| If you have been to a yoga class recently, you may | | | | more meditative. In addition, since I am the only male in |
| have wondered: Where are all the men? It is a | | | | an advanced class of all females, it has also taught me |
| surprise to see one or two men in a yoga class. The | | | | humility. |
| way the advertising industry has portrayed yoga, it is a | | | | Bob: Absolutely, I notice the difference every week. I |
| wonder there is even one man in a class. Yoga is | | | | really noticed when I missed 2 weeks how awful my |
| marketed towards women to sell everything from | | | | body felt. This was the reason why I joined up again. |
| mattresses to yogurt to candles. It is always a woman | | | | Would you recommend yoga classes to other men, |
| seen rushing off to class in a chic outfit with matching | | | | your friends? |
| accessories. The celebrities touting the greatness of | | | | Pete: Yes I would, and yes I do. |
| yoga are usually women: Madonna and Gwyneth | | | | Bob: I tell my friends all the time that I do yoga and I |
| Paltrow. When Madison Avenue uses a picture of | | | | swear by it. Of course - you get that look when you |
| someone (a woman), the posture is always a ballet like | | | | tell a guy that you do yoga - it's that stereotype that |
| super flexible out of reach for most mortals yoga | | | | it's a woman thing. I think most men don't know what |
| posture. It is easy to understand a man's reluctance, or | | | | yoga is all about. It helps me relax, improves flexibility |
| anyone's reluctance, to sign up for a class. But if you | | | | (still have a long way to go), and if I wanted to focus |
| look behind all the salesmanship, the true picture of | | | | on strength, it would help with that as well. I am always |
| yoga emerges. | | | | willing to try anything new. My chiropractor kept telling |
| Yoga is a physical and mental discipline that improves | | | | me you should try yoga - Finally after a year of him |
| flexibility and balance, increases strength, as well as | | | | telling me this, I decided to give it a try. I haven't seen |
| calming and focusing the mind. In fact, the postures, | | | | him since May. |
| breathing, and philosophy of yoga were designed by | | | | What would you tell men specifically about yoga? |
| men, for men. In the 5,000 year history of yoga, it is | | | | Why they should take it, what it is like, etc... |
| only in the last 50 years that women began to study | | | | Pete: I would first tell men that yoga is not just for |
| and attend yoga classes. In the last few years, as the | | | | women. I would also tell them that doing yoga will |
| news of the unsurpassed physical and mental benefits | | | | certainly make them better at any endeavor (sport or |
| of yoga spreads, more men are reclaiming their space | | | | life activity) where they need core strength, flexibility or |
| on the mat, and enjoying a yoga practice. These men | | | | balance. If they doubted that yoga is for them I would |
| have discovered: real men do yoga. | | | | say, wouldn't it be great to be able to reach into the |
| Two of these real men shared their reasons for | | | | dishwasher first thing in the morning without putting |
| beginning yoga, why they like it, and what advice they | | | | your hand on your knee for support. |
| give to other men about yoga. Pete is in his early | | | | Bob: It can help you relax if you have a long day at |
| sixties and has just retired. He has been taking yoga | | | | work. It definitely helps you improve your flexibility and |
| classes for about a year now. Pete faithfully attends | | | | core strength. You get what you want out of yoga - |
| class once a week and has steadily progressed into | | | | everyone in class is at a different level and has |
| an advanced class. Bob is in his early forties, and is the | | | | different reasons for taking the class. If young athletes |
| head of the health education department for a school | | | | realized how much they could improve their |
| district. He also coaches a hockey team and is active | | | | performance by increasing their flexibility and core |
| in many sports. He has been coming to mixed level | | | | strength, you would see more males taking yoga. |
| yoga classes once a week now for almost 6 months. | | | | Yoga and core strength training are closely related, |
| Why did you decide to try a yoga class? | | | | and the emphasis in training athletes today is on the |
| Pete: I decided to take yoga classes as a means of | | | | core. So, athletes are doing yoga moves in core |
| improving my Tai Chi. My first experience with yoga | | | | building exercises, but not realizing its yoga. |
| was a result of my Tai Chi classes. My teacher and I | | | | Why do you think men seem a little reluctant to try |
| would first practice the form, then do sparing, using the | | | | yoga? |
| Tai Chi postures for offensive or defensive moves. | | | | Pete: Most men think that yoga is just for women. I |
| Typically, after beating each other up for an hour or | | | | think this is in part because men do not realize the |
| more, we would do restorative yoga postures so we | | | | physical strength needed to do many of the asanas |
| would have enough energy to drive home. We would | | | | (the poses). In addition, more women do take yoga |
| also do a series of yoga positions for core | | | | than men so it takes a pretty secure man to go into a |
| strengthening, stretching and balance. When my Tai | | | | yoga class that might be all females. Yoga is also very |
| Chi teacher moved further into the city, and it became | | | | much about getting in touch with yourself, something |
| impractical for me to get to his classes, I decided to | | | | that men are missing the gene for. |
| take my wife's suggestion (She has practiced yoga | | | | Bob: Guys won't buy into yoga until professional |
| for 5 years and credits it with keeping the symptoms | | | | athletes and/or trainers start singing its praises. When |
| of her fibromyalgia at bay.) and take yoga classes. | | | | an athlete like Tim Thomas (goalie for the Boston |
| Bob: I decided to do yoga because my chiropractor | | | | Bruins) comes out and credits yoga for his success, it |
| physical therapist recommended it to me. I was | | | | opens people's eyes. |
| probably going to see him 8x a year mostly for my | | | | Pete: I think men would take a yoga class if it were |
| neck. I played 4 sports in high school and 2 sports in | | | | presented as a sports yoga class, "improve your golf |
| college and still remain active in sports today. However, | | | | swing in five easy positions". |
| stretching was something I never took serious enough. | | | | Ignore the hype, and listen to advice from two men |
| My lack of flexibility can probably be attributed to this, | | | | who have improved their lives with a regular practice. |
| and causes most of my aches and pains. | | | | Improve your golf, tennis, soccer, hockey or football |
| Do you feel yoga is helping you? In what way? | | | | game. Improve your physical and mental health. Give |
| Pete: Yoga has helped me with my core strength, my | | | | yoga a try. Take a class and discover for yourself |
| flexibility and my balance. It has also helped in my | | | | why growing numbers of real men do yoga. |
| breathing, and with my ability to look inward and be | | | | |