On Saturday, June 17, Total Being Yoga offered free yoga to all men in celebration of Father’s Day.
Yoga is a sport everyone can practice, but yoga classes traditionally seem to draw more women. “A lot of women, moms and daughters seem to be more apt to want to do yoga,” says owner Mian Rex. “I think that men just tend to be a little more intimidated by it.”
Yoga has many proven health benefits for everyone. Yoga improves flexibility and helps strengthen and lengthen muscles, but it can also have other health benefits like improved digestion, better brain function, boosted immunity, less stress, and better overall health.
Despite its proven health benefits, many men seem reluctant to try yoga. Rex has several theories on why she sees less men than women in her yoga studio. Dedicated athletes might not see yoga as a serious workout. Men who aren’t as athletic might fear that they won’t be able to do the poses, or that everyone will be looking at them. They may even worry that they don’t know what to wear. Will they have to wear those tight yoga pants?
Rex urges men to look beyond those fears and give yoga a chance. “From a long term perspective, I’ve never heard one person say I’ve never benefited anything from yoga,” says Rex.
In fact, yoga may be even more important for men than for women. “While both men and women are born equally flexible, over time, studies have shown men become less flexible by the time they hit their teens, which is more of a life struggle for them,” says Rex.
Rex sees yoga as a great alternative to more demanding workout programs like distance running or Crossfit. It can also work wonders for those recovering from injuries. Rex notes that she had a new man join her studio recently whose doctor recommended yoga because he has had two hip replacements.
Rex, who recently hosted a workshop with “yoga dude” Rob Allen, encourages athletes to add yoga to their program, too. In fact, more and more NFL programs are adding yoga and Pilates to their training regimens to help players improve flexibility and muscle tone and avoid injury.
Rex also encourages men who are considering yoga to think beyond it’s health benefits. Rex hosts many workshops for couples, and encourages people to use yoga to connect with their partners. “I’ve seen several couples come into the studio, and the husbands have never done this before, and they say, ‘This is something unique and different I can do with her,’” says Rex. She continues, “Yoga can help men who are overwhelmed with work or even in life in general by allowing them to focus one hour of their day on something simple in life: their body.”
Rex’s clients agree. “Having been a gym rat for years, I found getting older I needed something more,” says Total Being regular Jimmy. “Yoga helped keep me more agile and was less destructive on my body. I feel yoga helps me to be more flexible as well as building strength. Plus it’s something I can enjoy with my wife!.”
None of the classes at Total Being Yoga are gender- or level- specific. Men can attend any class they choose, but Rex recommends Deep Stretch or Yin Restorative to anyone who is new to yoga. “Yin is an opener that focuses on the spine and joints,” says Rex. “It helps accommodate those who have had surgeries and/or injuries along with being preventative. Deep Stretch focuses more on preventative maintenance of the body, great for those who are very active in life.”
