Did you know that yoga used to be exclusively for men? Yoga grew out of the ancient Indian Shramana tradition, when young men would leave home on a spiritual pilgrimage and adopt an ascetic lifestyle.
Only in more recent times has the practice of yoga been adopted by women and, ironically, in the West it has been women who have predominated. But this too is changing fast, as more and more men are bravely stepping into the yoga studio and onto their yoga mats.
Yoga Poses Are For Men Too!
With the anatomical differences inherent to men and women, both sexes have their yogic strengths and challenges.
Women are naturally more flexible, so deep opening and impressive feats of elasticity in poses like Uttanasana (standing forward fold) and Kapotasana (pigeon pose) are much easier.
Men are more prone to extra-tight hamstrings and hips. This make forward folding incredibly frustrating and also dangerous for the lower back which, if practiced improperly, becomes the release valve for the pressure meant to stretch the legs.
Men, however, have more upper body strength and less lower body weight than women. They tend to excel in poses like arm balances: the most amazing being peacock pose, or Mayurasana. I once had a roommate who, upon finding me struggling with this pose, tried it himself and got it on the first shot. He didn’t even practice yoga!
Not Flexible Enough
The biggest excuse I get from men when I invite them to try yoga is, “I’m not flexible enough.” To their surprise, I respond by saying, “Good. Then yoga will be easy for you!”
The goal of your asana practice is to get a good stretch. If you are very flexible, it is actually harder to feel a stretch in your muscles and fascia — so, yes, you will have to wrap your legs around your head like the stereotypical yogi pretzel. If your body is tight, then all you have to do is move an inch or two to find a deep stretch. That’s way easier!
So now that you are ready to do yoga, here are a few basic principles to keep in mind that will help your yoga practice and make it a lot more enjoyable:
Use Yoga Props
A yoga block and a yoga strap are your allies. When you notice that you are straining to reach the ground or your toes, grab your yoga block (in the case of any standing pose) or your yoga strap (for seated or supine poses). Using props takes strain out of the lower back, and helps even the least flexible yogis to relax in a pose while properly aligned.
Bend Your Legs
Any yoga pose that stretches your gluts and hamstrings is best performed with a bend at the knee. Bend your knees as much as you need, in order to get your upper thigh and lower belly to touch. This also helps protect injured or achy knees, especially in seated forward folds.
Practice the Poses You Love
Even though we want to be pushing our boundaries and teaching our bodies new tricks, the key to enjoying yoga includes practicing the yoga poses you excel at. This keeps you motivated to get on your yoga mat, and it will keep you working hard when you encounter your most challenging yoga postures.