You’d never guess it by looking around most yoga studios today,
culture, yoga’s anti-aging benefits might give you an edge in the job
but for centuries, yoga was taught and practiced almost exclusively by
market or dating world.
men. It wasn’t until yoga was introduced to the West in the early 1900s that women started taking up the practice in earnest, popularizing
Now, if you’re new to this ancient tradition, here’s some advice for cultivating a rewarding practice:
it, and eventually comprising the vast majority of contemporary practitioners. Nevertheless, if you’re reading this, you’ve likely braved
Start where you’re at.
the crowds of spandex-clad women and pink sticky mats to give yoga
It seems obvious, but don’t expect to become a super-yogi overnight.
a try. So where are the rest of the blokes?
Men tend to have structural differences (tight hips, less active mirror
It’s a paradox, but men initially avoid the yoga mat for the same reasons that will become their motivation for developing a practice. Some men, for example, are turned off by the so-called feminine atmosphere that pervades many yoga
neurons, and underdeveloped body awareness) that make yoga less “natural” for them. Give it time! If you feel awkward on the mat, book some private lessons to learn the basics before braving an open class.
studios. Let’s face it . . . sitar music, incense, candlelight, and instructions to “get in touch with your root chakra”
Stop comparing.
may be too fluffy for some guys. Some men don’t think a
Here’s a secret: most seasoned yoginis are so focused on their
traditional yoga class will provide the physical or mental
own practice it wouldn’t even occur to them to compare with
challenges they seek in their exercise regimes. Real exercise is running a half-marathon or hitting the gym for some resistance training. Over time, however, men may find the
you. Sure, it may seem weird at first, but if you can’t drop your ego at the yoga door, then where can you? No one but the teacher is really watching you anyway, so just get on with it and enjoy yourself!
noncompetitive and more compassionate atmosphere of the yoga room to be a welcome refuge from the workaday world--a place where they can be
Approach from your heart not your head.
Becoming more heart-centered can be a real
themselves and not have to worry about being judged.
challenge for men raised to believe masculinity
Moreover, anyone who’s done a 90-minute Power
means being unemotional, rational, or
Vinyasa class in a heated room knows contemporary
“mind-oriented.” Reconsider your definition of
yoga is a full-body workout that requires everything
masculinity. Perhaps you won’t turn vegan or start
from physical strength and flexibility to courage and
singing in kirtan, but as you practice, you’ll likely
mental focus.
come to a profound and liberating realization: there
Sport-loving men who cross-train with yoga will soon learn how the practice helps restore their
are as many ways to be a man as there are men. Yoga has this sneaky way of not only opening up our
body’s natural equilibrium and eliminate physical
bodies, but also our minds and our spirits. So drop
asymmetries that come from playing sports. Golfers
what you think you know about yourself, and let yoga
can stretch out tight arm and shoulder muscles and
work its magic!
cyclists can elongate shortened hip flexors. In short, a regular yoga practice can bring balance into the physical body and help you stay injury-free, so that favourite sports can be enjoyed for years to come. Yoga also improves mental
Want to learn more? Read Real Men Do Yoga: 21
Star Athletes Reveal Their Secrets for Strength, Flexibility, and Peak Performance, by John Capouya.
concentration, balance, posture, and agility--qualities that can help men succeed in their careers and personal lives. Indeed, if you’re a klutz or you’re easily distracted, yoga can help to develop grace and focus! In today’s youth-oriented
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