Down Boy :
Putting the Y chromosome back in yoga
By Heather Buchanan
If there was a new drug on the market which would increase your sexual stamina, reduce stress, free you from back pain, help prevent prostate cancer, and even make you taller, you’d be rushing out to buy it. Yet there is such a thing and it’s been around for 5,000 years. Yoga. And it’s available without a prescription.
Historically it was men who taught and practiced yoga in India combining the asanas (positions) with pranayama (breathing exercises) and meditation. Legend has it that Indra Devi, The First Lady of Yoga who taught Marilyn Monroe, had to beg to be taught because of her gender. Yet in its modern rebirth, yoga seems to have reincarnated in female form.
Why is it that more men don’t pick up yoga?
Bob Strubel, an instructor at The Body Shop in East Hampton, surmises that many men think a work out must be a sweat filled, pumped up, grunt and groan extravaganza to be effective. They shy away from what they think will be a foo foo touchy feely stretch class. Don’t let a little chanting scare you away from what will no doubt be one of the most challenging workouts you’ve ever had that increases not only flexibility but muscle mass.
Often the “I suck at it” factor discourages men from sticking with yoga through the learning curve. It can be an ego crippler especially when a girl’s better at it, but this is not a competitive sport. Each person listens to his or her own body and works at their own pace. Strubel says the key is “persistent practice with patience.” Seek out the beginning or basic classes with qualified instructors and don’t be afraid to use props like a strap or block to make it more comfortable. No pain - no gain is not the mantra for yoga. While some studios like one in Ojai specifically have the “stiff white guy” class, don’t be discouraged if people are pretzeling around you. Private instruction is available if you’d rather be embarrassed in the privacy of your own home.
Many men are not aware of the potential health benefits which can be derived from a regular practice. In a modern world where men are stressed, angry, or depressed, yoga allows them space to decompress, literally. It releases gravity induced stress to the spinal column and improves posture, making you even appear taller (girls break out your stiletto heels). The meditative aspect can also help to bring down the dangerous boiling point of blood pressure. Relaxation allows blood to remain in the central body and be available to all organs instead of going to the arms and legs which is the typical fight or flight reflex associated with most competitive sports. Certain poses or asanas increase blood flow to the pelvic area which tones the pelvic floor and stimulates the prostate. Uttanasana – standing forward bend, Badda Konasana – bound angle pose, and Janu Sirasana – head to knee pose are the Viagra of the tantric world.
Aside from its intrinsic benefits, yoga can help improve men’s performance in other sports. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar said, “There’s no way I could have played as long as I did without yoga.” Repetitive sports tighten and loosen the same muscles. Yoga brings the body back into alignment and balance. The full spectrum of poses from right to left and back bend to forward bend reintroduces symmetry after asymmetrical sports like golf or tennis torque the body in just one direction. By loosening the tightness in the muscles in the hips, shoulders, hamstrings, and groins, yoga actually allows the athlete a fuller range of motion and thus more power. This flexibility also helps prevent injuries and keeps the player in the game. The focus on pranayama or deeply controlled breathing promotes efficient oxygen flow and thus increases stamina and mental clarity.
So if all this isn’t enough to convince you to take up yoga there’s still the fact that you will be surrounded by beautiful women in spandex. As Bob Strubel puts it, “It’s twenty eight women and me. It has its angles.”
