Men and Yoga (To InnerAthlete)

Greetings everyone!

That was actually my first response when asked attend a yoga class. I have been practising for several years now and I find it very amusing to look back and see the transformation from then to now. I just want to take a moment and share a small part of the beginning of that path.

"Yoga is for Girls"
When I was in college a close friend of mine first asked me to join him for a yoga class, I was sitting in the gym before a routine workout, and I leaned in and replied “Isn’t yoga for girls?” lol. That was that as far as yoga was concerned and I proceeded to blow him off for the next few months insisting that yoga was “just for girls”. I mean really, guys work out in the gym and I only see women and gay men doing yoga!

Eventually though, I relented and finally made it up for my first class. Walking in and seeing a room filled with 90% women, most of my assumptions were immediately proven true in my own head. As you can imagine that after attending a gym, exercising and running for several years that first class totally destroyed me. During class and looking around I recall thinking that everyone seemed to be having such an easy time with this… I’m a tough guy (meathead) I should be able to do this, it’s really just for girls anyhow. Honestly, if I had dropped dead in the middle of class I would not have been surprised. I mainly recalled having such an amazingly difficult time breathing, pfft who ever thought that was important! My friend commented after class that it gets so much easier when I learn how to breath. If you had said to me two hours beforehand that I did not know how to breath I would have looked at you like just left your dirty underwear in my bathroom! But after the experience I totally understood!

From these beginnings my yoga has grown to encompass all aspects of my life and my continues to unfold in such amazing ways. I am happy to join this community and hope to contribute, learn and expand my yoga even more.

Seems it’s cultural not gender oriented.
Many do not seem to know that classically yoga (in India) was almost exclusively done by men.

wave

Welcome to the forum! :slight_smile: You just gave me a great idea for a t-shirt :wink:

Wecome

A few years ago that would have been my response also. I was always under the impression that yoga was some type of stretching that women did :slight_smile:

I am glad that I was was wrong. I am new to yoga and have really enjoyed my classes so far

Sean

Hi kcurran!

yoga is not just for girls, we just look better doing the poses.
:smiley:

Men,

If you want to know who yoga is for, just ask a yogis girlfriend.

Thank you ladies,

Siva

"male yogis are homosexual"

...stereotypes mean nothing to me.

Girls seems to have a Yoga advantage since they are more flexible. But I do anything that serves my health and well being. I even learn from ballet dancers.

I train in the following areas:

Weight / strength training
Aerobics
Nutrition
Balance training
Yoga / flexibility training
Cold training
Mind training
Mind relaxation / meditation (zazen)
Speed training
Height / altitude training
Centrifugal training
Jump / Height / Plyometrics trianing

This guy is into yoga and pranayama. he is no wussie.

http://www.amazon.com/Rickson-Gracie-Choke/dp/6305870748

No. yoga is not just for gays and girls, it is for anyone that wishes to reach for optimum / balanced health and well being.

Yep, I got a taste of the reputation of the Gracie family hanging out (in college) with guys who admired Brazilian jiu jitsu. I definitely got the impression that tradition will take a drink from any stream that might help them win.

Of course, that’s different from actual yoga . . .