After Decades Of Uncertainty, More Men Coming Over To Yoga
Even though yoga contains some of the most physically demanding controlled movements
, a trip to the average yoga studio will find very few men there.
According to the most recent survey, the vast majority of participants in yoga classes were women (approximately 77 percent), despite the fact that some of the most popular and famous teachers today and many of the originators of the practice are and were men.
So where are the men in the studio? That is a question that many yoga instructors and studios are trying to answer as they try to reach out to a market that, for all intents and purposes, remains relatively untapped.
While there are many theories about why men in general seem to shy away from yoga, a few ideas seem to be pretty common. Many experts and yoga enthusiasts point to the competitive nature in men and the belief that many men dont find yoga challenging enough for the physical goals they wish to accomplish. And many men flat out state that yoga isn't "rugged" enough, despite the fact that a pose like the Side Crane requires a great deal of strength and concentration.
In a recent magazine article, instructors said that men are a bit intimidated by a yoga studio full of women and perhaps soft music and not one piece of weight lifting equipment in the place. Also, the male instructor (if there is one) is usually calm and peaceful in his demeanor and they may take this as a sign that they won't get the "feel the burn" treatment they're looking for. As one instructor explained, men enter the yoga studio seeking a challenge right away.
Experts point to a number of possible reasons why mainstream men consider yoga a womens thing, starting with Indra Devi, a female yoga instructor who came to the U.S. in the 1940s and was promoted by cosmetic legend Elizabeth Arden. Some time after, Richard Hitttleman became a yoga celebrity, but his books and television show only featured female models. In the 1970s, the PBS yoga show, Lilias, Yoga and You featured instructor Lilias Folan and aired in the afternoon in many markets, a time of day when the home was the domain of the stay-at-home mom. Although more athletic forms of yoga developed later, such as Power Yoga, the deep involvement of woman in the practice solidified the idea of yoga as a womans exercise in the minds of many men.
Yoga experts also say the need for men to have concrete exercise results may also be a reason why they refrain from yoga. With weight lifting or weight training, a man may see an increase in muscle mass a bigger bicep or a bit of definition here or there. With yoga, however, many of the important benefits are mental and emotional, things that aren't easily measured like a bigger bicep.
As one instructor stated, instead of focusing on quieting his mind or relaxing, men may build even more tension by focusing on performing a pose perfectly (in response to their competitive streak) and not be satisfied until they do, even if its a move recommended for an advanced student and theyre in their first class. By putting their efforts into perfection, many men completely miss one of the real benefits of the practice.
Finally, several yoga experts and instructors point to mens fear of failure as one of the reasons they shun yoga in such large numbers. Because most men have been conditioned to think of weight lifting and things like push-ups as "real" exercise, they come to the yoga studio without the flexibility that the practice demands. Even beginning male students, the experts say, give up after a few sessions because they fear failure at not being able to perform the moves (without realizing that their inflexibility may be the biggest reason they should participate in yoga).
The experts say that one of the first ways to get men to take a new look at yoga is to let them know that many of todays top professional athletes use yoga to help them play at their peak. NBA great Shaquille O'Neal, ex-NFL quarterback Jon Kitna and professional baseball pitcher Barry Zito, not to mention whole teams including the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Lakers, engage in yoga to help them cope with the demands of their sport.
Yoga instructors say that men who begin yoga training must learn to not think of yoga as a "success or failure" undertaking. Yoga, they say, is not about achieving the exact pose or considering yourself a failure if you cant perform a backbend on the very first day. Yoga, they stress, is a gradual process where the student comes to acknowledge the mind-body connection. When placed in the right perspective with realistic goals, each yoga session can be considered a "success".
Yoga instructors suggest that men who are attending their first yoga session take time to introduce themselves to the teacher and discuss the class structure. They should also admit to themselves and the instructor that they may have some anxiety about the experience. By establishing lines of communication, the student and the instructor can begin to erase the fears they have about not being up to the task of yoga.
Another option yoga instructors may want to consider, the experts say, is occasionally conducting a men's-only yoga session where men can be themselves. Instructors who have held classes such as this admit that it creates a different atmosphere than usual and that the typical male joking is not uncommon. But arranging such classes can be a big help in teaching men to relax in the studio and, in turn, relax with the idea of yoga.
Finally, men should be willing to let themselves go mentally in a yoga class. Some of the most powerful men in business have credited yoga with letting them clear their heads of the day-to-day stresses and mental strain of the workday. Yoga, they say, not only clears their heads of problems, but permits new ideas to flow in. CEOs have said that some of their best ideas or solutions to problems come when they are in a meditative state in yoga.
It may be some time before the numbers of men in yoga equal that of women. But by embracing a new attitude, men can reap the major benefits, both physical and mental, that yoga has to offer.
by: Linda Adams
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