Yoga is only for women (and other yoga myths)
Yes!
As a yoga teacher, I have to say I find trying to keep up with the very lucrative wellbeing industry exhausting! It’s very easy from the outside, to look in at this capitalist version of yoga and wellbeing and be left with a feeling like you wouldn’t fit in. So let’s bust some of the myths together…
You need expensive kit - nope. Mats vary greatly in cost, sustainability and quality, so firstly I recommend finding out if you’re chosen teacher or studio provides mats, and if not perhaps ask if you can borrow a mat for your first session while you’re making a decision if yoga feels good for you, or borrow from a friend. Leggings, and other items of clothing, do not need to be from any particular luxury active-wear store (unless that’s what you want to feel good!), you could wear your pyjamas for all I mind; as long as you can move comfortably, that’s all that matters.
You need to be flexible to take part in a yoga practice - nope again. Flexibility is a common result of yoga after regular practice and time to get familiar with how your body works. Flexibility is not a pre-requisite of starting yoga! If a teacher or a class leaves you feeling like your body isn’t ‘good enough’ for yoga then please don’t give up, instead find a different teacher or studio, lots of good teachers will happily chat to you on the phone to discus if their class if suitable for you.
You need to be spiritual to do yoga - absolutely not! Yoga is a journey. Yes a journey down to your toes in forward fold but also a journey inward and I don’t mean that in a particularly fluffy way at all, it’s just that when you begin a regular yoga practice you will almost certainly get more familiar with your body and your mind because it gives you the time to do so! For some people this develops further into self-discovery, and ‘spirituality’, and for others being more connected to their own wellness and health is enough. You should be taking from your yoga sessions whatever you need on any given day.
Yoga is for women - Now I hear ya, you google yoga and you can scroll through endless pictures of usually white, slim women in beautiful, jaw-dropping poses… but I really want you understand that yoga is an ancient practice - we’re talking thousands of year ancient - created within the Indian sub-continent BY MEN! Back in the day, women were not allowed to practice and now when compared to many people’s view of what yoga is the irony is mind-blowing. The western, capitalist version of yoga is female heavy - I myself am one of those white women! - but yoga is a gift to us in the west, to practice with respect to it’s roots and for EVERY BODY to share. So, yeah men can practice yoga, and on that note I’m going to share my regular client, Henry’s, point of view:
“Coming from a reasonably active lifestyle, my sports include indoor climbing, trail running, badminton and squash.. and my work life is split between office and working on building sites. In the past I was seemingly always picking up an injury in one way or another. To remedy this, I sought out the help of a doctor for nerve block injections, several physios, and a very talented sports masseuse.
Both my sports masseuse and my wife had suggested trying yoga and I had basically disregarded it as “a girls sport”, then a male friend mentioned it too which surprised me and tipped me over the edge. Sept 22, I finally took the plunge to email Naomi at Amber Wellbeing to give it a go.
Boy, I couldn’t have been more wrong. You feel the difference in only a few months, and now 18 months later, I don’t see doctors, physios at all. Only when I’ve really overdone things will I visit my sports masseuse too.
Every person’s body is different and my body certainly can’t do some of the poses, however, Naomi is fantastic at suggesting alternatives during and after the class. There is a little light hearted banter within the class; it’s not deadly serious.
I should mention that there is a relaxation part, which to begin with I found to be a tad namby pamby, thinking that maybe I’m just not in tune with my inner forest animal as I should be.... These days though, I just treat it as 5 -10 mins of shut eye. Love it!”
