Yoga not 'masculine' enough for men? It actually helps your MMA game
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Yoga non 'masculine' enough for men? It actually helps your MMA game
Guys, there's more to yoga than sitting on a mat in stretchy pants. Do information technology right and information technology helps y'all lift more than in the gym and improves your performance in traditional "manly" sports.
(Photo: Joyee Koo)
20 Mar 2022 06:32AM (Updated: 15 Aug 2022 12:05PM)
Before you step into whatever yoga studio in Singapore, what do you expect to see?
Lithe, young women in the trendiest Lululemon outfits folding themselves into human pretzels?
That is the stereotypical image that may take stopped some from placing a toe on the mat – men, especially.
The irony is, yoga was created thousands of years ago in India by men, for men. Today, you lot'd be lucky to spot male participants in a room total of women.
For instance, The Yoga Infinite, which opened in mid-2018, sees men making upward well-nigh xxx per cent of its classes, though "it'southward not always the aforementioned for each class", co-ordinate to co-founder Jing Lu.
Even in the more established set-ups such as Yoga Motion, the per centum of male participants isn't any dissimilar, said its director and co-founder Alicia Pan.
"A lot of men perceive yoga as a female-ascendant workout, and they take the misconception that information technology'southward all about stretching," said Gajendra Badwal, the 36-year-onetime founder of Align Studio.
"Or they think they are not flexible enough to exercise yoga."
It's a sentiment shared by Raymond Tan, who jogs a few times a week and has no qualms trying rock climbing and CrossFit.
But the 32-year-onetime sales manager draws the line at stretching in "a room total of women who can impact their toes".
"I don't recollect my ego and torso are flexible enough to accept the humiliation," he laughed.
READ: Should you lot attempt yoga if you have asthma, a headache or are on your catamenia?
"Men are not open to yoga because social media sends the wrong message; the crazy leg-behind-caput postures, the splits and the back bends.
"And I'g guilty as charged!" said Hafiz Sazali, 35, who has practised yoga for shut to four years and has been teaching information technology for three years.
Even the men who exercise yoga started out feeling humble.
"The offset time I stepped into a form, I felt intimidated past everything," said consultant physician Wong Chen Seong.
"Everyone in grade seemed so comfortable and confident on the mat, and moved with a grace and strength I couldn't even imagine," said the 36-year-sometime.
WHY DO YOGA, Man?
Most men who do generally focus on building strength and cardiovascular fitness.
Just step into any gym and you'll encounter that the free weights section and treadmills are the busiest spots.
READ: Regular do may keep your trunk 30 years 'younger'
Spending 45 minutes on a yoga mat might be the farthest thing from a homo's mind.
But to be considered physically fit, you'll need to piece of work on your flexibility, too – one of the components that brand upwardly fitness.
Moreover, doing the aforementioned exercises, whether information technology's weight training or running, means that the same muscles are being worked over again and once again; sometimes, leading to a plateau in performance.
And that'due south where yoga tin can take you out of your workout rut, co-ordinate to Sazali.
"If you want to lift more in your deadlift, you need to really stretch out those hip flexors," he said.
"You can never surpass your personal best if you don't stretch out. In the worst-case scenario, information technology might even atomic number 82 to injuries."
Yoga's benefits don't only apply in the gym but in other sports, too.
"For example, yoga allows usa to gain adept hip flexors, which is an added advantage when nosotros are bouldering or climbing," said Badwal.
In that location are also times when doing the heavy lifting may not be the best exercise for you, said Sazali.
"Our rounded back, head-forwards posture, and Tech Neck Syndrome are and then mutual present amidst young adults.
"Loading more weight when doing shoulder presses doesn't aid counter the effects of tech neck."
As for thinking yoga is all well-nigh smoothie sipping and "as well feminine", Acroyoga practitioner and teacher Leonard Heng said: "Knowing how to perfect complex postures, taking care of your mental and physical being, and learning to connect with yourself are traits that are masculine and alpha".
The 23-year-sometime added that having tools like breathing exercises can likewise aid to reset and ground yous.
MEN WHO YOGA
While Sazali noticed that there'southward a growing tendency for yoga, it'south "non selling like hot cakes compared to other 'manly' sports such as HIIT, weighted routines or running".
"Only I'chiliad seeing a proficient number of guys who are coming in lately. There are a few military personnel as well.
"I'm happy that these military guys are open to receiving knowledge that volition benefit their strenuous activities every week," he said.
Lu of The Yoga Infinite said that the male participants are also in information technology "to stay in shape and to complement other workouts that they do".
"Nosotros have many runners, cyclists, CrossFitters – all of them use yoga to assistance meliorate their performance in other sports," she said.
As for getting in on the yoga game early, most of the men have their partners to thank for.
"My married woman was the 1 who dragged me out from the house to effort it out with her.
"She started a few months earlier and thought it volition brand a good bonding time," said Bryan Chao, a 39-year-former teacher, who has been practising for three years and goes for classes three times a week.
"Information technology gave me a greater body awareness and mobility from all the stretches and inversions. I believe that helped me to be better aware of my class and technique when I play basketball, swim and jog, and in preventing unnecessary injuries," said Chao.
READ: Even a little do – whatsoever do – might make us happier
Dr Wong, who was as well introduced to yoga by his partner, inverse his heed about yoga being "too boring-paced" and "that information technology was all about stretching and sitting on mats".
"Yoga has definitely helped with my posture and core forcefulness [in running], besides as the mental fortitude to proceed going when the going gets tough," said the avid yoga fan who took upwardly yoga in 2016 and has been practising almost every twenty-four hour period.
GETTING STARTED
How do you decide which yoga class is for y'all? Pan suggested going back to the cartoon board even though "most men are already quite strong but non flexible".
"If there is an imbalance between forcefulness and flexibility, many of them are relatively more than decumbent to injuries.
"A nuts class is very helpful to stretch out any tight muscles and besides proceeds flexibility," she said.
But if that'south non you want, there is as well "a lot of strength and conditioning involved too", said Pan.
For many men, inverted poses may come easier to them as they tend to have better upper body force than women.
Added Heng: "From foundation to avant-garde classes, there are sessions available for all levels. At that place are many types of yoga, from Yin which is a slower stretch to Power classes which are actually intense".
If you lot're non sure what types of yoga are available and how they differ from each other, here's a list of different yoga types to aid y'all figure it out.
No affair which form of yoga y'all do, "only remember that everyone else in there is giving his or her all-time effort, too, and in that location is no time for judgement," said Heng.
"Your sole competition is you lot and how to exist better than the previous you."
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Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/wellness/yoga-helps-with-men-s-fitness-gym-crossfit-cycling-rock-climbing-235056
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