Why Don’t More Men Do Yoga? Guys on Reddit Tell Us Why.
The popularity of Yoga continues to grow exponentially each and every year. It’s estimated that over 55 million people will start practicing yoga in 2020, with over 20 million of them being over the age of 50. Yet women still account for 72% of all yoga practitioners, despite the fact that yoga is equally beneficial for both men and women.
This got me thinking. Why don’t more men do yoga? To find out I turned to Reddit.
I put forward the following question to the subreddit r/beginnerfitness: Guys who don’t do yoga. What are some reasons you don’t?
25 guys responded to my question. After reviewing the responses it became clear that there were three main reasons that guys were put off of yoga:
I’m not flexible enough
Yoga is ‘feminine’
Yoga is too spiritual
Let’s take a closer look at some of these reasons and debunk the myths and misconceptions surrounding yoga for men.
I’m Not Flexible Enough
Most guys have the misconception that you need to be flexible to do yoga. I don’t blame them though. The first thing I thought of when I thought of yoga were athletic women performing mind-blowing backbends and splits – something far out of my reach.
The truth is that flexibility is not a prerequisite to getting started with yoga. The practice helps you to develop flexibility overtime. Even if you can’t touch your toes right now, consistent practice will help you to improve flexibility while building strength and coordination at the same time.
Yoga is Feminine
As one user pointed out, most guys might use the excuse that they’re not flexible even though the real reason they don’t do yoga is that they think it’s ‘girly’.
In the West, men practicing yoga are outnumbered by women 5:1. There’s a bunch of articles online that theorise why more women are attracted to the practice than men. Some speculate that girls are more into flexibility than guys, who would rather lift weights and work on building muscle and strength. Others explain that yoga just doesn’t appeal to the competitive nature of men.
But the truth is there really is no good answer for why yoga is perceived as a feminine practice. Interestingly, Hatha yoga (the physical form of yoga) was once a practice exclusive only to men. It wasn’t until pioneering female yoga teachers brought yoga to the West in the early 1900s that yoga exploded in popularity among women.
So how could a practice that was once exclusive to men now seem feminine to guys?
I think it’s something like this: a guy sees yoga classes filled with women, so he thinks that yoga must be for girls. He doesn’t even bother trying a class for this reason. This results in yoga classes filled with women.
Yoga is Too Spiritual
The spiritual side of yoga is another reason guys turn away from practice. Yet yoga is practiced by people of all religions and even by those who are secular.
Although yoga does include spiritual aspects, it is not necessary to practice these if it is something that doesn’t resonate with you. In fact, most yoga practices in the west focus on physical asanas (poses) rather than spiritual teachings.
The good news is that even if you view yoga as a physical practice, you will still reap many of the benefits such as reduced stress and anxiety, improved strength and flexibility, more energy and better concentration.
But I should point out that there is nothing inherently wrong with the spiritual side of the practice if this is something you are interested in exploring. I believe that guys especially could benefit from taking more time to connect with their feelings and emotions and ultimately connect with their true nature.
As a bonus, being a spiritually-minded guy might even go down a treat with the ladies. It could even help you be a better employee, friend, parent, and lover.
The Wrap Up
Yoga is a powerful practice that can benefit both men and women equally. While yoga continues to grow in popularity, myths and misconceptions around the practice are still creating barriers to entry for men who aren’t familiar with yoga.
My advice for any guys out there considering yoga is to get out there and give it a shot. If it’s something you’re interested in, don’t worry if you’re not flexible enough or whether people tell you yoga is for chicks. Take control of your own health and happiness and follow what feels right for you and your goals. If that means taking up a regular yoga practice then go for it!
Besides, is it really that bad to be surrounded by beautiful women while you work on becoming a healthier, happier version of yourself?
Namaste 🙏
P.S. Find out everything you need to know to get started with yoga with our Ultimate Beginners Guide to Yoga For Men.
