Real men do yoga - If you’re one of those men who has been curious about yoga, even to the point of visiting a studio, only to turn around and leave when you do not see a single male student in the reception area, take comfort in the fact that you are not alone.
Daily Yoga: Yoga teacher Erikar Lebang takes his time practising on a recent holiday. His new book Yoga Sehari-hari Untuk Kesehatan (Daily Yoga for Health) is now out at local bookstores. Turida Wijaya
A 2005 market study done by the US-based magazine Yoga Journal shows that 77 percent of yoga practitioners in America are female. Only one in 10 subscribers of the magazine is male.
The irony is that up to more than a decade ago, yoga has mainly been taught and studied by men for thousands of years in India.
It has spread through the western world, however, has had much influence on women, and over time its reputation as the exercise for skinny and limber women became almost cast in stone.
In recent years, along with the surge of yoga’s popularity, there seems to be a rise of men’s interests in yoga especially in big cities, influenced by the fact that many of the world renowned yoga teachers are men, and that some male actors and athletes swear by it.
Still, for every devoted yoga stud such as Sting (yes, the rock star) there are too many more
who misperceive yoga as a woman thing.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t do men’s good to resist yoga, as they have been often said to gain the most from it. Weight lifting, weekend sports, particularly those without proper stretching, and sedentary lifestyles can shorten tendons, eventually pulling the spine out of alignment and leading to chronic back pain.
Work or family-related stress triggers the fight or flight response, which releases toxic chemicals. Over time, this constant stress reaction can compromise the immune system.
Most men take better care of their cars than they do themselves. They care for their families, often failing to address their own health issues. In doing so, not only they put themselves at risk, but also their families.
Yoga is said to be the most holistic workout around. It combines stretch and resistance exercises, so simultaneously strengthens and loosens the body. It can alleviate stiff backs and sore muscles as well as boost energy levels and relieve stress.
Yoga strengthens the joints without stress, increases lean muscle mass and enhances flexibility. Some dynamic styles of yoga such as Ashtanga, Power Yoga, or Vinyasa can also provide an effective cardiovascular workout.
Because of its emphasis on breathing it improves the metabolization of food and oxygen. As you breathe deeply, oxygen is distributed through your body as energy. And when you stretch a muscle, your body responds by sending in more oxygenated blood to that part. Oxygen helps the muscles stay active longer and it helps flush out excess lactic acid, which is produced in muscles tissues after strenuous exercise and which gives you soreness the next day. Its benefits on the health and function of internal organs and tissues have been scientifically recorded.
Best yet, yoga has the reputation of enhancing sexual performance and strengthens orgasm. Haven’t you heard of Sting and wife Trudi’s reputed tantric bedroom activities?
And because it is basically a moving meditation, where you are required to concentrate on your body and breath while moving or holding poses, it helps clear your mind, allowing you to gain the much needed focus when you go back to your work and daily activities.
Yoga develops discipline and self-confidence. It helps people become more intuitive, creative and synchronistic, which are not very commonly associated to male characteristics.
By connecting you to the present it quiets the mind’s thought about the past and the future.
In the end, it is another tool to cope with the curveballs that life throws at your from time to time.
From my experience teaching, one of the reasons men are discouraged from yoga is that it can sometimes bruise their ego, being commonly more competitive than the opposite sex.
Thinking it’s a “woman thing”, men walk into a studio expecting it to be a walk in the park, only to find themselves wobbling, panting, getting dizzy and being forced to rest in a child’s pose while others around them flow gracefully from one pose to another.
But this is all the more reason to do it. Yoga is a practice. With regular sessions, you’ll not only appear taller as the alignment of your spinal column is correct, but you can breathe deeper, which gives extra endurance for exercise or sports or just to get through the day.
With consistent practice, you too will be able to do those backbends without the embarrassing grunts.
And, believe me — as I’ve seen it many times before — before you even know it you’ll be able to touch your toes effortlessly.
For your health: Erikar Lebang still practices even during holidays.
So, men, before you start, here’s some tips to survive your first yoga class:
- Before you join a yoga class, find out if the class is appropriate for your level and medical conditions. Talk to the teacher and tell them about your yoga experience (or non-experience) and any injuries or physical condition you have.
- Always be aware of your breath, if you’re not sure you’re doing it correctly ask the teacher to observe you doing the pose with the breath.
- Listen to your body and never push yourself harder than you should. Flexibility takes patience and consistent work, but it surely pays down the road.
- Wear a loose T-shirt and shorts or sweat pants that allow you to stretch comfortably.
- Leave your BlackBerries behind and listen to the sound of the breath coming from you and your surroundings, the best accompanying yoga music.
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