Men on the Mat

For anyone who missed my article in the Sun Monthly in June. I thought I would pass this on, Yoga is not just for women.

Yoga began more than 5,000 years ago as a religious endeavor for men. Fast-forward 5,000 years, and the Westernized view of yoga practice is that it is primarily a women’s activity, whereas the repetitive, quick and heavy process of gym going is generally identified as male. But the benefits of yoga for both genders are being more widely recognized, and more and more men are seeing yoga in a new light.

Our society has taught us that men should be muscular and strong. The answer to this is spending hours pumping iron focused on isolated muscle groups (biceps, quads, abs). Over time, this practice promotes strength by the flexing of bulk muscles, but the fact is, without supplemental forms of exercise (swimming, cardiovascular activities, even daily walks), many muscle groups never develop. To address this issue and for many other reasons yoga is a perfect supplement to any exercise and health regimen.
The benefits of yoga are impressive. It improves organ and respiratory function, reduces anxiety and back pain, promotes weight loss, improves sleep and has antiaging ability. Yoga has also been used to treat hypertension, prostrate issues, high heart rate and asthma. Athletes are even turning to yoga to improve their performance and prevent injuries. Superstars include the likes of Boston Celtic Kevin Garnett and former Los Angeles Lakers top scorer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the National Basketball Association, as well as Major League Baseball’s Barry Bonds. Even entire teams, such as the Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants in the National Football League, practice yoga together; the list goes on.
I spoke with a man who had focused on the Western version of strength up until seven years ago, when he found himself stressed out and realized that his usual release, working out at the gym, was not helping to reduce his anxiety level. His wife suggested he come to yoga with her, and he has been practicing ever since. What he found was that yoga was far more challenging than he had imagined. His upper shoulder muscles had been trained for years to lift and to contract, not to relax and expand, as yoga does for muscles in addition to strengthening them. He says that although he still can’t touch his toes, he has learned how to better handle stress, has become more aware of his body, has more energy, and, coupled with his gym routine, is in the best shape of his life. Most importantly, he attributes his his new understanding the most essential part of living — his breath — to yoga. This practice allows time for deep focus on breath, relaxation and quieting the mind.
Another man, a newcomer to yoga, was very surprised by his experience and results. Walking in for first time, he expected there to be an ongoing competition about who could bend farther or hold a pose longer. He found instead that the students were there to focus on themselves and that egos had been checked at the door. “In two months’ time, I found myself opened up to feelings and emotions of which I was previously unaware, and many things I was holding on to were loosened.” Physically, he has found himself standing straighter, with tighter abs and more overall strength. He has chosen to include yoga once a week as part of his lifestyle.
Finding the right teacher and the right style of yoga may be the key to opening up a new part of yourself and finding strength. It’s important to find a teacher with whom you are really comfortable and a type of class that suits your style. For example, in the early stage of learning yoga, you may not want to be surrounded by a bunch of limber women with their legs around their ears. If you are too nervous to go to a class, try starting with a beginner’s video or book, and start with a few poses a day. You can gradually build yourself up to a more advanced workout until you feel comfortable enough to join a class. Here in Santa Fe, we have no shortage of excellent yoga instructors leading classes at all levels, at any given hour of the day. Namaste.