My last yoga blog – Is yoga any good for men or should they stick to running and weight lifting? – created quite a bit of debate on a LinkedIn yoga group. On the whole teachers from around the world agree that more men should try yoga. But they agree with me that there are barriers.
George from Denver said:
“Yoga was originally designed and done primarily almost exclusively by men. Unfortunately what has happened is classes have been designed around women’s needs. When I go to classes in the community it seems to become more of a athletic competition in Lulumon than yoga.”
Julie from Baltimore has written similar thoughts:
“Here is an article I recently wrote about men and yoga which was inspired by a similar discussion in the Yoga Alliance Linked In group: Click here to read it. “
Debra, also from Denver, believes that the fitness industry is partly to blame for the way it portrays yoga:
“Since the word YOGA means union and balance of all aspects of life, the idea of it as gender specific to females is ludicrous. I am aware that in parts of the US – the class population is generally female, and men may feel intimidated or that yoga practice is useless to their competitive nature. This notion is fuelled by the fitness industry, and it is our responsibility as teachers of spiritual practice to dispel this belief.”
Mike from Ottowa makes a really good point about the differences between what men and women get from yoga.
“Men tend to have tighter hips and stronger muscles, which can and will, over time, diminish range of motion and that overall feeling of “lightness” that we all love. The men in my class feel the immediate benefits as they get flexible fast… the women in my class get strong. Both are necessary and are part of the yin/yang balance that contribute to overall wellness.”
And finally Greg from the UK sums it up as follows:
“Try run a men only workshop so they can be introduced to yoga without worrying about being an inflexible man amongst a full class of women.”
Over to you: So my quest to get more men into yoga classes continues. What ideas have you had to get more men into your yoga classes. If you are a bloke who wants to take the plunge but feels that yoga is too fluffy, let me know your concerns and I’ll try and help. Leave a comment below.