Why is yoga regarded as a women's thing in the U.S.?

Question

TPhi: Thanks for proving once again that evolution and social progress are myths!

Answer 1

Because mainly women do it.

I think yoga is just as healthy for men as for women, but in answering your question I will try to suggest what 'most' people may be thinking or feeling.

-Women seem to prefer group sessions. Men seem to prefer to work individually. Even if there is a group weight training session, it will be mainly women.

-Men in the gym tend to be focussed heavily on muscle-building, and secondary on cardio. Many women say they just want to 'tone' - probably an unfounded concern, since most women lack the testosterone to gain a ton of muscle. So the women love to do tons of cardio, high rep stuff, etc. Bleh, yoga doesn't exactly fit there, but still.

-I don't know how much of an issue it is, but when a woman is really flexible ... men like that. My wife can put her legs behind her ears. I head to tell her to stop telling co-workers this information. Men are filled with lust on hearing this. I think women are probably impressed with men's flexibility, but I don't know if it makes them go 'ohmygodiwanttoscrewhim'. If it does, they've kept it quiet. Ladies, if you feel this way, start letting us know, trust me there will be lots of men doing yoga.

-Women seem to view yoga as a stress release. While I suspect men would enjoy it as a stress release, men seem to seek out more 'violent' activities as a cathartic release, rather then some form of 'serenity'. For example, most men would say that watching boxing, things blowing up, or football while drinking beer would be relaxing rather then listening to nature sounds with their eyes closed. I think more women would choose the latter.

Answer 2

I dont think so.
Yoga is an ancient proven tradition that exists for thousands of years and also one of the most ancient cultural heritages in India. The word yoga means, "to unite". But it does not only mean contemplation but also communion and yoking all powers of the body, mind and soul to God. It is a very ancient and efficient system of disciplines and controls designed to produce the integration of the body, mind and spirit. It also achieves higher states of awareness and self-realization by methodical efforts to attain perfection. Even at the workplace, yoga has become extremely popular in many companies, worldwide. Working eight hours a day, five to seven days a week is really stressing. And yoga can just be the answer to this. Yoga reduces stress. It improves flexibility and muscle tone, increases circulation, relieves chronic pain and alleviates anxiety-related disorders. Best of all, it cultivates physical awareness, refreshes your energy, and offers a little vacation from the everyday grind.

There are seven divisions of yoga. Hatha yoga is concerned primarily with the body and the asanas. Bhakti yoga focuses on the path of love and devotion. Mantra yoga has something to do with recitation and repetition of words and verses. Karma yoga is a service through action and work. Janan yoga is on the intellectual path. Raja yoga is a synthesis of Bhakti, Karma, and Janan. And Laya yoga is the secret path or known as the “Yoga of Dissolution”.

Yoga has many advantages over other methods of maintaining health, such as aerobics, athletics, gymnastics, games, and various other forms of exercise and is often described as the best form of health insurance for all from the age of seven to seventy seven or more because it has a lot to offer to everyone. The two main advantages of yoga are prevention of disorders and ailments and maintenance of health and fitness in daily life. Other advantages include supple joints, flexible muscles, relaxed and tension-free mind and efficiently working vital organs such as the heart, lungs, endocrine glands, liver, pancreas and good balance between various functions. When doing yoga, you will not need any costly equipment and materials, or playgrounds, gyms, etc. And you don’t have to worry when is the right time to do it because you can do yoga all throughout the year. It can also be practiced inside the house or in the open, just alone or if you want, in groups. The only thing you need is a thick carpet spread on the floor and covered with a clean sheet of cloth. Remember that yoga should only be practiced on empty stomach although you can do it at any time during the day.

Everyone can benefit from yoga. It will benefit you irrespective of whether you are young or old, lean or heavily built, highly educated or unlettered, rich or poor, from higher or lower middle class, busy, over busy, or retired or worker in the factory or in the field. However, this benefit may not be possible if one does not practice the correct technique of yoga or practice it irregularly. Yoga has a wide range of technique and this can fulfill needs in almost people especially those who really have the determination and the motivation to do the techniques in a regular basis. Yoga can fulfill this need irrespective of your work, or your lifestyle. This can help everyone play his or her roles more efficiently, more smoothly and more comfortably.

Answer 3

It's not macho enough for a man to feel comfortable doing. Some of those exercises are quite sissy looking and there's no man within 100 miles of where I live who would be caught doing them. When I saw sexy hunk, Hugh Jackman, in The Fountain, doing that yoga/meditation pose, I couldn't help but laugh. He was actually bald too. Double whammy! AUGH - LOL!

Answer 4

its not necessarily just a womens thing. its just the same way that men gravitate more towards things like boxing, or weight training that women will gravitate more to flexibilty classes like yoga or pilates. also many women feel most comfortable in classes that are mainly women so more women will take them for that reason alone. but i have seen men in yoga before.

Answer 5

i'm a 23 year old male and i do yoga. in fact, after i started integrating yoga into my normal exercise plan (in between trips to the gym), i've noticed bigger increases in my overall body strength, not to mention increased flexibility. if guys think it's not "macho" enough for them, then i guess that's their own mental problem. i don't care what i look like while i'm doing the exercise, i only care about the results.