maha Yoga were nothing short of extraordinary. They were challenging classes set to music by The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, filled with profound wisdom and joyous laughter. This unique approach was what initially captured the attention of television producers and led to his selection to create Inhale.
Principle 1: Yoga is for Everyone, Everywhere
This was the revolutionary heart of the Steve Ross mission. When yoga in the West was perceived as elitist and expensive, and yoga classes were complex and veiled in a mysterious aura, Steve Ross challenged this perception with his teaching, most notably ‘Yoga to the People’. This was not a mere catchphrase. It was the foundation of his teaching.
Breaking Down the Barriers: By offering his classes on live national television, Steve Ross eliminated barriers related to cost, accessibility, intimidation, and even body image. No one needed to be in a yoga studio, or even in expensive Lululemon, or even be able to touch their toes. All they had to do was show up on their living room floor.
Plain Speak: He refrained from excessive use of yoga-speak and Sanskrit unless it was necessary. He used clear, simple, and relatable English to describe poses. For example, to tell a challenging balancing pose, he would not just say, “It’s called Vrksasana.” He would say, “This is a chance to find your balance in a wobbly world.”
The Revolution of the Home Studio: Steve Ross gave people the tools to be their own guides. He created a safe, private space for self-exploration, which was a principle that directly paved the way for the digital fitness landscape we have today.
Principle 2: Joy is the Ultimate Intention
If you walk into a yoga studio, you will often be greeted with a sombre voice that instructs you to set your first “intention.” For Steve Ross, the main intention was most often the same: to feel good. He disparaged the overly serious, self-important, and usually oppressive approach that is unfortunately all too common in wellness spaces.
Steve often said, “If you’re not having fun, you’re doing it wrong.” Students found his classes hilarious, whether it was his own jokes, his difficulty with a pose, or the world’s ridiculousness. This focus on fun was a stroke of neurology genius. It created an association between practising yoga and the release of the pleasure-inducing dopamine, making a cycle of rewards that people want to repeat. Steve Ross’s work reminded us that a spiritual practice can and should be a celebration.
Principle 3: The Music Matters (a lot)
Here, Steve Ross stood out the most. The music was not background noise; it was a co-teacher. It was unprecedented for the time to blast The Doors, Bob Marley, or Led Zeppelin during a vinyasa flow. For Steve Ross, music was a straight shot to feeling and power.
Rhythm as Breath: The flow was primal, in sync with the beat. It created a force to follow movement and breath.
Emotional Catalyst: A soaring guitar solo could help you get a backbend. A slow, mellow tune helped you relax deeply in savasana.
Cultural Bridge: Incorporating beloved music helped make the ancient practice of yoga feel immediate and personal, while remaining relevant and accessible. This helped to make his teachings memorable.
Principle 4: Forget Perfection, Embrace the Practice
Steve Ross serves as the perfect antithesis to the perfectionist Instagram culture of yoga, where impossible, unattainable poses are done simply for likes. Ross would demonstrate the ability to mix imperfection with perfection. He would make a mistake and mix up his left and right. He would laugh and keep teaching. This permits people to be human and imperfect.
The ‘Mushy’ Middle: The middle of the road, average, stretched pose. This is where most people are in a pose. Every end goal has a middle, and the middle is not a one-size-fits-all. The middle of the pose is a place just to be. The middle of the pose is where the mindfulness lives. Reflect on where you are in your practice today.
Self-Compassion as a Skill: One of the lessons of the mat is that it is a laboratory for life. How you treat yourself when you make a mistake in a pose is how you treat yourself when you make a mistake at work or in a relationship. This is the most profound psychological gift of his teaching.
Principle 5: The Inner Mat is Where the Real Work Happens
While the body was the entry point, Steve Ross was always, always pointing inward. His physical cues were seamlessly woven with psychological and spiritual insights. An instruction to “lift your chest” might be followed by, “and let go of anything that’s been weighing on your heart.” He used the physical struggle of yoga as a metaphor for the human experience. Holding a challenging pose became a lesson in patience. Finding balance was a lesson in focus. His famous, off-the-cuff monologues during class were less about yoga anatomy and more about life advice, overcoming fear, dealing with loss, and choosing love. For millions, tuning in to Steve Ross was a form of therapy.
Principle 6: Teach from Authenticity, Not Doctrine
Steve Ross was not a traditional guru. He didn’t demand devotion of any kind or put a strict set of rules to follow. His authority was from the almost tangible authenticity of who he was. He shared his own struggles, his joys, and his questions; he was a fellow traveller, not a remote man on a pedestal.
This created an extraordinary relationship built on trust. People felt as though listening to him was not a chore. He simplified complex spiritual concepts from Vedanta, Buddhism, and modern-day psychology, turning them into actionable insights without ever imposing any belief system. One did not need to subscribe to a belief system to benefit from the class; one had to believe in one’s own experience.
Principle 7: Build a Community, not a Clientele
Steve Ross was able to, even through a screen, provide a strong sense of community. He had a way of making people feel acknowledged. He would frequently speak to the “home team,” recognising the challenge of solo practice. This built a community of people listening to their mats and connecting through Steve’s words and intention.
This principle applied to both his studio and his business. He had an inclusive and welcoming attitude. The community surrounding Steve Ross illustrated the value of empathy and the community’s need for connection, even during solo practice.
The Legacy of Steve Ross: More ThanLegacykout
Steve Ross’s influence spans far and wide, but his most notable achievement is bringing yoga to a broader audience who might otherwise never have practised it. He broke the stereotype of what a yoga practitioner is and helped educate a whole generation about what yoga is, while also destigmatising the practice. Ross helped influence and shift the health and wellness culture to one in which mindfulness can be pleasurable and seamlessly fit into contemporary life.
Steve Ross’s television series is no longer airing, but his principles and teachings will live on far beyond the series. You can hear his influence in many yoga studios across the world. You can feel his influence in the yogi who values fun and laughter over alignment, and in the numerous people he has touched and encouraged to take a breath and let the stress go while they practice.
Steve Ross’s legacy cannot be contained in a legacy of television episodes and series. He has left a legacy of sufficient and abundant yoga practice that many people can, and have, practised yoga to undo the ‘knot’ within. This is a gift that will last a very long time and is one that many people can use to practice yoga.
