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Yoga is for Girls

When you think of Yoga you would probably think of a room full of toned women. While in the classroom the majority of participants are women, not all of them are actually toned or very flexible. More on flexibility later.

I’ve been to a few classes now and in each class there were 1 or 2 other guys there and they seem to have been going quite frequently. The classes where I go (Goodlife Health Clubs in Sydney) are usually filled with about 10 people. Which is great as you have plenty of room and the instructor can really give you some personal attention.

You have to be flexible

Rubbish! One of the things that I came to realise is that Yoga is NOT a stretching class or flexibility class. It is designed to give yourself inner peace through breathing and pose exercises. Now while that some of those Yoga poses sometimes question the limits of your body’s flexibility, it does help your body in the long run.

My muscles are becoming stronger and more flexible every time I go. The poses become easier after a while and you seem to get to know what they are trying to explain and teach. Becoming flexible is an added bonus to the increase is strength and balance.

You have to be spiritual

Although the teachings of Yoga have a huge spiritual background, this is not a religious gathering. A few elements are spiritual but this does not bother me what so ever. The breathing exercises do put you in a very relaxed mood and state of mind which is where you start your exercises from. The more relaxed you are, the more you focus on your breathing the better your can execute your Yoga poses.

For people who have a very stressful life or are under a lot of pressure to perform, taking 45 minutes out of your schedule to do Yoga might not be a bad idea.

You can only do Yoga in a gym

Just like every other workout, a gym just makes it easier to get your routine done. Yoga is an exception. If you have mastered some poses and have a place which you can workout in without being interrupted, then the sky is the limit.

Yoga is very easy

Another misconception! I have been going to the gym for a few years now and I know a few good workouts. During my first Yoga session I was soaking wet with sweat!

I did not anticipate how much you use your arm muscles and leg muscles. I know that everything gets easier after a while but I did not see that one coming. It is a great workout which really gets you toned as you use your own body weight.

I can see the reason why a lot of women are doing these types of classes. You don’t see a lot of women pumping weights among all the guys. Yoga is very good for your core, flexibility, mindset, arms and legs. So a very good all round workout.

So for all the guys who want to try something new, just attend one session of Yoga and see what you think.