Yoga & Men An Envolved Relationship

Our childhood lays the foundation stones of society for us, and as we grow older, other stones stack up on this base, constructing a solid structure of our conscience, thoughts and beliefs. One such common stone that makes up most of our lives is that of gender specific norms. So when someone or something rebuffs it, it seems like a crack in that building you’ve constructed.

A classic case in point would be the sphere of exercises – Heavy weights, extreme fitness training for men and gentle, softer fitness training for women. But because it is a sphere, what goes to men, goes to women too!

Yoga and Men share a deep relationship. Since its inception in the pre-vedic ages, Yoga has been practiced and taught by men widely. Most of our Yoga gurus today are men, including Lifestyle Yoga founder and curator, Sumit Manav.But years of stacking your stone may lead you to believe otherwise. Other reasons why men do not particularly take to Yoga are inflexibility, archaic body bends that may deflate their egos and a common misbelief that it doesn’t work on endurance and strength. That is why the art form, even today, is considered to be a largely female dominated one – one of the few rare exceptions in today’s patriarchal world. A research conducted by Mediamark Research and Intelligence, USA, showed that 77% of yoga practitioners were women. However, the study also affirmed that men had slowly started taking to the form as well.

Yoga is not strenuous, it won’t make you writhe in pain (unless of course you do it wrong). So easing into the form is gradual. If you are a man who has recently discovered the joy on the mat, these postures may just incite you to stick by:

• TADASANA
• VRIKSHASANA
• UTTANASANA
• VIRABHADRASANA
• ADHO MUKHA SHVASANA
• NAVASANA
• SALABHASANA
• SETU BANDHA SARVANGASANA
• SUPTA PADANGUSTHASANA

The best thing about Yoga is – there is something in it for everyone. Common benefits for men, through Yoga are:

• Increases Flexibility
• Builds endurance and good health
• Internal and external cleansing
• Energy flow
• Controls health risks like Coronary Heart diseases, cardiac problems, diabetes, and Bloodpressure etc.
• Helps with other workouts and prevents injury
• Focused mind and heightened concentration.
• Makes you look and feel younger
• Increases libido
• Reduce body pain especially in areas like – lower back, legs, head, neck etc.
• Builds immunity and strengthens productivity
• Control cravings

Will you be the one hitting the studio today?