Co-founders of the Massachusetts-based Broga yoga studio certainly thought so, touting their program as a “strong” and “energetic” class “where it’s okay if you can’t touch your toes.” Putting aside the fact that it’s okay in any yoga class if you can’t touch your toes, there is certainly some truth to the subtext here: stereotypically, yoga often isn’t exactly viewed as a hyper-masculine pursuit.I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, I find the name a little obnoxious and I don't like the idea that we have to call it something else or exclude a group of people just to get more people through the door. Can't we just work on breaking down the stereotype that yoga is only for women? Certainly all the male teachers and students already practicing must count for something. On the other hand, I'm excited about anything that gets more people to try yoga and if practicing with other men is what it takes for some guys to feel comfortable enough to start practicing, then I'm all for it! People have all different reasons for starting yoga and I'm sure some of them have to do with really great marketing.
What do you think? Do you think men need "broga" to start practicing? Or is this just a silly gimmick? Let us know your thoughts!
Of course it's a gimmick; However, that's not necessarily bad, since most great ideas started as gimmicks, just like most rules started as arbitrary decisions.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I can imagine that might dissuade a man from getting into a yoga class with women in it is that his masculinity is somehow threatened. How? Simply by not being able to manage the poses easily in front of all those women, both younger and older than he is, who have little or no problem with them. My response to that is:
"Grow up and get over it, dude. If you can't be in a class with mostly women, then you have problems that yoga can't solve."
Sometimes I do feel a bit isolated in my classes in which my fellow students are mostly women. Instead of seeing that as a problem, I take it as a challenge I can and will overcome. This is made easy by "being comfortable in my own skin", and realizing that I am there for myself, not to impress anyone.
My main problem with men-only classes, however, is that whenever a group of men get together, they inevitably move toward establishing a dominance hierarchy via competition. This is antithetical to what yoga is all about.
I find this kind of entertaining simply because the thought of all the women in class still intimidates me. I am not one of those naturally limber women and I have spent most of my life hanging with the guys--especially athletically. Maybe I need broga :)
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