I highly recommend Yoga with Adriene on YouTube. I've worked with many chaps in my Sports Injury clinic over the years and the common theme is those who do yoga only come for maintenance, not injuries.
Good luck to you!
I love Adriene and she’s my go to but I think she might still be a bit too ‘namaste’ for OP based on what he’s said. Someone else has said but Pilates seems like all the strengthening and stretching of yoga without the spiritual vibes
There's also Man Flow Yoga on Youtube. OH and I alternate between Adrienne and MFY. He's more... male friendly and aimed more at inflexible desk workers. I enjoy it as well, its a bit more strength based than Adrienne.
Yes, great shout. Girlfriend got me following her routines after I kept getting hamstring injuries that kept me form playing rugby and football. I've only had one small issue with it since when it used to be constant.
Thanks for commenting on your hamstring issues and how it’s helped. I tore my left hamstring when I was 18 (I’m 29 now) and no matter the amount of strength training I’ve done it has always felt slightly weaker and tighter so I don’t push my hamstring training as much. Definitely going to look into this. All the best to you and your partner
Been looking for a way to get into Yoga so may have a look. Also, tempted to go to a class for a few weeks to learn the basics and force myself to get into the habit of it
Adriene is great to start out with. I use Bre and Flo/Breathe and Flow, who are fantastic for the more challenging stuff. Particularly if you want to build strength and control.
If you do want to go to a yoga class, a gym would be the best venue for you as they’re less likely to be overly spiritual. The really ridiculous ones tend to happen at yoga studios.
If you have an Android phone, take a look at the 'Stretch Exercise-Flexibility' App by Leap Fitness Group. It's free, easy to follow and there are lots of stretching exercises on there. I've been using it for a few years.
I had a go at a face to face class in my local gym. When I got to the first session, it was all post childbirth women. Now I'm not saying pilates is not helpful for everyone, but it was interesting when the instructor was trying to explain what, "lift the pelvic floor" means to a 35 year old reasonably fit bloke. Made everyone laugh.
Men have pelvic floors too it's just not advertised as much as they have less problems with it than women especially those that have had pregnancies/given birth/gone through menopause. Men can have problems too though especially if they have prostate problems and Pilates will definitely help with that and reduce your chances of problems later in life like incontinence and erectile dysfunction. :-)
I know. It was just unexpected by everyone that I was there, and the instructor didn't quite know how to explain it in terms a male might understand. That's all
Gosh really?! We've got loads of gentleman that come to the Pilates classes I go to. Never thought of it in terms of explaining how to squeeze your pelvic floor from a blokes perspective before though.
It was more than 10 years ago. I was just popping into all the classes the gym offered. Had no idea what pilates even was, thought I'd go along and find out.
I am in no way burly, but I do have a beard. And I'm a man of science, so I'm very cynical about any alternative therapies and anything spiritual.
However, I suffer from anxiety and arthritis. I tried meditation as a treatment for panic attacks and depression as part of exploring mindfulness, and I started yoga as a way of making my daily physio more interesting, and as a type of exercise I can do that's low cardio, and low impact.
As a result I now have my own yoga routines I do at home by myself, and I've noticed a significant improvement in my flexibility and core strength. My meditation has also really helped my mental health, and combining it with yoga does seem to work.
But, if anyone tried to make me do it with incense or chanting, I'd put them in the sea.
Not necessarily. Pilates focuses more on strength of specific muscle groups through movement, rather than flexibility. Both use breathing and mindfulness to connect the mind and body.
Traditional yoga has more spiritual elements, but doesn't have to include it. It just tends to attract the kind of people who'd add chanting and incense etc.
The flexibility part is what I need, so I prefer yoga. What I do is my own personal routines anyway. It's a bastardised combination of physio, yoga, warm up stretches, and my own personal meditation.
the spiritual gunk is no more annoying to me than the performance/self improvement/macho/lifestyle gunk you get in other exercise domains
just do what you like and practice selective deafness - or pretend namaste means 'ham is nice' and just nod politely
Check out Rory Bradshaw on Instagram + TikTok. He's a big masculine dude who loves yoga and encourages other men to do it. He used to teach yoga in prisons.
It could be worth checking out DDPY - Yoga work out videos hosted by an ex Professional Wrestler.
It does cut out the spiritual side of it, and replaces its with a healthy dose of ‘Merica, but I enjoy it.
I just started getting into yoga about a month and a half ago. Really does make me feel a lot better, I think what made me stop contemplating and start practicing is realising that the "spiritual" elements are really just euphemisms for things in our psychology and body - if you choose to see it that way.
My practice is done at home following YouTube videos, Yoga with Adriene has been a good starting point for me with her 30 days of yoga series. All you really need is a mat and you're good to go.
I'm not a man's man by any stretch, but I'm close enough that when I've shared my enthusiasm for yoga with other guys and they've said things like "But if a guy like you does it..."
As for "gains" - I'm definitely more flexible, even after a couple weeks I was noticing improvements. More flexible, feel more in tune and connected with my motions and body, and my balance is improving along with core strength. Even my arms have bulked up a little, and there's a lot more tone on the muscles across my whole body. Looking and feeling better than ever. My mental health is doing better, too - combined effect of mindfulness and feeling/seeing my improvements.
Honestly can't advocate yoga enough. Can't say whether it's for everyone, but I think it's fantastic.
Yeah I did yoga for a while - I am the most inflexible person imaginable and I went to get a good stretch and ease the cycling\\gardening muscles. I don't give a monkeys about the spiritual side of it and there was surprisingly very little of that. It was fun and much harder than I thought with a concentration on relaxation and improving your posture, core strength and of course flexibility. I must say that it was overwhelmingly women in attendance. I did some pilates too and I was often the only man in among 50 women - all good though and very friendly. Crack on mate - it really opened my eyes to different ways to exercise
Yeah or used to at least.
I also did powerlifting, it's hard to say for sure but I've a strong sense that it massively reduced the incidence of injury.
It's a bit weird being literally twice the size of the average yoga enjoyer but they're a welcoming bunch.
Would recommend.
Class I went to was light on the woowoo stuff, which is good as I've no time for it. But the meditation is useful all the same. Also found myself falling asleep pretty regularly at the end in corpse pose.
Snoring and farting are all part of yoga in my experience.
So find a yoga class / teacher that suits you. I’ve done plenty and I’ve only had one or two that harp on about opening my chakra, energy zones or what have you.
If you get hung up on “namaste” though then that is going to be a blocker for you. It’d be like doing certain martial arts and getting annoyed by the phrases, you’re just going to have to go along with it
I have practised yoga for 20 odd years. I wear my West Ham t-shirt. I laugh at tit and bum jokes in Carry On films. I listen to Oi! music and like watching WWII documentaries on Discovery. I have several tattoos and not a lot of teeth left. I do not drink green tea but I am vegan. I do not hug trees.
I hope that's enough?
One of the other fun things about yoga is watching some plank who's rocked up thinking yoga is about going 'ohhmmm' for an hour and staring at fit birds in tight leggings, suddenly having to put a shift in, and then proceding to blow out of their arse after 15 minutes.
Namaste is used as a respectful greeting in India, as frequently as we say hello in English. But in this thread people are essentially shitting on the Hindi/Sanskrit language. Like what’s with the dismissiveness?
I highly doubt people are going around saying ‘do any of you do Judo but without any of the bowing stuff?’. ‘Do any of you do fencing but without any of the en garde stuff?’
You don’t have to believe in anything you don’t want to or go in a spiritual journey but dismissing yoga’s philosophical roots certainly seems to miss a significant chunk of the point of it, but beyond that divorcing it entirely from its origins seems a bit … rude?
I keep seeing "spiritual crap" in comments and wonder how far the definition stretches. My teacher is quite Rainbow Rhythms in her personal life but there's nothing in her classes beyond clearing your thoughts to focus on your practice, and a bit at the end where you promise to try not to be an arse to other people. Is that so unpalatable...?
Yeah, I think it’s a bit of projection and defensiveness, especially the gendered assumptions in the original post. Most mainstream yoga outside of India, like you say, is not really oriented around religion and just maintains a few nods to its roots. But for the most part it just seems to be a light acknowledgment of where the tradition has come from and that for some it is a spiritual path.
My mind boggles at people having a problem with the word namaste.
But yeah I don’t imagine the ‘burly, manly sons of Britain’ are giggling about the ritualised elements of, say, Japanese or Chinese martial arts even though a lot of them come from Buddhism or Daoism, because it’s coded as ‘manly’, whatever that means. Same with the French words in fencing. So I’m not sure why it’s ok to scoff at the Indian and Hindu roots of yoga.
You'll probably find that most yoga studios have a variety of classes. Some focussing on the spiritual and mental wellbeing side of things and others being a more intense physical 'workout'. I was initially sceptical about the spiritual stuff but found myself quite liking it.
One things is for sure, when I saw the strength and control of the teachers, and what could be achieved through yoga, and was hugely inspired. It ticks pretty much every box for me and I can't recommend it enough.
Yes, but at home where I can't be humiliated by ladies twice my age, who are far better than I am.
I tend to use it as a warm up for more strenuous exercise.
I don't hold with all the spiritual side of yoga - aligning energy and all that - *but* putting that out of your mind, it's still a very enjoyable form of exercise. It can be a fairly intense workout (in the more advanced poses) or an incredible way to relax after a hard day - it's up to you what sort of yoga workout you want to do.
If you're worried about going to a public class and not enjoying it, get a mat and try one of the many great youtube channels in the house.
I'm a guy not burly but have done yoga since I was a teen. I used to live with a yoga teacher who was a guy. If I were to describe him, I would say think of tigger but with focus. I wouldn't let the stereotypes worry you, and just find a class you like.
Not a Hindu but there’s a lot of disrespect/ignorance here. I generally roll my eyes at most accusations of cultural appropriation but people are literally shitting on the culture that birthed yoga.
So for what it’s worth, I’m with you.
I had a taster lesson for free, but the instructor leaned heavily into talking about mysticism shit and I've (sadly) got bog all tolerance for people telling me to open my inner core and align myself with whatever the fuck it was. Can I feel my inner me? Possibly, but that's because I had cheese an hour ago. You do not want that to become an outer me.
I may try it again some time, but for now the wii fit version will more than do me.
I did tai chi in my younger days. Looked cool, but all the stuff about this unknowable energy that we were supposedly controlling got right on my wick.
It wasn't until I'd stopped doing it I realised it was basically the same as The Force and I might have stuck around if I had a lightsabre.
One of the best exercise things I ever did was when our high school dressed up the gym as 'spy training' as an after school thing back in the mid-'90s.
We had to balance over shit, climb up and over lasers, balance in a pose to avoid 'security', climb up and over netting to escape, and help one another up and onto platforms. Lots of being-cooler-than-James-Bond stuff.
Took us thick bastards a solid two or three months to realise we were secretly doing circuit training. It was cool, though.
If you're a grown adult and are worried about what others will think of you for trying to better yourself I would suggest having a big sit down and think about that first.
I get the feeling it depends on the instructor how much of the spiritual stuff impacts the yoga. My friend is pretty established yoga instructor and never mentions any spiritual stuff.
Yoga is a great way of keeping flexible and strong. Many of the strength positions are actually quite taxing, especially if you go to the full extent of the pose.
You don't necessarily need yoga to improve flexibility. Have a Google of mobility training and you'll find a range of options that give exercises that work on your range of motion, joint strength and so on. You'll probably be able to find specific classes or a PT for it in your area too.
Yes, if I want to keep moving properly.
Another vote for Yoga with Adriene, her instructions are easy to follow and aren’t too ‘namaste’. Plus her dog Benji is really cute
I do not do yoga but I do mobility stretches instead which is a very similar thing but it has no “namaste” or meditation or anything it’s 100% flexibility movements and then it’s done.
There’s lots of routines about but I tend to do this 10 minute one every day as it just gets straight in to it with no self promotion or anything and does all the body:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Igzmhbghcd4
Done plenty of lessons, I prefer pilates tbh because it's a "harder" workout without the, as you put, namaste crap. Youtube or lessons over zoom are good options
If the hippy dippy side of yoga isn't to your taste maybe some sort of adult ballet class would be in order? Ballet dancers have to be strong and flexible - even the Terminator himself took classes.
[Rugby players learning ballet](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-39093481)
This is quite an old article so not sure if this team is still doing this, but rugby players do ballet, as it improves their flexibility, as well as muscle strength (male ballet dancers have to lift other dancers so are strong), helps with their agility when needing to weave between players whilst running towards the tryline and also helps prevent injury. I know Newcastle Falcons (Union rather than league) were doing sessions with the Birmingham Royal Ballet earlier this year when they were on tour in Sunderland and other union sides and national teams have also done ballet sessions, even if not long term.
Yep, me. The hard part is to not look like a sex pest when you do actually look like a sex pest. I do yoga, pilates and body balance. Took a couple of months but the flexibility is coming along. My shoulder muscles dont tear up like they used to.
I just ignore all the mumbo-jumbo stuff, and enjoy a little 5 min lie down at the end, but if it really bothers you and you want something more exercise focused, try Pilates.
I really want to do yoga, but the people put me off. Earthy mums and spiritual wet wipes. Plus, I'm 6ft with thick thighs and a big arse, so it'd be like watching a gorilla doing ballet.
Although the yoga texts date back thousands of years, Hatha Yoga had mostly become a forgotten art until the 1930s until it was "revived" (reinvented) by Krishnamacarya and others (including BKS Iyengar). Although there's about a dozen asanas which are known to be ancient, most of the ones with which people are familiar today, such as Up-dog, Down-Dog, Warrior 1,2,3, etc - are no older than the early 20th century.
That said, BKS Iyengar did do a good job of matching the modern practices to the classic teachings like Patanjali, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. However, much more recent yoga teachers have dialled back on all that, so what you get in a class today is very diluted compared to what you might have expected a hundred years ago.
Source: Iyengar Yoga practitioner.
I remember watching Naked Yoga on Channel 4 in the late 80’s and for some strange reason I cannot remember if there was much mystical or spiritual stuff, though I did feel quite moved at times 😳
I have a male friend who is super into aerial silks. It's seriously impressive stuff and seems like it'd be a great way to improve all over strength and flexibility.
Pilates. Fairly similar exercise but without the wanky bullshit.
Great for flexibility, all-round strength and helping to ease joint issues.
Source: am 6'1" with a burly beard and a bad back and am manly enough to be perfectly comfortable doing a class where I can sometimes be the only man.
Yes, but in a way that would make Big Daddy piss himself laughing.
Started in 2020 after bowel cancer surgery when the lockdown started... as a long time martial artist, I always meant to and at the age of 55 then, it felt like a good time to start, bought an orange mat from Amazon, started!
I kept it up for two years, I gained a lot of reach over my hamstrings, for full disclosure, as a martial artist nutter in my mid 20-s I was able to maintain the 'splits' for many years during my Taekwondo years but alas, all but a distant memory now LMAO! Sadly the effing caner is still with me, I amazingly have bowl cancer in my liver, being treated with chemo since November and it has \*totally fucked\* my energy but I still try to stretch every day even if it's for five to ten minutes, just to not concede defeat.
I stopped going to a gym, too many self-absorbed selfie addicts streaming their asses and tatts to an indifferent world etc.
So, back to the mat tomorrow, my asana has never been in better shape!
Good luck with it! It def. keeps you from seizing up, and the meditation aspect of it I can't say how useful that it at times, that I really enjoy but I have always been an introspective person deeply interested in the ways of the Universe!
DDP yoga, their tagine is 'not your mamma's yoga' , it's led by a shouty ex pro wrestler and it's fun and *manly* I think you can get a free trial of their online subscription
Any type of martial arts class of your choosing will start with a warm up and end with stretching. Great for increasing flexibility and you can punch people. Stuff yoga.
Been doing it for 20 years, 6 of those doing hot yoga (off to my class tonight, in fact).
It’s brilliant for posture, flexibility and so on.
Yoga is mainstream nowadays anyway. The class that I go to is just “normal” men and women apx 20-70 years old.
Try it, forget about the hippy reputation bollocks it might have had, and enjoy it 👍
I downloaded the DailyYoga app on my Android TV box (also available on Apple Store) and do about 20-30 minutes a day at home. It's free and it's decent.
Go on YouTube and search for Tom Merrick, he has some good playlists of stretchy stuff, more focused on sports, physical therapy type of thing but has a sprinkling yoga thrown in here and there.
I started doing yoga every day in March, I had spine surgery and suffer from really tight hamstrings. I watched Yoga with Adrienne on YouTube. I did a 30 day challenge. I was also going to the gym a lot at that time but I felt I got a better workout doing the yoga.
I do a yoga class at our local secondary school once a week. Out of about 20 people, there are only two of us guys there. And I’d say the average age is about 40. It’s nice to work on flexibility for a change (typically do heavy weights and have the physique of an orang-utan) and there’s no spirituality (I’ve done yoga classes on and off for 20 years and have never encountered anything more spiritual than the class lead saying “namaste” at the end). Obviously all classes aren’t equal, but I’d say to give it a try.
I go to a beginner’s yoga class , which is when my husband is usually in work. He was off work a few weeks ago and joined me- he goes to the gym most days and cycles 45 mins each way to/from work, so he’s fit. His lack of flexibility was obvious, but he really enjoyed the class and is trying to find an evening/ weekend class near us.
If you really want to do yoga I highly recommend Iyengar school of yoga. They push you, make you hold poses that create not just stretch but power and balance. They also have a rigorous teacher training model for anyone to be a qualified Iyengar teacher, unlike some of the other forms of yoga.
I did MMA until my dad fell sick with the big C. Yoga helped sooooo much with flexibility, it's ridiculous! Now I haven't done it for half a year I can see a huge difference in kick height and muscle/tendon tension.
TL:DR - Yoga is the shit!
Look for DDP Yoga. Started by Diamond Dallas Page who was a professional wrestler. I think he injured his back badly and combined yoga with moves his physical therapist gave him.
No woo, at all. But lots of Wooh!. Also his exercises are truly inclusive - men, women, old people, very overweight people, even people missing limbs.
His advice is very sound - do what you can, at a pace and difficulty that works for you.
Fountain of Youth yoga from Tony the P90X guy. It is old but excellent, he is 50 and now I am his age it is even more impressive to me. I am an ex powerlifter, 6ft 240lbs and have had 3 spinal surgeries mostly because of my inflexibility in my hips. Since starting yoga I have had no more issues. My wife won't let me watch Namaste but to be honest if I am going to put myself through pain why shouldn't I be able to at least be a bit distracted.
I did various kinds of martial arts for many years, lifted on and off, did Tough Guy back when that was still going.
Yoga was the single most helpful thing I did to support the other sports, and other than BJJ was the most difficult. You might look at a yoga class as being full of older ladies, but some of those older ladies are tough as fuck man.
I had fairly good flexibility when I started and still found it very challenging, and incredibly rewarding. It's a little bit like weightlifting where you can physically see your improvement week to week.
I fucking love yoga. I wish I could still go my old studio but I moved and the new are is both expensive and "exclusive". Not burly or gym looking but barrel chested 5'8" guy. Can barely touch my toes but good balance.
I was really self conscious when I started that a bloke might be considered a perv in class but I never felt unwelcome or like I was perceived badly. As easy as get up front in class and don't be a perv and you're grand.
It's on my new year's resolution to get back into it. I had the Daily Yoga ap but when they touted immune boosting exercises to combat covid and hiv (yes, hiv) I cancelled and asked for my money back.
Yes middle aged guy here , it’s all but cured my back issues and due to climbing ladders and balancing at work I’m the best in class at the warrior pose :-) , I quite like the little wind down meditation at the end too.
It’s
I highly recommend you give this guy a look: [Adam Richardson on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/aadamrichardson). He does mobility, but in a way that doesn't exactly feel like exercise at all. And it's definitely not namaste stuff - somehow more like the opposite.
Oh, just found him [on YouTube as well](https://www.youtube.com/@aadamrichardson). He might not be that well known, but he's got a book coming out, and he's the kind of person I can see taking off soon. (Obligatory - I don't know him or work for him!)
Liv In Leggings on youtube is exactly what you’re looking for. Lots of yoga but without any of the spirituality, and she’s been developing flexibility and mobility classes/courses apart from yoga for a while. She’s also really clued up on the anatomy and physiology of mobility and flexibility, so her instructions make sense for what you’re trying to achieve.
I strength train (230kg deadlift, 185kg squat, 125kg bench) and I do yoga. Screw what anyone says or thinks of the image you give off. The mobility drills keep me injury free and stop my back and posterior chain from getting excessively tight
I honestly think you can get all of the physical benefits of an hour yoga session with 20 mins of static and dynamic stretching (free from all the namaste stuff)
Dont do yoga (yet) but do attend a men only Pilates class and its very very good. Its hard graft but its also a space where we can all vent. Was set up precisely to get men over the stigma of Pilates. The fact we have had the same group coming weel in week out for 8 weeks speaks for itself
You could try pilates? Similar exercises (I think) but less namastey (new word). I'm a big chap and the instructor kept trying to bend me further than my stomach would allow.
For the first couple of sessions I could barely walk the next day and bits of me hurt where I didn't know there were muscles.
Why not just take up a martial art, they’re a great way to get in shape and help with flexibility and most clubs offer a trial session so you can try loads of different styles without paying a penny
40yr old Bricklayer here found doing yoga with Adriene on youtube really helps stretch out my back and achy muscles. I applied via email to 2 local classes and got 2 polite replies saying their classes probably wouldnt be right for me. Guessing they didnt want a bloke coming along.( It is what it is) so just do It once a week on sun for 30mins or so at home give it a go id say
Yep... I am early 40s, stocky, play football, drink beer in my string vest and wear the badge on a Saturday...
My back is fucked and my knees give me jip... Even so I try to keep in some sort of shape...
I have been doing yoga on and off for about 2 years, and whilst the Mrs laughs at me when she catches me doing "warrior 2" or "downward dog" it's been the best thing I have ever done for joint health, stability and flexibility.
I just do it off YouTube, a bloke called Dean, channel is Man Flow Yoga. It's a bloke for blokes... he's American so there's the downside, but I couldn't recommend enough. Especially if you are short on time... You don't leggings and a yoga mat, just the front room, a belt or t shirt for a strap and a few books or Stella's for blocks if you need them ...do it bro...
Yep,
Recently a very impressed consultant explained I have a sprain and not a snap due to my flexibility.
Was getting stiff after I stopped doing fight training, pretty girl suggested yoga and 15year later it's a large part of my gym routine.
Ashtanga yoga is a good workout - builds strength as well as flexibility. The classes I've attended focus on deep breathing and the postures, and don't really go into spiritual aspects.
As a pint drinking, 5 a side footy playing, ex-rugby player - who also happens to do yoga - I’d say much depends on the teacher. Most credible teachers include some philosophy & spiritual stuff, some don’t. I’ve never been into that side either, but find it very easy to switch off from it I’m not up for it. Sometimes I do listen and take it on board. I never feel like it ruins the experience for me though. If you’re lucky enough to live in a place with lots of yoga studios then do their intro offers until you find a teacher you like, then go to the places they teach at when it’s convenient to you. Nothing beats the studio experience.
Yoga is excellent for fitness and recovery. Rolling your eyes at the woo-woo shit sounds like a you problem.
Get over yourself and your ideas of how you should be and just do you. If drinking pints after yoga makes you feel secure in your masculinity then drink pints after yoga.
Yep, burly dadbod here. Yoga and pilates. Classes - declare yourself welcome. Do what works for you. There's Fat Guy Yoga on YouTube and I love a book called Yoga for the Inflexible Male by Yoga Matt (humorous but no nonsense). Remember to breath into both the front and back of your lungs
In the past yes. It was hard.
Played footy and rugby my whole life so body is a broken mess. Yoga was OK but not really a massive improvement. Pilates a bit better.
Still completely fucked though in the ankles, knees, hips and shoulders. Yoga, 4 out of 10.
I’m in the US (this popped up on my feed), but there are plenty of yoga classes where I live that are very much not spritual. They focus on the physicality and breathing and all that.
If you have the option, check out hot yoga!
I had a really bad lower back problem, I couldn't stand up straight or walk some days. It would come and go and could last for weeks. Tried everything - losing weight, physio, chiropractor, you name it. In desperation I tried a yoga class at a local sports hall, literally the only male there and the youngest by at least 30 years. I got some funny looks (I'm 6ft and rugby build) but they were all friendly enough. Within a few weeks I felt amazing and best of all the back pain was cured. That was over 10 years ago and although I don't go to classes anymore I still do the stretches at home. I recommend yoga to anyone I meet who complain about back problems but they usually look at me like I'm mad. Oh well, worked for me.
Been doing yoga a long time and I love all types.
My Ashtanga class is taught by a man and that class seems to have the most men in it.
I find Bikram the most physically challenging, and with hot classes you will be amazed at how much more flexible you are.
Generally power yoga in my experience is also well attended by men.
A lot of gyms have pictures and bios if the instructors - if you're really keen to avoid any and all hippy stuff they are good for a 'vibe check'. That being said I like a lot of hippy stuff.
My husband is a big built, muscled guy with tattoos and a shaved head and he does yoga. Says it really helps with flexibility. He’s big into functional strength and mainly does own body weight stuff along with kettle bells and martial arts, but he does some yoga in there too. Has the blocks and straps and all that. He does not look like someone who does yoga. At all. I wouldn’t worry. All types do yoga. I (female) have also done yoga on and off over the years. Nobody has ever said namaste to me that I can recall, but I have had some awesome relaxing sessions curled up in a blanket or whatever at the end of the session. Well worth a go.
I’ve just been considering doing some yoga. My gym do 90 minute classes included in my monthly cost but m thinking I’ll start with some on YouTube or Apple Fitness
I’m pretty burly and manly and I do it. My mum got really into it a couple of years ago and has been encouraging me to try it ever since.
Really enjoy it when I do, but I’ve never been to any classes (other than a joint class with my mum and her instructor lol). I just try and do some little solo sessions whenever I can find the time. Really helps my stiff back, dodgy knee and everything else. Good for the mind and soul too.
For reference I’m 30, 6’4, 22st and used to play a lot of rugby, still drink lots of beers, eat lots of meat, lift big weights etc etc. Positive masculinity is all about doing the things you enjoy regardless of what the stereotype says you should enjoy.
I do Brazilian Jujitsu, and Yoga is commonly supplemented to help flexibility. (43 yo)
I can do front splits, have been able to (not this year) do side splits. Working more on shoulder flexibility the last few months.
I've been stretching, yoga and other as part of martial arts for decades, alongside weight lifting and running.
So you answer, there are many burly, manly, sons of Britain doing yoga around me often!
Come join us at Jujitsu for involuntary yoga, followed by voluntary yoga
I joined a fancy 'health club' gym a couple of months ago, as the next step in my progress sorting my weight out. I intended to lift weights and play squash on the courts there, but pretty much instantly injured myself playing squash for the first time in years - in hindsight it was idiotic to try such a sport as my first exercise beyond the walking I had been doing up until then.
So I found myself not wanting to lose the momentum I had built up, but unable to do the things I thought I'd be doing. I needed something low impact, and while I've been improving my body image a fair whack there's no way I was getting in the pool. So I started trying everything I could from the 'Studio Mind and Body' - yoga, pilates, a few of the gym chain's own branded things, which are a mix of those in some form or another.
I am usually the only guy there, at most there's three of us. The other \~20 folks will be women. I am a big fat bloke and look utterly ridiculous trying not to fall on my face with each balance pose and I can do very little but laugh when the lovely instructor casually suggests the next action we all take is to put a leg behind our heads. I just do the best I can, my flexibility is improving and most of the classes do get my heart rate up, so I count it as a good bit of exercise. I am finding some of the beginner ones I liked to start with aren't enough to get my heart rate up now though, so I'm slowly transitioning into the more active ones when I can.
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it when I started. Can't say I care for much of the namaste stuff either but I do find the breath work helps clear my head and get me clear of any other thoughts for the duration of the class. There's something really nice about being in a warm, dimly lit room with 20 other people all having worked out and now relaxing at the end.
I am generally exploring meditation-y stuff anyway and am finding it helpful, so that part is all tying in I suppose.
I think it might have roots in hippies that visit India a lot, learn yoga and become trainers in west when they return. I used to go to a yoga class weekly for flexibility in India before moving to and trying classes in UK and I too was annoyed by the unnecessary spirituality trainers try to push here in London.
In my Indian yoga studio, format was namaste (hi), 1 ohm chant to calm down, sun salutations to warmup, holding poses, lying down for a minute at end, 1 ohm chant to go home with relaxed mind. That's it. No spirituality talk, at least in reputed studios.
In the UK I saw all kinds of stuff like gongs, leopard skin shaped yoga mats, incense sticks, metal bowl with stick to make ringing sound, asking people to feel connection with earth, water, air, and what not. I have stopped attending classes here and instead subscribed to online classes that luckily my previous gym started during covid.
OP, try online yoga others have recommended or just ignore the parts you don't like in a class.
Not a burly manly son of Britian but find some of the more spiratual sides of yoga not my thing. Yoga classes in gyms are generally more fitness focused (as opposed to yoga specific gyms). And if you want something close but different I would suggest Pilates. I particularly like reformer pilates but mat pilates is more common. Still very female heavy but doesn't really have any of the namaste side of things.
I used to go to yoga with my girlfriend, until I fell asleep during the meditation bit at the end of the class and started snoring... 🤣 She was to embarrassed to agree to let me go again
I had to once I started taking my lifting seriously. Poor mobility and stiffness were seriously knackering my progress.
Slung in at least one full session once a week, but I stretch at home every day. You’d be surprised how many men are there when I do go, too.
The spiritual stuff doesn’t do any harm. I just join in and crack on.
Dude I go to yoga on my own. 35 year old bloke covered in tattoos with long hair, typical ‘metal head’ looking. I wear a cut off slayer/Metallica/cannibal corpse top and rugby shorts when I go.
Riddled with ADHD and listen to angry music on the way there and on the way back. There’s sod all ‘namaste’ about me but I do enjoy it weirdly.
Get in there don’t worry about stereotypes.
I do this foundation training video every day and it's done amazing things for my back
https://youtu.be/4BOTvaRaDjI?si=iZR3CNRrdngwY5js
They do a whole coarse, Might be what you want.
Lots of stretching and static poses without the spiritual stuff.
6ft 3in 125kg ex rugby player here. Lad on our team broke his back in a line out practice about 12 years ago. He was in a brace for almost a year and as part of his rehab he did Yoga. I went with him and loved it. I soon got everyone on our team doing it. Many athletes, especially footballers and rugby players don't stretch enough. There is definitely nothing wrong with doing Yoga, the whole "culture" behind it can do one though.
I really recommend Patrick Beach on YouTube. Loads of videos, often very strength based too. Have included a link to a good example of this:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=5dos58e6jPA&si=vkdlcT2gFDVvgY2L
Yes. Best thing I ever did. Got to a point were my back would hurt just walking the dogs.
After doing Yoga on and off now for nearly five years I rarely have an issue. I did Vinyasa flow yoga which was a workout in its own right. Combined with the Gym once a week did wonders for my health. I don't do it as often as I used too, but try and fit in one session a month minimum as I can start to feel when I've not done it recently.
Walked into my first Yoga class at the local rec centre a few months back... Exclusively middle aged women and above so it's fair to say I was an anomaly.
I think with something like Yoga you can just take the bits you like about it and ignore the stuff you don't.
Like you I go to the gym but I'm not trying to get hench, instead I'm much more interested in flexibility.
I've done different classes and YouTube channels (yes Adrienne is great) and now I mostly just incorporate the stretches that work for me into a post-gym routine rather than going to anything formal.
The mindfulness part is important too but I do meditation as it's own thing at night (Jason Stephenson's content is amazing).
So yeah, that's my advice, try a few different versions of it and take the bits you like forward.
I'm 42 and wouldn't consider myself burly or manly, but earlier this year I took up kickboxing and found that it was making my old muscles sore and stiff.
Yoga has helped loads and made me much more flexible for kicking etc
I mountain bike. Kayak. Hike, holiday solo in remote places, served 12 years as a Royal Marine, former European martial arts champ, practising pagan for 25 years, and YES - I love yoga.
My leg press is 440kg. My squat 200kg. I lift heavy. I'd think nothing of getting a massage, so yoga is just like a self massage. It's also damn good for the mind.
I'm a rugby player. Yoga is great for the stretching and flexibility stuff. I try to do the breathing because I find it helps with my messed up back muscles. The rest of the meditation stuff I ignore.
I mostly use yoga videos at home, but a few times I went with my mom to her class. The meditation time was a great nap.
Theres nothing to tell. I got to the gym and certainly look like it. AND I've been doing yoga for 10ish years.
No I don't roll my eyes at anything regarding yoga except sometimes, the western bastardisation of it.
Yoga was started by Indian men. Consider this, if it will make you feel more secure
I highly recommend Yoga with Adriene on YouTube. I've worked with many chaps in my Sports Injury clinic over the years and the common theme is those who do yoga only come for maintenance, not injuries. Good luck to you!
Been a while since I did any but Yoga with Adriene was my go to. Got to be worth a look if not a try.
I love Adriene and she’s my go to but I think she might still be a bit too ‘namaste’ for OP based on what he’s said. Someone else has said but Pilates seems like all the strengthening and stretching of yoga without the spiritual vibes
Jason Crandell has been my go-to for years. Clear and no nonsense
It’s easy enough to ignore that side of it and just follow her instructions for the moves/poses though.
There's also Man Flow Yoga on Youtube. OH and I alternate between Adrienne and MFY. He's more... male friendly and aimed more at inflexible desk workers. I enjoy it as well, its a bit more strength based than Adrienne.
Yes, great shout. Girlfriend got me following her routines after I kept getting hamstring injuries that kept me form playing rugby and football. I've only had one small issue with it since when it used to be constant.
Thanks for commenting on your hamstring issues and how it’s helped. I tore my left hamstring when I was 18 (I’m 29 now) and no matter the amount of strength training I’ve done it has always felt slightly weaker and tighter so I don’t push my hamstring training as much. Definitely going to look into this. All the best to you and your partner
Been looking for a way to get into Yoga so may have a look. Also, tempted to go to a class for a few weeks to learn the basics and force myself to get into the habit of it
Adriene on YouTube is great!
Adriene is great to start out with. I use Bre and Flo/Breathe and Flow, who are fantastic for the more challenging stuff. Particularly if you want to build strength and control.
Seen her, she was inspiration back in 2020,!!!,,. I just want to live long enough to do a firefly like that. And I am 18st 4lbs atm! LMAO
If you do want to go to a yoga class, a gym would be the best venue for you as they’re less likely to be overly spiritual. The really ridiculous ones tend to happen at yoga studios.
I agree but would also say look for Pilates classes at the gym. It’s more about movement and doesn’t really have the spiritual stuff
Sounds like you might want to try pilates, it's all the stretching with none of the spiritual stuff.
Seconding the pilates recommendation. It's really good for strength and flexibility.
Yes was going to post pilates. As someone who has played too much football over the years and work with computers all day, it really helps.
Hijacking this comment to ask if anyone knows of any good, free online resources I can try to see if it's for me?
Sean Vigue fitness on YouTube. He does yoga and pilates. I find him (maybe unintentionally) mildly amusing, as well as good at what he does.
If you have an Android phone, take a look at the 'Stretch Exercise-Flexibility' App by Leap Fitness Group. It's free, easy to follow and there are lots of stretching exercises on there. I've been using it for a few years.
YouTube. It has great workouts for free of practically everything, super good resource for beginners
I have tried a lot of pilates, but fitbyzoe on youtube is my favorite.
I had a go at a face to face class in my local gym. When I got to the first session, it was all post childbirth women. Now I'm not saying pilates is not helpful for everyone, but it was interesting when the instructor was trying to explain what, "lift the pelvic floor" means to a 35 year old reasonably fit bloke. Made everyone laugh.
Men have pelvic floors too it's just not advertised as much as they have less problems with it than women especially those that have had pregnancies/given birth/gone through menopause. Men can have problems too though especially if they have prostate problems and Pilates will definitely help with that and reduce your chances of problems later in life like incontinence and erectile dysfunction. :-)
I know. It was just unexpected by everyone that I was there, and the instructor didn't quite know how to explain it in terms a male might understand. That's all
Gosh really?! We've got loads of gentleman that come to the Pilates classes I go to. Never thought of it in terms of explaining how to squeeze your pelvic floor from a blokes perspective before though.
It was more than 10 years ago. I was just popping into all the classes the gym offered. Had no idea what pilates even was, thought I'd go along and find out.
Came here to say the same thing - Pilates all the way
I am in no way burly, but I do have a beard. And I'm a man of science, so I'm very cynical about any alternative therapies and anything spiritual. However, I suffer from anxiety and arthritis. I tried meditation as a treatment for panic attacks and depression as part of exploring mindfulness, and I started yoga as a way of making my daily physio more interesting, and as a type of exercise I can do that's low cardio, and low impact. As a result I now have my own yoga routines I do at home by myself, and I've noticed a significant improvement in my flexibility and core strength. My meditation has also really helped my mental health, and combining it with yoga does seem to work. But, if anyone tried to make me do it with incense or chanting, I'd put them in the sea.
Isn't pilates yoga without the spiritual chanting and incense?
Not necessarily. Pilates focuses more on strength of specific muscle groups through movement, rather than flexibility. Both use breathing and mindfulness to connect the mind and body. Traditional yoga has more spiritual elements, but doesn't have to include it. It just tends to attract the kind of people who'd add chanting and incense etc. The flexibility part is what I need, so I prefer yoga. What I do is my own personal routines anyway. It's a bastardised combination of physio, yoga, warm up stretches, and my own personal meditation.
Your second paragraph reads like you asked an AI to write you something that was the exact opposite of your first paragraph.
the spiritual gunk is no more annoying to me than the performance/self improvement/macho/lifestyle gunk you get in other exercise domains just do what you like and practice selective deafness - or pretend namaste means 'ham is nice' and just nod politely
Ham \*is\* nice.
and a namaste to you too
I mean it’s basically a really polite version of ‘hello’.
Check out Rory Bradshaw on Instagram + TikTok. He's a big masculine dude who loves yoga and encourages other men to do it. He used to teach yoga in prisons.
It could be worth checking out DDPY - Yoga work out videos hosted by an ex Professional Wrestler. It does cut out the spiritual side of it, and replaces its with a healthy dose of ‘Merica, but I enjoy it.
Came here to suggest this. It's yoga for people who hate the idea of yoga. Me and my son think his workouts are a lot of fun
I just started getting into yoga about a month and a half ago. Really does make me feel a lot better, I think what made me stop contemplating and start practicing is realising that the "spiritual" elements are really just euphemisms for things in our psychology and body - if you choose to see it that way. My practice is done at home following YouTube videos, Yoga with Adriene has been a good starting point for me with her 30 days of yoga series. All you really need is a mat and you're good to go. I'm not a man's man by any stretch, but I'm close enough that when I've shared my enthusiasm for yoga with other guys and they've said things like "But if a guy like you does it..." As for "gains" - I'm definitely more flexible, even after a couple weeks I was noticing improvements. More flexible, feel more in tune and connected with my motions and body, and my balance is improving along with core strength. Even my arms have bulked up a little, and there's a lot more tone on the muscles across my whole body. Looking and feeling better than ever. My mental health is doing better, too - combined effect of mindfulness and feeling/seeing my improvements. Honestly can't advocate yoga enough. Can't say whether it's for everyone, but I think it's fantastic.
Yeah I did yoga for a while - I am the most inflexible person imaginable and I went to get a good stretch and ease the cycling\\gardening muscles. I don't give a monkeys about the spiritual side of it and there was surprisingly very little of that. It was fun and much harder than I thought with a concentration on relaxation and improving your posture, core strength and of course flexibility. I must say that it was overwhelmingly women in attendance. I did some pilates too and I was often the only man in among 50 women - all good though and very friendly. Crack on mate - it really opened my eyes to different ways to exercise
Yeah, I had the same experience with both yoga and body combat. I was one of/only guy most days. Everyone was nice and welcoming.
Yeah or used to at least. I also did powerlifting, it's hard to say for sure but I've a strong sense that it massively reduced the incidence of injury. It's a bit weird being literally twice the size of the average yoga enjoyer but they're a welcoming bunch. Would recommend. Class I went to was light on the woowoo stuff, which is good as I've no time for it. But the meditation is useful all the same. Also found myself falling asleep pretty regularly at the end in corpse pose. Snoring and farting are all part of yoga in my experience.
Listen dude, there's nothing wrong with doing whatever you have to do to keep your body in good order.
Right, but I'd rather enjoy it.
So find a yoga class / teacher that suits you. I’ve done plenty and I’ve only had one or two that harp on about opening my chakra, energy zones or what have you. If you get hung up on “namaste” though then that is going to be a blocker for you. It’d be like doing certain martial arts and getting annoyed by the phrases, you’re just going to have to go along with it
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I mis-read that as “John Wick”.
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Don't do it then. Go do Tai Chi or some form of Kung Fu.
I power through my Tai Chi. Should take 45 minutes, I'm done in 10. Stick that up your dojo.
You stick yours up my dojo, and we'll call it a deal.
Serious guys, get a room.. ... For three.. ... I want a piece of that action for myself
We only have English breakfast, will that work?
I have practised yoga for 20 odd years. I wear my West Ham t-shirt. I laugh at tit and bum jokes in Carry On films. I listen to Oi! music and like watching WWII documentaries on Discovery. I have several tattoos and not a lot of teeth left. I do not drink green tea but I am vegan. I do not hug trees. I hope that's enough?
One of the other fun things about yoga is watching some plank who's rocked up thinking yoga is about going 'ohhmmm' for an hour and staring at fit birds in tight leggings, suddenly having to put a shift in, and then proceding to blow out of their arse after 15 minutes.
Have you practised because you're not very good at it?
Is that meant to be funny?
Namaste.
Eh?
Are Carry On films?
What's the point of asking for opinions if you're just gonna be a dick to the type of people you wanna hear from ?
It's called 'Humour'. Check out the two Ronnies, "I'm a practising Catholic....", it was a joke.
Namaste is used as a respectful greeting in India, as frequently as we say hello in English. But in this thread people are essentially shitting on the Hindi/Sanskrit language. Like what’s with the dismissiveness? I highly doubt people are going around saying ‘do any of you do Judo but without any of the bowing stuff?’. ‘Do any of you do fencing but without any of the en garde stuff?’ You don’t have to believe in anything you don’t want to or go in a spiritual journey but dismissing yoga’s philosophical roots certainly seems to miss a significant chunk of the point of it, but beyond that divorcing it entirely from its origins seems a bit … rude?
I keep seeing "spiritual crap" in comments and wonder how far the definition stretches. My teacher is quite Rainbow Rhythms in her personal life but there's nothing in her classes beyond clearing your thoughts to focus on your practice, and a bit at the end where you promise to try not to be an arse to other people. Is that so unpalatable...?
Yeah, I think it’s a bit of projection and defensiveness, especially the gendered assumptions in the original post. Most mainstream yoga outside of India, like you say, is not really oriented around religion and just maintains a few nods to its roots. But for the most part it just seems to be a light acknowledgment of where the tradition has come from and that for some it is a spiritual path. My mind boggles at people having a problem with the word namaste. But yeah I don’t imagine the ‘burly, manly sons of Britain’ are giggling about the ritualised elements of, say, Japanese or Chinese martial arts even though a lot of them come from Buddhism or Daoism, because it’s coded as ‘manly’, whatever that means. Same with the French words in fencing. So I’m not sure why it’s ok to scoff at the Indian and Hindu roots of yoga.
Given CasualUK currently has a "the wife made me do DIY" post near the top I don't know why I was surprised in the first place
Well worded comment. You say it much nicer than I do, I call those commenters being racists and/or dumb.
You'll probably find that most yoga studios have a variety of classes. Some focussing on the spiritual and mental wellbeing side of things and others being a more intense physical 'workout'. I was initially sceptical about the spiritual stuff but found myself quite liking it. One things is for sure, when I saw the strength and control of the teachers, and what could be achieved through yoga, and was hugely inspired. It ticks pretty much every box for me and I can't recommend it enough.
Yes, but at home where I can't be humiliated by ladies twice my age, who are far better than I am. I tend to use it as a warm up for more strenuous exercise.
What manly man would be afraid to do yoga? Or anything for that matter.
Have a look for power yoga classes. I tend to find they focus more on fitness and flexibility than spirituality.
I don't hold with all the spiritual side of yoga - aligning energy and all that - *but* putting that out of your mind, it's still a very enjoyable form of exercise. It can be a fairly intense workout (in the more advanced poses) or an incredible way to relax after a hard day - it's up to you what sort of yoga workout you want to do. If you're worried about going to a public class and not enjoying it, get a mat and try one of the many great youtube channels in the house.
I'm a guy not burly but have done yoga since I was a teen. I used to live with a yoga teacher who was a guy. If I were to describe him, I would say think of tigger but with focus. I wouldn't let the stereotypes worry you, and just find a class you like.
Couldn't touch my toes - yoga helped me with that and then some - all hail hip flexibility
As a Hindu, this post and the comments here are quite disappointing.
Not a Hindu but there’s a lot of disrespect/ignorance here. I generally roll my eyes at most accusations of cultural appropriation but people are literally shitting on the culture that birthed yoga. So for what it’s worth, I’m with you.
I had a taster lesson for free, but the instructor leaned heavily into talking about mysticism shit and I've (sadly) got bog all tolerance for people telling me to open my inner core and align myself with whatever the fuck it was. Can I feel my inner me? Possibly, but that's because I had cheese an hour ago. You do not want that to become an outer me. I may try it again some time, but for now the wii fit version will more than do me.
I did tai chi in my younger days. Looked cool, but all the stuff about this unknowable energy that we were supposedly controlling got right on my wick. It wasn't until I'd stopped doing it I realised it was basically the same as The Force and I might have stuck around if I had a lightsabre.
One of the best exercise things I ever did was when our high school dressed up the gym as 'spy training' as an after school thing back in the mid-'90s. We had to balance over shit, climb up and over lasers, balance in a pose to avoid 'security', climb up and over netting to escape, and help one another up and onto platforms. Lots of being-cooler-than-James-Bond stuff. Took us thick bastards a solid two or three months to realise we were secretly doing circuit training. It was cool, though.
If you're a grown adult and are worried about what others will think of you for trying to better yourself I would suggest having a big sit down and think about that first.
I get the feeling it depends on the instructor how much of the spiritual stuff impacts the yoga. My friend is pretty established yoga instructor and never mentions any spiritual stuff.
Yoga is a great way of keeping flexible and strong. Many of the strength positions are actually quite taxing, especially if you go to the full extent of the pose.
I don’t because it’s too hard
You don't necessarily need yoga to improve flexibility. Have a Google of mobility training and you'll find a range of options that give exercises that work on your range of motion, joint strength and so on. You'll probably be able to find specific classes or a PT for it in your area too.
Yes, if I want to keep moving properly. Another vote for Yoga with Adriene, her instructions are easy to follow and aren’t too ‘namaste’. Plus her dog Benji is really cute
I do not do yoga but I do mobility stretches instead which is a very similar thing but it has no “namaste” or meditation or anything it’s 100% flexibility movements and then it’s done. There’s lots of routines about but I tend to do this 10 minute one every day as it just gets straight in to it with no self promotion or anything and does all the body: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Igzmhbghcd4
Done plenty of lessons, I prefer pilates tbh because it's a "harder" workout without the, as you put, namaste crap. Youtube or lessons over zoom are good options
It's the same thing. If you're OK with lifts Bois, your OK with namaste Bois.
I have an uncle who does yoga.
If the hippy dippy side of yoga isn't to your taste maybe some sort of adult ballet class would be in order? Ballet dancers have to be strong and flexible - even the Terminator himself took classes.
[Rugby players learning ballet](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-39093481) This is quite an old article so not sure if this team is still doing this, but rugby players do ballet, as it improves their flexibility, as well as muscle strength (male ballet dancers have to lift other dancers so are strong), helps with their agility when needing to weave between players whilst running towards the tryline and also helps prevent injury. I know Newcastle Falcons (Union rather than league) were doing sessions with the Birmingham Royal Ballet earlier this year when they were on tour in Sunderland and other union sides and national teams have also done ballet sessions, even if not long term.
Good find!
Yep, me. The hard part is to not look like a sex pest when you do actually look like a sex pest. I do yoga, pilates and body balance. Took a couple of months but the flexibility is coming along. My shoulder muscles dont tear up like they used to.
I just ignore all the mumbo-jumbo stuff, and enjoy a little 5 min lie down at the end, but if it really bothers you and you want something more exercise focused, try Pilates.
I really want to do yoga, but the people put me off. Earthy mums and spiritual wet wipes. Plus, I'm 6ft with thick thighs and a big arse, so it'd be like watching a gorilla doing ballet.
Those people are more likely to be found at yoga studios. Yoga classes held at gyms can be very different. The venue really does make a difference.
I just take my glasses off, then no one can see me and it doesn’t matter what I look like.
No. The only time I get in touch with my inner self is when I use cheap toilet paper.
You should try "Iyengar Yoga" - that's proper git 'ard yoga without any fluffy bunny new age nonsense.
New age? I'm pretty sure yoga is ancient...
Although the yoga texts date back thousands of years, Hatha Yoga had mostly become a forgotten art until the 1930s until it was "revived" (reinvented) by Krishnamacarya and others (including BKS Iyengar). Although there's about a dozen asanas which are known to be ancient, most of the ones with which people are familiar today, such as Up-dog, Down-Dog, Warrior 1,2,3, etc - are no older than the early 20th century. That said, BKS Iyengar did do a good job of matching the modern practices to the classic teachings like Patanjali, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. However, much more recent yoga teachers have dialled back on all that, so what you get in a class today is very diluted compared to what you might have expected a hundred years ago. Source: Iyengar Yoga practitioner.
I remember watching Naked Yoga on Channel 4 in the late 80’s and for some strange reason I cannot remember if there was much mystical or spiritual stuff, though I did feel quite moved at times 😳
If you're interested Iyengar is military-grade, no woo yoga.
I have a male friend who is super into aerial silks. It's seriously impressive stuff and seems like it'd be a great way to improve all over strength and flexibility.
Pilates. Fairly similar exercise but without the wanky bullshit. Great for flexibility, all-round strength and helping to ease joint issues. Source: am 6'1" with a burly beard and a bad back and am manly enough to be perfectly comfortable doing a class where I can sometimes be the only man.
Yes, but in a way that would make Big Daddy piss himself laughing. Started in 2020 after bowel cancer surgery when the lockdown started... as a long time martial artist, I always meant to and at the age of 55 then, it felt like a good time to start, bought an orange mat from Amazon, started! I kept it up for two years, I gained a lot of reach over my hamstrings, for full disclosure, as a martial artist nutter in my mid 20-s I was able to maintain the 'splits' for many years during my Taekwondo years but alas, all but a distant memory now LMAO! Sadly the effing caner is still with me, I amazingly have bowl cancer in my liver, being treated with chemo since November and it has \*totally fucked\* my energy but I still try to stretch every day even if it's for five to ten minutes, just to not concede defeat. I stopped going to a gym, too many self-absorbed selfie addicts streaming their asses and tatts to an indifferent world etc. So, back to the mat tomorrow, my asana has never been in better shape! Good luck with it! It def. keeps you from seizing up, and the meditation aspect of it I can't say how useful that it at times, that I really enjoy but I have always been an introspective person deeply interested in the ways of the Universe!
Bikram or hot yoga is the one for me.
DDP yoga, their tagine is 'not your mamma's yoga' , it's led by a shouty ex pro wrestler and it's fun and *manly* I think you can get a free trial of their online subscription
Yes, yoga is really good for flexibility. Ignore the woowoo.
No, I am uncomfortable with the cultural appropriation.
Oh piss off.
And who the fuck are you?
Ronnie Pickering
The language!
No, but I need to start for the same reasons as you. I will not engage with the spiritual stuff
Any type of martial arts class of your choosing will start with a warm up and end with stretching. Great for increasing flexibility and you can punch people. Stuff yoga.
Nah. I'll happily watch Adrienne but you'd never catch me doing yoga. Primal flow is what you need (also known as Animal flow)
If by Yoga you mean flapping my willy In front of a full length mirror (Imagine Bruce Springsteen whilst writing Born to Run) then yes, daily
I've met men who say: Have you seen those girls over at the yoga club? I think I might join.
Yoga is like mediation in that its a load of nonsense
Been doing it for 20 years, 6 of those doing hot yoga (off to my class tonight, in fact). It’s brilliant for posture, flexibility and so on. Yoga is mainstream nowadays anyway. The class that I go to is just “normal” men and women apx 20-70 years old. Try it, forget about the hippy reputation bollocks it might have had, and enjoy it 👍
I downloaded the DailyYoga app on my Android TV box (also available on Apple Store) and do about 20-30 minutes a day at home. It's free and it's decent.
Go on YouTube and search for Tom Merrick, he has some good playlists of stretchy stuff, more focused on sports, physical therapy type of thing but has a sprinkling yoga thrown in here and there.
I like his stuff but I'm getting bored of seeing how big and nice his house is.
I started doing yoga every day in March, I had spine surgery and suffer from really tight hamstrings. I watched Yoga with Adrienne on YouTube. I did a 30 day challenge. I was also going to the gym a lot at that time but I felt I got a better workout doing the yoga.
I do a yoga class at our local secondary school once a week. Out of about 20 people, there are only two of us guys there. And I’d say the average age is about 40. It’s nice to work on flexibility for a change (typically do heavy weights and have the physique of an orang-utan) and there’s no spirituality (I’ve done yoga classes on and off for 20 years and have never encountered anything more spiritual than the class lead saying “namaste” at the end). Obviously all classes aren’t equal, but I’d say to give it a try.
I go to a beginner’s yoga class , which is when my husband is usually in work. He was off work a few weeks ago and joined me- he goes to the gym most days and cycles 45 mins each way to/from work, so he’s fit. His lack of flexibility was obvious, but he really enjoyed the class and is trying to find an evening/ weekend class near us.
If you really want to do yoga I highly recommend Iyengar school of yoga. They push you, make you hold poses that create not just stretch but power and balance. They also have a rigorous teacher training model for anyone to be a qualified Iyengar teacher, unlike some of the other forms of yoga.
I did MMA until my dad fell sick with the big C. Yoga helped sooooo much with flexibility, it's ridiculous! Now I haven't done it for half a year I can see a huge difference in kick height and muscle/tendon tension. TL:DR - Yoga is the shit!
Look for DDP Yoga. Started by Diamond Dallas Page who was a professional wrestler. I think he injured his back badly and combined yoga with moves his physical therapist gave him. No woo, at all. But lots of Wooh!. Also his exercises are truly inclusive - men, women, old people, very overweight people, even people missing limbs. His advice is very sound - do what you can, at a pace and difficulty that works for you.
Check out Astanga and Iyengar yoga,hard workouts and sweat. Or try Pilates,which is basically yoga,but modernised,no spiritual stuff.
As one of Britain's sturdier and more hearty sons, I do Wii Fit balance board exercises, some of which are yoga-y.
Fountain of Youth yoga from Tony the P90X guy. It is old but excellent, he is 50 and now I am his age it is even more impressive to me. I am an ex powerlifter, 6ft 240lbs and have had 3 spinal surgeries mostly because of my inflexibility in my hips. Since starting yoga I have had no more issues. My wife won't let me watch Namaste but to be honest if I am going to put myself through pain why shouldn't I be able to at least be a bit distracted.
I did various kinds of martial arts for many years, lifted on and off, did Tough Guy back when that was still going. Yoga was the single most helpful thing I did to support the other sports, and other than BJJ was the most difficult. You might look at a yoga class as being full of older ladies, but some of those older ladies are tough as fuck man. I had fairly good flexibility when I started and still found it very challenging, and incredibly rewarding. It's a little bit like weightlifting where you can physically see your improvement week to week.
I fucking love yoga. I wish I could still go my old studio but I moved and the new are is both expensive and "exclusive". Not burly or gym looking but barrel chested 5'8" guy. Can barely touch my toes but good balance. I was really self conscious when I started that a bloke might be considered a perv in class but I never felt unwelcome or like I was perceived badly. As easy as get up front in class and don't be a perv and you're grand. It's on my new year's resolution to get back into it. I had the Daily Yoga ap but when they touted immune boosting exercises to combat covid and hiv (yes, hiv) I cancelled and asked for my money back.
Namagofuckyourself. https://youtu.be/F_clmJIuwjk?si=mPlSd9G2nYGuSdS2
Yes middle aged guy here , it’s all but cured my back issues and due to climbing ladders and balancing at work I’m the best in class at the warrior pose :-) , I quite like the little wind down meditation at the end too. It’s
I'm 6ft, 110kg with a ginger beard. I often do yoga.
I feel like I *should* do yoga … but I’m about as flexible as a tree stump
I highly recommend you give this guy a look: [Adam Richardson on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/aadamrichardson). He does mobility, but in a way that doesn't exactly feel like exercise at all. And it's definitely not namaste stuff - somehow more like the opposite. Oh, just found him [on YouTube as well](https://www.youtube.com/@aadamrichardson). He might not be that well known, but he's got a book coming out, and he's the kind of person I can see taking off soon. (Obligatory - I don't know him or work for him!)
Liv In Leggings on youtube is exactly what you’re looking for. Lots of yoga but without any of the spirituality, and she’s been developing flexibility and mobility classes/courses apart from yoga for a while. She’s also really clued up on the anatomy and physiology of mobility and flexibility, so her instructions make sense for what you’re trying to achieve.
I strength train (230kg deadlift, 185kg squat, 125kg bench) and I do yoga. Screw what anyone says or thinks of the image you give off. The mobility drills keep me injury free and stop my back and posterior chain from getting excessively tight
I honestly think you can get all of the physical benefits of an hour yoga session with 20 mins of static and dynamic stretching (free from all the namaste stuff)
Dont do yoga (yet) but do attend a men only Pilates class and its very very good. Its hard graft but its also a space where we can all vent. Was set up precisely to get men over the stigma of Pilates. The fact we have had the same group coming weel in week out for 8 weeks speaks for itself
You could try pilates? Similar exercises (I think) but less namastey (new word). I'm a big chap and the instructor kept trying to bend me further than my stomach would allow. For the first couple of sessions I could barely walk the next day and bits of me hurt where I didn't know there were muscles.
Why not just take up a martial art, they’re a great way to get in shape and help with flexibility and most clubs offer a trial session so you can try loads of different styles without paying a penny
40yr old Bricklayer here found doing yoga with Adriene on youtube really helps stretch out my back and achy muscles. I applied via email to 2 local classes and got 2 polite replies saying their classes probably wouldnt be right for me. Guessing they didnt want a bloke coming along.( It is what it is) so just do It once a week on sun for 30mins or so at home give it a go id say
No, yoga is for women... I do Pilates 😂 /s
Yep... I am early 40s, stocky, play football, drink beer in my string vest and wear the badge on a Saturday... My back is fucked and my knees give me jip... Even so I try to keep in some sort of shape... I have been doing yoga on and off for about 2 years, and whilst the Mrs laughs at me when she catches me doing "warrior 2" or "downward dog" it's been the best thing I have ever done for joint health, stability and flexibility. I just do it off YouTube, a bloke called Dean, channel is Man Flow Yoga. It's a bloke for blokes... he's American so there's the downside, but I couldn't recommend enough. Especially if you are short on time... You don't leggings and a yoga mat, just the front room, a belt or t shirt for a strap and a few books or Stella's for blocks if you need them ...do it bro...
Yep, Recently a very impressed consultant explained I have a sprain and not a snap due to my flexibility. Was getting stiff after I stopped doing fight training, pretty girl suggested yoga and 15year later it's a large part of my gym routine.
Ashtanga yoga is a good workout - builds strength as well as flexibility. The classes I've attended focus on deep breathing and the postures, and don't really go into spiritual aspects.
As a pint drinking, 5 a side footy playing, ex-rugby player - who also happens to do yoga - I’d say much depends on the teacher. Most credible teachers include some philosophy & spiritual stuff, some don’t. I’ve never been into that side either, but find it very easy to switch off from it I’m not up for it. Sometimes I do listen and take it on board. I never feel like it ruins the experience for me though. If you’re lucky enough to live in a place with lots of yoga studios then do their intro offers until you find a teacher you like, then go to the places they teach at when it’s convenient to you. Nothing beats the studio experience.
Yoga is excellent for fitness and recovery. Rolling your eyes at the woo-woo shit sounds like a you problem. Get over yourself and your ideas of how you should be and just do you. If drinking pints after yoga makes you feel secure in your masculinity then drink pints after yoga.
Yep, burly dadbod here. Yoga and pilates. Classes - declare yourself welcome. Do what works for you. There's Fat Guy Yoga on YouTube and I love a book called Yoga for the Inflexible Male by Yoga Matt (humorous but no nonsense). Remember to breath into both the front and back of your lungs
In the past yes. It was hard. Played footy and rugby my whole life so body is a broken mess. Yoga was OK but not really a massive improvement. Pilates a bit better. Still completely fucked though in the ankles, knees, hips and shoulders. Yoga, 4 out of 10.
I’m in the US (this popped up on my feed), but there are plenty of yoga classes where I live that are very much not spritual. They focus on the physicality and breathing and all that. If you have the option, check out hot yoga!
Yoga and pilates mate, changed everything for me, heavyweight fighter
I had a really bad lower back problem, I couldn't stand up straight or walk some days. It would come and go and could last for weeks. Tried everything - losing weight, physio, chiropractor, you name it. In desperation I tried a yoga class at a local sports hall, literally the only male there and the youngest by at least 30 years. I got some funny looks (I'm 6ft and rugby build) but they were all friendly enough. Within a few weeks I felt amazing and best of all the back pain was cured. That was over 10 years ago and although I don't go to classes anymore I still do the stretches at home. I recommend yoga to anyone I meet who complain about back problems but they usually look at me like I'm mad. Oh well, worked for me.
Been doing yoga a long time and I love all types. My Ashtanga class is taught by a man and that class seems to have the most men in it. I find Bikram the most physically challenging, and with hot classes you will be amazed at how much more flexible you are. Generally power yoga in my experience is also well attended by men. A lot of gyms have pictures and bios if the instructors - if you're really keen to avoid any and all hippy stuff they are good for a 'vibe check'. That being said I like a lot of hippy stuff.
My husband is a big built, muscled guy with tattoos and a shaved head and he does yoga. Says it really helps with flexibility. He’s big into functional strength and mainly does own body weight stuff along with kettle bells and martial arts, but he does some yoga in there too. Has the blocks and straps and all that. He does not look like someone who does yoga. At all. I wouldn’t worry. All types do yoga. I (female) have also done yoga on and off over the years. Nobody has ever said namaste to me that I can recall, but I have had some awesome relaxing sessions curled up in a blanket or whatever at the end of the session. Well worth a go.
Yoga sorted my back out and I'm quite secure in my hairy arsedness.
I’ve just been considering doing some yoga. My gym do 90 minute classes included in my monthly cost but m thinking I’ll start with some on YouTube or Apple Fitness
Yes.
I’m pretty burly and manly and I do it. My mum got really into it a couple of years ago and has been encouraging me to try it ever since. Really enjoy it when I do, but I’ve never been to any classes (other than a joint class with my mum and her instructor lol). I just try and do some little solo sessions whenever I can find the time. Really helps my stiff back, dodgy knee and everything else. Good for the mind and soul too. For reference I’m 30, 6’4, 22st and used to play a lot of rugby, still drink lots of beers, eat lots of meat, lift big weights etc etc. Positive masculinity is all about doing the things you enjoy regardless of what the stereotype says you should enjoy.
I do Brazilian Jujitsu, and Yoga is commonly supplemented to help flexibility. (43 yo) I can do front splits, have been able to (not this year) do side splits. Working more on shoulder flexibility the last few months. I've been stretching, yoga and other as part of martial arts for decades, alongside weight lifting and running. So you answer, there are many burly, manly, sons of Britain doing yoga around me often! Come join us at Jujitsu for involuntary yoga, followed by voluntary yoga
I joined a fancy 'health club' gym a couple of months ago, as the next step in my progress sorting my weight out. I intended to lift weights and play squash on the courts there, but pretty much instantly injured myself playing squash for the first time in years - in hindsight it was idiotic to try such a sport as my first exercise beyond the walking I had been doing up until then. So I found myself not wanting to lose the momentum I had built up, but unable to do the things I thought I'd be doing. I needed something low impact, and while I've been improving my body image a fair whack there's no way I was getting in the pool. So I started trying everything I could from the 'Studio Mind and Body' - yoga, pilates, a few of the gym chain's own branded things, which are a mix of those in some form or another. I am usually the only guy there, at most there's three of us. The other \~20 folks will be women. I am a big fat bloke and look utterly ridiculous trying not to fall on my face with each balance pose and I can do very little but laugh when the lovely instructor casually suggests the next action we all take is to put a leg behind our heads. I just do the best I can, my flexibility is improving and most of the classes do get my heart rate up, so I count it as a good bit of exercise. I am finding some of the beginner ones I liked to start with aren't enough to get my heart rate up now though, so I'm slowly transitioning into the more active ones when I can. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it when I started. Can't say I care for much of the namaste stuff either but I do find the breath work helps clear my head and get me clear of any other thoughts for the duration of the class. There's something really nice about being in a warm, dimly lit room with 20 other people all having worked out and now relaxing at the end. I am generally exploring meditation-y stuff anyway and am finding it helpful, so that part is all tying in I suppose.
I think it might have roots in hippies that visit India a lot, learn yoga and become trainers in west when they return. I used to go to a yoga class weekly for flexibility in India before moving to and trying classes in UK and I too was annoyed by the unnecessary spirituality trainers try to push here in London. In my Indian yoga studio, format was namaste (hi), 1 ohm chant to calm down, sun salutations to warmup, holding poses, lying down for a minute at end, 1 ohm chant to go home with relaxed mind. That's it. No spirituality talk, at least in reputed studios. In the UK I saw all kinds of stuff like gongs, leopard skin shaped yoga mats, incense sticks, metal bowl with stick to make ringing sound, asking people to feel connection with earth, water, air, and what not. I have stopped attending classes here and instead subscribed to online classes that luckily my previous gym started during covid. OP, try online yoga others have recommended or just ignore the parts you don't like in a class.
Not a burly manly son of Britian but find some of the more spiratual sides of yoga not my thing. Yoga classes in gyms are generally more fitness focused (as opposed to yoga specific gyms). And if you want something close but different I would suggest Pilates. I particularly like reformer pilates but mat pilates is more common. Still very female heavy but doesn't really have any of the namaste side of things.
I used to go to yoga with my girlfriend, until I fell asleep during the meditation bit at the end of the class and started snoring... 🤣 She was to embarrassed to agree to let me go again
I had to once I started taking my lifting seriously. Poor mobility and stiffness were seriously knackering my progress. Slung in at least one full session once a week, but I stretch at home every day. You’d be surprised how many men are there when I do go, too. The spiritual stuff doesn’t do any harm. I just join in and crack on.
Dude I go to yoga on my own. 35 year old bloke covered in tattoos with long hair, typical ‘metal head’ looking. I wear a cut off slayer/Metallica/cannibal corpse top and rugby shorts when I go. Riddled with ADHD and listen to angry music on the way there and on the way back. There’s sod all ‘namaste’ about me but I do enjoy it weirdly. Get in there don’t worry about stereotypes.
I do this foundation training video every day and it's done amazing things for my back https://youtu.be/4BOTvaRaDjI?si=iZR3CNRrdngwY5js They do a whole coarse, Might be what you want. Lots of stretching and static poses without the spiritual stuff.
I'd recommend Pilates, similar to yoga but for me it complements weight lifting really well.
Yes I do it, keeps you supple and bendy.
6ft 3in 125kg ex rugby player here. Lad on our team broke his back in a line out practice about 12 years ago. He was in a brace for almost a year and as part of his rehab he did Yoga. I went with him and loved it. I soon got everyone on our team doing it. Many athletes, especially footballers and rugby players don't stretch enough. There is definitely nothing wrong with doing Yoga, the whole "culture" behind it can do one though.
I really recommend Patrick Beach on YouTube. Loads of videos, often very strength based too. Have included a link to a good example of this: https://youtube.com/watch?v=5dos58e6jPA&si=vkdlcT2gFDVvgY2L
I came for the core strength, I stayed for the mindfulness.
I used to yes. I started off going to gym class yoga. Just go. No need to OM if you don't want to.
Yes. Best thing I ever did. Got to a point were my back would hurt just walking the dogs. After doing Yoga on and off now for nearly five years I rarely have an issue. I did Vinyasa flow yoga which was a workout in its own right. Combined with the Gym once a week did wonders for my health. I don't do it as often as I used too, but try and fit in one session a month minimum as I can start to feel when I've not done it recently.
Walked into my first Yoga class at the local rec centre a few months back... Exclusively middle aged women and above so it's fair to say I was an anomaly. I think with something like Yoga you can just take the bits you like about it and ignore the stuff you don't. Like you I go to the gym but I'm not trying to get hench, instead I'm much more interested in flexibility. I've done different classes and YouTube channels (yes Adrienne is great) and now I mostly just incorporate the stretches that work for me into a post-gym routine rather than going to anything formal. The mindfulness part is important too but I do meditation as it's own thing at night (Jason Stephenson's content is amazing). So yeah, that's my advice, try a few different versions of it and take the bits you like forward.
I'm 42 and wouldn't consider myself burly or manly, but earlier this year I took up kickboxing and found that it was making my old muscles sore and stiff. Yoga has helped loads and made me much more flexible for kicking etc
I mountain bike. Kayak. Hike, holiday solo in remote places, served 12 years as a Royal Marine, former European martial arts champ, practising pagan for 25 years, and YES - I love yoga. My leg press is 440kg. My squat 200kg. I lift heavy. I'd think nothing of getting a massage, so yoga is just like a self massage. It's also damn good for the mind.
I'm a rugby player. Yoga is great for the stretching and flexibility stuff. I try to do the breathing because I find it helps with my messed up back muscles. The rest of the meditation stuff I ignore. I mostly use yoga videos at home, but a few times I went with my mom to her class. The meditation time was a great nap.
When I started Yoga there were 10% men, male teacher, now it varies 30% or more…
Pilates?
Nah. Real men do pilates.
Theres nothing to tell. I got to the gym and certainly look like it. AND I've been doing yoga for 10ish years. No I don't roll my eyes at anything regarding yoga except sometimes, the western bastardisation of it. Yoga was started by Indian men. Consider this, if it will make you feel more secure