I spend most of my life around a lot of men.
From all backgrounds, with all body shapes and strengths. I know, like me, many of them are eager to learn and find ways to get stronger.
Many men can also struggle when minds and thoughts are troubled, which they rarely feel able to discuss or share for a variety of reasons.
A lot of men I work with have plenty of strength but have less flexibility. This can particularly be the case where their workouts at the gym are weight intensive.
There is a preconceived idea out there that yoga is somehow just for old or injured people. I’m here to change that preconception.
My strong yoga is different. We concentrate on holding positions and building strength in classes rather than the conventional, more flow-driven yoga styles out there. You can have the fun of showing off and harnessing your strength through hard postures while opening your body.
This helps to improve the strength of the whole body, as well as developing the core. Basic poses, like the Chaturanga (sometimes known as the low plank) can also strengthen legs and arms. In fact, Strong Yoga also helps to work the muscles around the joints which can be beneficial to athletes, runners and fighters in developing strength and balance throughout – complementing other sports and helping to prevent injury. It can also help to improve posture – particularly helpful for people who spend time hunched over a desk for long periods – opening the shoulders, chest and supporting the back – and finding a flexibility that may not have been there before.
As well as those physical benefits, the relief of pressures in the mind is valued by many of my male clients. I also know this from personal experience. Throughout my fight career, my challenge wasn’t just physical, and I can honestly say that fight losses were usually down to me letting my head take over. Yoga provides stillness and peace from those nagging thoughts and life stresses through breath control and focus on the self. Not thinking about anything else for that short space of time can lead to a profound sense of calm.
Anyone who knows my background, or me as a person, will know that I never do anything boring. I also never do anything easy. I love a challenge too much. I also thrive in learning new things.
My challenge is to bring this incredibly diverse range of movement, strength, flexibility and emotional well-being to all men. To show them the magic. To help them discover the strength and power within them and find some stillness of the mind. To look beyond the preconceptions and discover just how beneficial yoga can be.
You’ll be amazed at how powerful a room full of people being completely silent, except for the quiet sound of breathing, can be.
Don’t dismiss it until you’ve tried it! Don’t just take my word for it. See how yoga has helped my male clients through their testimonials.
For details of Strong Yoga classes – in person and via Zoom – click here.
