You know the funny thing about yoga? It’s actually great for guys!
I’m not going to lie to you. Yoga can be daunting. There’s so much to know, and it’s hard enough to go to the mat and do what the teacher asks, let alone modify the poses to make them easier to do or modify them to better suit your own needs. So, this blog is going to be about helping you become a better yogi. We’ve covered a lot of ground already, but I’m going to share some of my favorite tips for breaking into the world of yoga.
If you’re a man who’s never done yoga before, it can be a little intimidating to walk into your first class. But, it doesn’t have to be. If you’re a man, you already have a lot of the skills required to get started with yoga, and you don’t have to worry about being out of shape.
So you’re a guy who’s chosen to try yoga for the first time? You did an excellent job! For all those yoga-pant-wearing vegan ladies out there, you’re now one step closer to becoming date-worthy. But, more significantly, there’s a strong possibility you’ll become a much healthier, more balanced, and adaptable person in the near future. That is, if you stick to your yoga for a while and quit eating morning cheese pizza and Big Macs.
Let’s be honest: doing yoga for the first time may be intimidating. As a beginner yogi myself, I can assure you that your first few lessons will be filled with a variety of uncomfortable, strange, and insane experiences. But don’t worry, it’s not that terrible if you know what to anticipate, and trust me when I say it’s well worth the effort. So, let’s have a look at this…
1. There Will Be Spiritual Aspects to the Event
Sounds cliché right? However, it is correct! Most of the yoga instructors I’ve had the pleasure of practicing with include spiritual aspects in their sessions. I’ve seen the following examples:
- Meditation, ohming, Namaste-salutations, and clasping your hands in front of your chest are all good ways to start.
- Hindu gods who resemble monkeys (Hanuman) or elephants (Hanuman) are depicted in paintings, sculptures, and other memorabilia (Ganesh)
- Moral tales or wise words that will generally inspire you to be more sensitive, caring, and good to others.
The degree of spirituality varies greatly from one instructor to the next, as well as depending on the kind of yoga you do. Many of the spiritual aspects appeal to me, but they are not for everyone. It’s OK if this kind of thing doesn’t appeal to you.
2. Weird Stuff Will Happen
You’ll see some things that you’ve never seen before, as with anything new. There’s some good stuff, some dull things, and some strange stuff. My yoga teacher has played an instrument that looks like a cross between an accordion and a piano as the whole class sings a Sanskrit hymn, which I have personally seen. It’s unusual, but I’ve seen it happen in a popular yoga class… and everyone understood the words. I had no idea what was going on, but everyone in the room seemed to be complete pros who were serious about yoga (except for me). Allow yourself to go with the flow. If you want to join in the chanting, go ahead. Yoga may provide you the opportunity to experience what it’s like to “Ohm” in a communal setting.
After that, I’d want to issue a cautionary statement. Many yogis have a tendency for becoming too passionate about things they consider to be yogic. Vegan cuisine, organic yoga mats, and loud ohm chanting are just a few examples. Some people believe yogis are strange, but they’re unabashedly strange, which I like (except for the yoga snobs).
3. Unmanly Poses Will Appear
I guarantee there will be certain positions you don’t want your friends to see you in (ever). You’ll find yourself attempting physical positions that don’t exactly make you seem like Arnold Schwarzenegger from Pumping Iron. This is partly due to the fact that you haven’t mastered the postures yet, but it’s also due to the fact that yoga has been practiced for thousands of years. Because no one knew who Arnold Schwarzenegger was back then, the postures are designed for a variety of physical and mental advantages that go beyond muscle development and will compliment our massive guns and gigantic deltoids wonderfully. Downward Facing Dog, Cat Cow Pose, and Child Pose are some of the most unmanly (yet extremely popular) postures.
In general, I suggest letting go of any need to seem very masculine (especially in your first few sessions) and focusing only on the magnificence of the postures.
4. Gay Dudes Will Exist
A yoga studio has a greater proportion of homosexual men than most other locations, whether they are fellow students or instructors. If you don’t enjoy having your incorrect postures corrected by a homosexual yoga instructor in the twenty-first century, you probably have a broader issue and should get over it.
5. There Will Be Beautiful Girls in Hot Poses
It isn’t a legend. It’s just the truth. Many of your yoga sessions will undoubtedly include attractive women. They’re going to be dressed in yoga pants and hitting some wicked yoga postures.
Yoga courses are fantastic locations to meet women. Yoga is practiced by considerably more women than it is by men. Furthermore, everyone is there to work out, sweat, and sculpt their bodies. The ideal storm!
But here’s something I’d like to share with you. During class, focusing on chicks can disrupt your practice… and potentially make things uncomfortable. So, my suggestion is to perform your yoga first and then mingle with the women.
6. There Will Be Struggle
Do you consider yourself to be tough? Please reconsider, buddy. Yoga may be very challenging. I’m not even talking about the crazy stretches and bends. After 60 minutes of Vinyasa Flow, have you ever attempted to hold Warrior II position with your arms straight and parallel to the ground? Girls would undoubtedly laugh at this, but the bigger your biceps are, the more difficult it is to hold those guns up. Yoga is a hilariously painful way of demonstrating that you have a slew of additional muscles you’ve never utilized before. So expect a lot of muscular soreness after your first few hard yoga sessions.
Finally, I’d want to point out that yoga encompasses much more than what I’ve just described. In reality, I haven’t even scratched the surface of yoga’s vast world. My journey has just just started, and the only way for you to begin is to GET INVOLVED. So far, I’m really enjoying it.
If you are a man and you haven’t tried yoga, you might be missing out on an incredible spiritual practice that can help you find peace and balance in your life. With this in mind, here are some tips that you should keep in mind before you head to your first yoga class.. Read more about yoga tips for beginners at home and let us know what you think.
