yoga was used for exercise and religious rituals alike - many ancient indian deities are depicted in classic yoga poses.

yoga is not considered a competitive sport, but evidence of ancient yoga competitions stretch back 2000 years - the nature of these competitions is much different than what we would think of today, but they existed nonetheless.

modern yoga is practiced for many reasons - most practitioners do so to increase flexibility, strengthen muscles, and maintain good posture. the practice is also used for meditation, relaxation, breathing, and various spiritual reasons.