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More Men Finally Turning On To Benefits Of Yoga
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's the question that a lot of yoga instructors today are seeking a solution to as they try to take that vast market. While there are many theories about why men in general seem to shy away from yoga, a few ideas seem to be pretty common. A number of yoga experts say that the competitive streak in so many men makes them believe that yoga won't provide the challenge, both mentally and physically, that they need to accomplish their goals. 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. According to a few instructors, quoted in a recent article, men enter the yoga studios and see a room full of women, perhaps hear calming music and notice there’s not one piece of heavy metal equipment in the room and conclude that this place is not for them. 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 “women’s 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. The PBS network presented "Lilias, Yoga and You" in the 1970s and featured instructor Lilias Folan in an afternoon broadcast that seemed perfectly tailored for the stay-at-home mom of that era. 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 woman’s 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. Through weight training, many men can see a definite change in their bodies, such as more muscle mass or muscle definition. 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 it’s a move recommended for an advanced student and they’re in their first class. By putting their efforts into perfection, many men completely miss one of the real benefits of the practice. The fear of failure in many men, some yoga instructors say, is also one of the reasons they stay away from the studio. Since most men’s idea of exercise consists of lifting weights or calisthenics that require the body to move in such a rigid motion, they often lack the flexibility that yoga demands. Even those men who come to a yoga class for the first time, when a lack of flexibility is to be expected, feel discouraged that they can't perform all of the moves, even though that very lack of flexibility is one of the main reasons they should be in the class in the first place. Yoga instructors say it may help to inform many men that some of today's top athletic stars are yoga fans who use the practice to help them perform. 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. Men who attend yoga classes must let down their defenses and not think of yoga in terms of success and failure. Yoga, they say, is not about achieving the exact pose or considering yourself a failure if you can’t 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. Opening the lines of communication between the instructor and the student may go a long way toward erasing any fears men may have of not being able to meet some self-created standard. Instructors may also want to consider having an occasional men’s only yoga session where the “guys can be guys." 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 such sessions go a long way toward letting men relax in the session and paving the way toward their relaxation with regular yoga sessions,. The experts add that men should also be prepared to relax mentally in a yoga class as well. 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. indeed, many top executives have claimed that some of their most successful ideas have come while meditating during yoga. It may take a while until more men embrace yoga the way women have. But by adopting this attitude, men too can begin to understand the benefits of yoga, both mental and physical. Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com Linda Adams really loves all things that have to do with health. One of the very best yoga blogs Linda has found is Yoga Instructors Kamloops, which is a distinctive combination of yoga and exercise. You can also have a look at Athletes can Benefit Greatly from Adding Yoga to Training |
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