Hi!
Is there a gender difference in yoga? Can woman for example stretch deeper in some positions than men?
thx,
G.
There are some anatomical difference. Some more obvious than others.
And in some cases there may be movement or flexibility differences. Movement and opening in the pelvis for example. As women, antrhopologically and biologically speaking, are design for carying a fetus to term and the rigors of birthing, the pelvis has different demands.
I believe I’ve read something about carry angle and or Q angle as well but I can’t put my finger on it just now.
The movement differences are not always across the board. I’ve met male students with very mobile hips and women with very tight hamstrings. But there are some generalities.
If you are asking whether gender dictates flexibility, i would say ‘no’. Practice, to a certain extent, dictates flexability and ability in general.
However, women carry body fat in different locations, have a different centre of gravity and do have anatomical differences that may make postures look different between the sexes. For example, look at a woman and a man side by side with arms hanging down at the sides. A man’s arms are straight, a woman’s appear to curve inward at around waist level. As a result, lowering myself from plank pose means i have to rotate my elbows as i go.
As a woman, my arm balancing postures are a challenge because my upper body strength does not currently compensate for the fat on my hips. For the same reason, i may never achieve a press handstand. However, with practice i may be able to develop the strength or perhaps modify the posture to suit my situation.
sarah