Yoga IS for Dudes : Part I
Yoga IS for dudes. I swear.
I cannot begin to tell you how many times I’ve heard – yoga’s for chicks, not dudes. Every time I hear it I think, really? You really think something that annihilates anxiety, brings down stress levels and tones and strengthens the body all in one fell swoop is only for chicks? Thank you! Thank you for the compliment to female kind! Nothing like getting some credit for being the smarter sex! But seriously, isn’t an integrated way to better health something for everyone? I’m just saying.
So rather than fight the naysayers and skeptics, I’ve come up with a “starter pack” for guys. A way to slowly ingratiate them to the practice of yoga, make them fall in love and never accuse yoga of being a “girls only” club again. First, I did a non-scientific study of my most manly friends to come up with some common concerns.
Argument One: The outfit
I’m completely on your side about being nervous to don skin tight leggings as a guy – and to be completely honest, it's a lot of information. But guess what – skin tight yoga tights are not required.
How do you feel about board shorts? Or these manly Lululemon shorts? Or just regular old Basketball shorts? Don't feel like you have to have the gear to enjoy the class.
Interested in more suggestions? Check out the blog "Let's Talk Gear - Top to Toe" for more tips!
Argument Two: The “I’m not flexible” argument
Oh man. This is another one. “I can’t do yoga-I’m not flexible”. This statement makes me crazy. I once heard a fellow yoga teacher respond with “Saying you aren’t flexible enough for yoga is like saying you are too dirty to take a shower”. In general, people assume you have to have flexibility in order to do yoga – and they have it backwards. You do yoga to IMPROVE your flexibility. Flexibility in the body allows for stronger muscles and joints and may PREVENT injury in other sports. Just think – no more ankle injuries in rec league soccer. I’m looking at you Tom.
One friend of mine said that he is so inflexible that he sometimes cramps as he grabs something from the backseat – and this is what led him TO yoga. What a champ, that guy! These kinds of “uncomfortabilities” in the body can be overcome with a regular gentle stretching practice and get you game time ready for grabbing your mat out of the backseat!
Argument Three: I’m “the fat guy who looks like a creep looking at all the perfect yoga bodies”
You have no idea how common this fear is for literally everyone. This is definitely not gender specific – well the body image part anyway. Let’s deal with both parts. First, being heavier than you would like is not a reason to avoid a class. Coming to the class will actually help you to become more connected to your physical body and eventually appreciate it for all the awesome things it allows you to do. Secondly, looking like a creep is mostly in your head. Most people are so concerned with what they look like that they are not paying attention to you. Case in point, a fellow yoga teacher was teaching a class, cueing away and one girl was so wrapped up in what she looked like in the mirror – she missed the entire pose. What up Narcissus! So take it from me – no one sees you as a creep. Just don't leer. It’s weird.
Argument Four: I don’t know what I’m doing and I don’t want to be embarrassed.
I get it – no one wants to look like they have no idea what they’re doing. This is another common concern and my best advice is – yoga’s a skill and like all skills, there’s a beginner stage. In yoga, the beginner classes involve lots of demo-ing and explaining the poses. To be completely honest, I jumped the gun when I first started my practice and attended a class that was definitely above my ability and education level. You know what happened? Nothing. I didn't know some of the poses so the instructor came to help me. Not in a “you clearly don’t know what you are doing” kind of way but rather in a “yes, fresh meat to mold” kind of way.
This is exactly how I approach teaching. I want men (and women) to feel comfortable, find their groove and feel like a million bucks when they leave. The best teachers share in this belief – that yoga really is for everyone and in order for everyone to actually do it, we have to be specific and accessible in our teaching.
Now that I’ve disposed of all arguments against yoga – where should you start. Well, I have some ideas – check out part II.