When you talk to guys about yoga they imagine housewives in leotards and leg warmers sitting cross legged and maybe doing some easy stretches.  As more men discover yoga and tell their friends about it, this stereotype is getting blown out of the water.  As a studio ages the number of men regularly attending class starts to increase, in fact more men stick with yoga in the long term than women.

The main issue holding men back from yoga is the "initiation phase".  first off, men do not like to suck at anything.  Perhaps it is the competitive athletics (hockey, baseball, etc.) environment that most of us grew up in.  Instead of approaching their bodies from a place of self acceptance, they back away from it in fear.  I hear so many excuses from guys, but the number one reason is "I am not very flexible" - translation "I am not going to be good at this, so I think I would rather not try."

Prior to my first yoga class, I had just had knee surgery from a squash / basketball / weight lifting injury and was 205lb (mostly flab).  A friend suggested I try yoga for rehab, and that he has had some great benefits.  I went into that first class, thinking it would be a light stretch for my knee.  I was amazed that I was drowning in my own sweat, and even the simple asanas were extremely difficult for me.  I kept coming 2 times a week, and I started to notice weight loss and strength.  I came to class 2 times a week, and then started to practice on my own 4 times a week to "advance" and lose more weight.  My first teacher, Jennifer, emphasized that I needed to accept the existing condition of my body, and try more to be in the moment.  This changed everything.  I realized that I was more concerned about how my body "looked" than how it "felt".  (Often honest self-realizations are embarrassing).  I still practiced regularly, but I started to approached it from a different head space - it was no longer about getting "good" at it or how my body looked - I was practicing just to practice - an inside out approach rather than an outside in.  Everyday I learn more and more about self-acceptance and being in the moment.

It takes patience and humility for us inflexible guys to start a yoga practice - and good on ya for giving it a go.  Once we put our egos at the door (or better yet - lose em), the real and healing benefits of yoga emerge - I will leave that for another article.

.