Men and Yoga (To InnerAthlete) - Page 2

saturdaysun · 10-09-2008, 06:18 AM

I'm the only guy in my whole class, why is it that so few guys want to learn yoga.?

Is it part of the western 'macho' culture where men have to lift huge weights & have huge overdeveloped muscles in order to feel masculine.?

justwannabe · 10-09-2008, 06:51 AM

probably many factors, yours is probably some of it, also I think it may be an ego thing. as guys we tend to think we know the answers, dont need help, and can fix it ourselves.
i am peace, i am love, i am joy
i am brother neil

PurpleYogaMat · 10-09-2008, 07:48 AM

Based on my husband's reaction to yoga, I would say that guys avoid yoga in part BECAUSE they think they'll be the only guy in class (which I can understand could feel awkward). And also, at least in his case, yoga is intimidating because he's not very flexible.

I did get him to go to class with me once though and he thought it was okay!

jlg · 10-09-2008, 10:47 AM

and the #1 reason why there are so few guys in yoga classes is:

Because the random guys that make it to a yoga class are so over joyed by the abundance of woman that they decide to keep this as their own little secret

**Nichole** · 10-09-2008, 11:15 AM

hopefully you don't mean like this though Goji Berries

*fyi, there is curse word at the end of this video

jlg · 10-09-2008, 11:36 AM

LOL!!! that was very funny!

mikesbytes · 10-09-2008, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nichole

hopefully you don't mean like this though Goji Berries

*fyi, there is curse word at the end of this video

That's funny. Perhaps there's a bit of that in every guy at yoga ha ha.

I've never tried to pick anyone up at yoga, but I've been hit on 3 times, oddly not by participants but by the instructors. Explain that one...

Kiran · 10-12-2008, 05:52 AM

This looks like a great discussion, sorry I'm late. One of my goals when I become a yoga teacher one day is to introduce more men to it.

I think yoga in America came to be seen as a women's thing in part because of Lilias Folian's excellent long running TV show "Lilias Yoga and You" which introduced millions of housewives to yoga. This tipped the balance of practitioners in the USA way over to the women's side as it also inspired generatrions of women to become yoga instructors. Yoga specific clothing and products targetted the women's market and before long, yoga became seen as a thing for women (at least in America).

The earlier points on Yoga Journal definitely resonate but the magazine helps to reinforces the stereotype as well. Seldom is a man seen on the cover and the pictures and illustrations inside are 85% female. No wonder many stores stock it in the women's section.

Its a tad bit disingenuous of them to publish an article asking where all of the men are when they don't seem to be making a real effort to make men feel welcome. Of course, they rely primarily on female readers to stay afloat (esp since their advertisers are targetting women) but they could try a bit harder to broaden their readership. Don't get me wrong, I love YJ but would love for once not to be treated like an afterthought.

I've found that guys are more open to yoga if another guy they know is doing it. We're usually not as flexible as women and newbie men can feel humiliated by not being able to understand what is being said and how to do it (not to mention where the real emphasis lies). I think classes especially for men (the same way there are thousands of women-only fitness classes everywhere) can be very helpful to get a guy started.

I'm often the only guy in my yoga class but back when I started out (five moves ago), 30% of the class was male. Once your practice is an important part of your life, you don't even think about it.

baltho · 10-15-2008, 02:06 AM

I live in Cape Town, South Africa (typically seen as the gay capital of our country) and have recently started doing hot room yoga (bikram and power yoga).

I'm a guy, and though I'm hardly ever the only guy in class, more than 5 or 6 guys out of 40 people is rare. Having said that, there are hordes of hot girls

mixed in with all the various types that go to yoga, so there's definitely a benefit hehe. Also, I can't remember seeing one gay guy at any class to date.

I started going with my girlfriend, she had been keen to start yoga so I found a class and bought some gear for her birthday and went along. I've been playing soccer since I was 10, so my hamstrings and hips are not very flexible, and doing the yoga has definitely helped with my flexibility and I can see an improvement on the soccer pitch too.

I've mentioned that I do yoga to a few of the guys on our team, and though they don't beat me down as such they do have a joke about it and say it's typically a girls thing to do - I suppose similar to a guy telling his mates he does ballet.

To be totally honest - I'm not really bothered if my footy mates think I'm being gay by doing yoga, the benefits are all mine: a more flexible girlfriend, being in a room full of girls in skimpy yoga outfits doing wonderful things 3 times a week, being better on the soccer pitch, and all the other aspects that come out of yoga practice.

kcurran · 11-21-2008, 06:26 PM

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.

InnerAthlete · 11-21-2008, 06:46 PM

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

**David** · 11-21-2008, 06:53 PM

*wave*

Welcome to the forum!

You just gave me a great idea for a t-shirt

sanchin · 11-21-2008, 08:11 PM

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

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

Sean

wendy · 11-22-2008, 08:32 PM

Hi kcurran!

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

siva · 11-22-2008, 09:44 PM

Men,

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

Thank you ladies,

Siva

10-09-2008, 06:51 AM	#32
justwannabe pañcashata Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 539	probably many factors, yours is probably some of it, also I think it may be an ego thing. as guys we tend to think we know the answers, dont need help, and can fix it ourselves. i am peace, i am love, i am joy i am brother neil __________________ I am light, I am love, I am peace, I am kindness, I am happiness, I am here, it is now. I am, and so are you

10-09-2008, 07:48 AM	#33
PurpleYogaMat trimshát Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 30	Based on my husband's reaction to yoga, I would say that guys avoid yoga in part BECAUSE they think they'll be the only guy in class (which I can understand could feel awkward). And also, at least in his case, yoga is intimidating because he's not very flexible. I did get him to go to class with me once though and he thought it was okay! __________________ Happiness is a purple yoga mat!

10-15-2008, 02:06 AM	#39
baltho Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Cape Town, South Africa Posts: 1	I live in Cape Town, South Africa (typically seen as the gay capital of our country) and have recently started doing hot room yoga (bikram and power yoga). I'm a guy, and though I'm hardly ever the only guy in class, more than 5 or 6 guys out of 40 people is rare. Having said that, there are hordes of hot girls mixed in with all the various types that go to yoga, so there's definitely a benefit hehe. Also, I can't remember seeing one gay guy at any class to date. I started going with my girlfriend, she had been keen to start yoga so I found a class and bought some gear for her birthday and went along. I've been playing soccer since I was 10, so my hamstrings and hips are not very flexible, and doing the yoga has definitely helped with my flexibility and I can see an improvement on the soccer pitch too. I've mentioned that I do yoga to a few of the guys on our team, and though they don't beat me down as such they do have a joke about it and say it's typically a girls thing to do - I suppose similar to a guy telling his mates he does ballet. To be totally honest - I'm not really bothered if my footy mates think I'm being gay by doing yoga, the benefits are all mine: a more flexible girlfriend, being in a room full of girls in skimpy yoga outfits doing wonderful things 3 times a week, being better on the soccer pitch, and all the other aspects that come out of yoga practice. __________________ When once you have tasted flight, You will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, For there you have been, And there you will always long to return.

11-21-2008, 06:46 PM	#41
InnerAthlete Mostly Good Egg Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Certified Purna Yoga Teacher - Seattle, WA Posts: 1,035	Seems it's cultural not gender oriented. Many do not seem to know that classically yoga (in India) was almost exclusively done by men. __________________ ---- http://www.yogamojodojo.com http://www.teamyoga.com http://www.innerathlete.net/forum

11-21-2008, 08:11 PM	#43
sanchin Three Battles Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: West Florida Posts: 15	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 I am glad that I was was wrong. I am new to yoga and have really enjoyed my classes so far Sean __________________ Sanchin, meaning three battles, is sometimes interpreted as the battle to unify the mind, body, and spirit

10-09-2008, 06:18 AM	#31
saturdaysun vimshatí Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Hertfordshire England Posts: 20	I'm the only guy in my whole class, why is it that so few guys want to learn yoga.? Is it part of the western 'macho' culture where men have to lift huge weights & have huge overdeveloped muscles in order to feel masculine.?

10-09-2008, 10:47 AM	#34
jlg Junior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 12	and the #1 reason why there are so few guys in yoga classes is: Because the random guys that make it to a yoga class are so over joyed by the abundance of woman that they decide to keep this as their own little secret

10-09-2008, 11:15 AM	#35
Nichole SYT Moderator Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Boulder, Colorado Posts: 797	hopefully you don't mean like this though Goji Berries *fyi, there is curse word at the end of this video

10-09-2008, 11:36 AM	#36
jlg Junior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 12	LOL!!! that was very funny!

10-12-2008, 05:52 AM	#38
Kiran catvaarimshát Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Rome Posts: 40	This looks like a great discussion, sorry I'm late. One of my goals when I become a yoga teacher one day is to introduce more men to it. I think yoga in America came to be seen as a women's thing in part because of Lilias Folian's excellent long running TV show "Lilias Yoga and You" which introduced millions of housewives to yoga. This tipped the balance of practitioners in the USA way over to the women's side as it also inspired generatrions of women to become yoga instructors. Yoga specific clothing and products targetted the women's market and before long, yoga became seen as a thing for women (at least in America). The earlier points on Yoga Journal definitely resonate but the magazine helps to reinforces the stereotype as well. Seldom is a man seen on the cover and the pictures and illustrations inside are 85% female. No wonder many stores stock it in the women's section. Its a tad bit disingenuous of them to publish an article asking where all of the men are when they don't seem to be making a real effort to make men feel welcome. Of course, they rely primarily on female readers to stay afloat (esp since their advertisers are targetting women) but they could try a bit harder to broaden their readership. Don't get me wrong, I love YJ but would love for once not to be treated like an afterthought. I've found that guys are more open to yoga if another guy they know is doing it. We're usually not as flexible as women and newbie men can feel humiliated by not being able to understand what is being said and how to do it (not to mention where the real emphasis lies). I think classes especially for men (the same way there are thousands of women-only fitness classes everywhere) can be very helpful to get a guy started. I'm often the only guy in my yoga class but back when I started out (five moves ago), 30% of the class was male. Once your practice is an important part of your life, you don't even think about it.

11-21-2008, 06:26 PM	#40
kcurran trí Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Arizona Posts: 3	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.

11-21-2008, 06:53 PM	#42
David Observer Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Arizona Posts: 116	wave Welcome to the forum! You just gave me a great idea for a t-shirt

11-22-2008, 08:32 PM	#44
wendy vimshatí Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 20	Hi kcurran! yoga is not just for girls, we just look better doing the poses.

11-22-2008, 09:44 PM	#45
siva trimshát Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 30	Men, If you want to know who yoga is for, just ask a yogis girlfriend. Thank you ladies, Siva __________________ http://spyrotone.com http://spyrotone.com/demonstration.php?id=3 *Energy In Balance!*