Yoga Teacher Training Forum

Do Fitness Yoga Classes Attract More Men?

More and more people in the West are becoming interested in yoga not only as a means of mental and spiritual development, but as a way of getting in shape. However, contemporary culture and media tend to portray yoga practitioners as female or as examples of femininity. Yoga is perceived as "less of a workout" and therefore less masculine. The recent popularity of fitness yoga may change all of that. Do fitness yoga classes, with their emphasis on asanas and a physical workout as opposed to meditation, end up attracting more men because of this?

Fitness yoga classes may attract more men because the focus of the class is on the physical benefits of yoga as opposed to the perceived mental and spiritual benefits. Many men now realize that they can increase their fitness levels through practicing different types of Hatha yoga. While some men visit traditional yoga studios and find that they enjoy following traditional practices such as Iyengar or Ashtanga yoga, many men may feel intimidated by the terminology and the atmosphere of the studio. However, many of those who first practiced yoga in India thousands of years ago were men. For a long time, women formed no part of the development and the dissemination of yoga.

In relation to this issue, there is still an idea in Western culture that yoga is innately "feminine" or that it is not a "masculine" way to get fit. However, male professional athletes have begun to advocate practicing yoga as a means of enhancing their overall fitness, and many men have followed suit. However, this does not mean that fitness yoga instructors should feel that a man joining their classes simply means that these students want a glorified form of stretching. Instead, the instructor should use the class as an extended "teaching moment" which can prove to the men taking the class that yoga can be a satisfactory fitness regimen all by itself. Given enough time and positive examples, they may come to realize that contemporary yoga practice transcends pre-conceived gender notions.

Ultimately, fitness yoga may be more appealing to men who have little to no experience with any type of yoga, and who tend to associate more traditional yoga practices with femininity or with stereotypes about "hippies". However, fitness yoga can also serve as a means of getting more men in touch with what yoga has to offer them on all levels, whether that is physical or mental. A good yoga instructor will be able to guide men or anyone else to a form of yoga practice that is personally fulfilling and meaningful, even if it is simply yoga for physical fitness.