Yoga for Men and Sports Improvement
Many of today’s large-scale western yoga classes are made up of a female majority. Yoga was originally developed in India for the majority of men and some women, but it wasn’t until the early to mid-20th century that Western women started to teach & practice yoga. This movement is attributed to Indra Devi, a devout student of the renowned yoga guru Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya.
But given the popularity of my new men only yoga class in Farnham, I believe men in the West are beginning to turn to yoga for its mental and physical benefits.
Yoga is a beautiful art that has been taught for generations to ensure a long and healthy life and I’m so pleased to be able to offer a men only class. I trained as a yoga instructor in India among many well-respected, amazing and inspirational teachers. These teachers were all from the Ashtanga lineage and can trace their roots back to Krishnamacharya and beyond, their experience and knowledge passed on through each generation. I’m honoured to have learnt from such valued heritage and continue to practice and teach yoga with Indian authenticity, which has the healing of the mind, body and soul at its heart.
Men’s Yoga Classes
Giving men a chance to try yoga in the company of other men allows them a space to realise just how flexible they can be. I teach men only classes at a beginner level, very similar to my mixed beginner’s class but with more emphasis on strength. I focus on arm and core strength and areas that need to be stretched and straightened - posture is a big area of concern for all of us, with bad posture caused by driving, sitting at a desk all day and using laptops and mobile phones.
In my men’s class, I work on strengthening the back, opening up the chest, shoulders and hip flexors and the hamstrings. Slouching has robbed us all of height, so strengthening the back plays an important role.
I also add in some arm balancing exercises, and there have been many who have surprised themselves with how much they can achieve. I’m almost certain that these poses have been demonstrated outside of class, in pubs and on football pitches. The very fact that men can come and enjoy my yoga classes in a non-judgemental space and take their learnings to their colleagues, friends and family members delights me.
Each class ends with a savasana, or corpse pose; ten blissful minutes of calm breathing and laying still, completely relaxed. It’s not unusual for students to fall asleep during savasana. I also teach simple poses to carry out at home, so that my students can continue to gain strength and de-stress between classes.
The Benefits of Moving Meditation
The breath leads the way in Ashtanga yoga, and getting the breath right is key to this beautiful art. Over time, perfectly synergistic breathing and movement allows something magical to happen. A seamless moving meditation unfolds, enabling you to learn about yourself and your relationship with this world. You’ll begin to notice you’re more able to focus on work and your home life. My biggest benefit from regular yoga practice has been to become a kinder, more loving person to myself, and to others.
I instil the same faith within all of my students – that with yoga there is an absolute connection between mind and body. If you tell yourself that you’re stiff and inflexible, then you will be stiff and inflexible. I encourage positive thoughts first and foremost, and the rest will follow. A better connection between mind and body and a renewed flexibility has profound consequences. Work will become more productive, relationships more rewarding, you’ll be able to reach more fitness goals, recover better and even become more resilient to exercise injury and pain.
Yoga and Sporting Performance
One of my male students is a keen footballer. Many of his team members have commented on how much his game has improved, and he’s noticed a much stronger core and upper body, with more flexibility. He’s also able to play football three evenings a week without muscle aches and pains. He attributes all of this to regular yoga.
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It may surprise you to know that the New Zealand All Blacks Rugby team practice yoga, as do Manchester United and Manchester City football teams. Interviewed in the Daily Telegraph on 6th August 2017, Ryan Giggs, lean, athletiec and still playing Premier League football at the age of 40 gave an undisputed gold star to the benefits of yoga to keep him feeling young and able to compete:
“Yoga strengthens your muscles, improves flexibility, but also keeps you fit and gets you out on the training pitch so you can train every day. You want to be out there so you need to get your body robust and ready for anything. If I do a yoga session the next day (after a game), I’m nowhere near as stiff and I’ll be back training at the right level a lot quicker”. Ryan Giggs
In Summary, Yogas benefits:
Prevents injuries
Men often experience various aches, pains, and injuries, whether they’re athletically active or spend hours at a desk. Yoga can help prevent injuries in numerous ways.
Yoga improves flexibility and range of motion, which helps lengthen muscles and eliminate tightness and strains. Yoga also improves joint durability by strengthening connective muscle tissue. It also gives you better awareness of your body so you can recognize subtle issues, such as poor posture, and correct them quickly.
Builds Muscle
Yoga uses natural body weight and resistance to build lean muscle mass. Yoga lengthens muscles and tissue, which improves blood flow. Better blood flow means more oxygen to the muscles, which helps them recover faster so they can grow.
Enhances productivity
People have improved memory and inhibitory control, which enables them to maintain focus, retain information, make confident work decisions, and have more energy.
The meditation aspect of yoga also helps to improve focus.
Boasts Wellbeing
Strengthens cardio system including blood pressure, supports your immune system, nervous system & digestive health
Reduces stress, Anxiety, aid sleep & relaxation.
Relaxation, focus, fewer aches and pains, strength and a better game - why not see what yoga can do for you?
My classes for men are 8.30-9.30pm at the Seale Village Hall in Farnham and beginning on September 11th 2017, 8-9pm in Quarry Street in Guildford.
Pre-booking is essential as I have limited space. I also teach one-to-one classes at my yoga space or in the comfort of your own home.