In this blog post, I discuss yoga for men and ask for your help in developing a campaign that encourages more men to give yoga a try.
Is yoga really for men?
In a word, yes! Before I go on, I want to state emphatically that yoga is for everybody, including men. Yet, while my yoga classes are definitely more gender-balanced than they were a few years ago, I do have to admit that there does tend to be more women attending. This is something I’m keen to address.
Where does this idea come from?
The idea that yoga is just for women is one of the most prevalent yoga myths out there. This is surprising really, especially considering ancient yoga was very much a male dominated practice.
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly where this myth came from, but I think it’s largely down to the way yoga has been portrayed in the media in recent years. Usually when discussing yoga, you’ll be presented with an image of a young, thin girl in a complex pose. This reinforces the idea that yoga is not for men. It also gives the impression that you must be super fit, flexible and of a certain age to do it. This is just not the case.
How can we change the perception that yoga isn’t for men?
I really want to do all that I can to change the perception that yoga isn’t for men. I also want to bring yoga and its many benefits to all corners of our community. To do this, I want to learn more about why more men aren’t giving yoga a go and understand some of the barriers. So, to all the men that are reading this post… I want to hear from you!
Love it, hate it or completely indifferent to it, I’d be so grateful if you’d spare a couple of minutes of your time to share your thoughts on yoga, including any preconceptions about it you might hold. It doesn’t matter if you’re a regular yoga student or you’ve never tried it before. All open and honest views are welcome (and completely anonymous).
What’s next?
All information shared will help me to develop a yoga campaign that reaches out to men to show how yoga can benefit their health, fitness and wellbeing. Your input will help make sure the campaign tackles the real issues that are holding men back from practicing yoga. I hope it will encourage more men to give it a try.
There are so many benefits to yoga, and I want to help as many people as possible to discover them. While, this campaign will focus specifically on men, I’d love to develop further campaigns that introduce yoga to people from all walks of life. Yoga really is for everybody and every body and I plan to keep spreading this message far and wide!
A big thank you in advance for taking the time to complete the survey and for your ongoing support. I really appreciate it.
With love,
Adele x
