Share this
4 Ways Men Can Get Started In Yoga
by David Conway on Nov 11, 2022 9:00:00 AM
As part of Men’s Health Awareness month (Movember), it’s lovely to connect with the YAP community and give my experiences of teaching Men Only yoga classes. As a yoga teacher, Health Coach and Health tech entrepreneur, I’ve looked at the whole Men’s Health package and tried to incorporate all the best parts into my weekly Men’s Yoga classes.
Having struggled with my health for 15 years prior to this calling, I understand the physical and mental barriers when it comes to improving health. I think it comes down to self-efficacy, that self-belief, which is what I try to instil into my yoga classes and for all that attend. Some men really struggle to get their heads around this activity that they perceive to be female-dominant and, anecdotally, get quite intimidated at the thought of going to a class predominantly female.
In September 2020, Men’s Yoga Club (MYC) was formed, at the beautiful Grace & Gravity Studio, Howbery Park, South Oxfordshire. The plan originally was to get more men to the mat. As a patron of many yoga studios in the South East of England, I was always surprised at how few men did a regular studio yoga practice. The studio owners and I wanted to promote the benefits of yoga to the uninitiated male community!
What actually happened was a whole lot more!
It has become a great community of men, some who want to complement other physical activities with a regular yoga practice, and some who just want to stay strong and flexible and love the community that’s been built. This community appears to love the early 7 am start, which fits in with both work and family life schedules, so it gives them very few reasons not to attend. The community does have quite a few who work away at times but always come back enthused and ready to practice. The conversation ranges from events they are entering/have just completed (such as Ultra Marathons - Triathlons), local events, general gossip, personal challenges and the next MYC social meetup. The ‘Club’ members are very supportive of each other, injecting a certain amount of friendly banter to soften life’s ups and downs.
If asked how a man should get started in Yoga, here are a few ideas:
- Use your internet search engine to look at yoga for men, as there is so much content out there to motivate and inspire anyone interested.
- Also, speak to anyone you know who may go to a regular practice to ask what to expect and some of their top tips.
- Read up and identify a style and intensity you think you might enjoy, then find a local class that may suit you. Maybe, as a beginner, look for a beginner-specific class or workshop to learn the basics before signing up for a more intermediate class. MYC caters for all levels, as do a lot of other classes, but check in advance.
- If a friend or partner already does a regular yoga practice, see if you can join them. Couples yoga is becoming a new ‘Date Night’ option in 2022, so why not give it a go?
Find me on Instagram:
@dchealthwellness.co.uk
@graceandgravitystudio
Men’s Yoga Club, Thursdays at 7 am at Grace & Gravity Studio, Howbery Park, Wallingford, Oxfordshire.
Share this
- World Of Yoga (74)
- Teaching Yoga (56)
- Yoga Business & Marketing (37)
- Thinking Of Teaching (14)
- COVID-19 (6)
- Stress Awareness Month (5)
- Yoga For Men (5)
- Community (3)
- Online Presence (3)
- Pregnancy Yoga (3)
- CPD Academy (2)
- Experience (2)
- Amrita (1)
- Anatomy (1)
- Asana (1)
- Discussions (1)
- Interview (1)
- Kids Yoga (1)
- Living The Yogic Life (1)
- Meditation (1)
- Mindset (1)
- Roots of Yoga (1)
- Traditional (1)
- Trainee (1)
- September 2024 (1)
- August 2024 (2)
- July 2024 (4)
- June 2024 (1)
- May 2024 (5)
- March 2024 (1)
- February 2024 (2)
- October 2023 (2)
- September 2023 (6)
- August 2023 (4)
- June 2023 (1)
- May 2023 (3)
- April 2023 (2)
- February 2023 (2)
- January 2023 (2)
- December 2022 (4)
- November 2022 (4)
- October 2022 (6)
- September 2022 (3)
- August 2022 (5)
- July 2022 (4)
- June 2022 (1)
- December 2021 (1)
- November 2021 (6)
- October 2021 (2)
- September 2021 (2)
- August 2021 (1)
- July 2021 (3)
- June 2021 (1)
- May 2021 (2)
- April 2021 (3)
- March 2021 (2)
- January 2021 (2)
- December 2020 (1)
- October 2020 (2)
- August 2020 (1)
- July 2020 (2)
- May 2020 (1)
- April 2020 (2)
- March 2020 (1)
- December 2019 (1)
- November 2019 (3)
- October 2019 (4)
- September 2019 (6)
- August 2019 (1)
- July 2019 (5)
- June 2019 (3)
- May 2019 (9)
- April 2019 (9)
- March 2019 (1)
- February 2019 (12)
- January 2019 (3)
- December 2018 (5)
- September 2018 (4)
- August 2018 (2)
- June 2018 (2)
- May 2018 (2)
- March 2018 (1)
- April 2017 (1)
No Comments Yet
Let us know what you think