By Amy Stubblefield

On Monday night, yoga instructor Jessie Sandoval looked out at her men’s yoga class and saw only two faces.

Sandoval found the low attendance rate odd, considering that yoga is an ancient exercise which was once only practiced by men.

“Yoga was developed in India. It’s an Eastern philosophy which has been westernized,” Sandoval said.

With the westernization of yoga came its growth in popularity among women. Sandoval’s women’s yoga classes regularly draw full-capacity crowds, so apparently yoga is more popular among women than men at CSB/SJU.

Sandoval said the number of men at yoga is uncharacteristically low, dropping significantly from an initial 17 participants.

Masculinity Issues

So what is it about yoga that makes it less appealing to men?

“Yoga is not traditionally seen as a muscle building exercise — it’s not pumping iron,” said senior Greg Cooke, a regular attendee.

Cooke said that this stigma might be why men are less inclined to take advantage of the classes. Cooke doesn’t let yoga’s lack of macho appeal stop him from participating.
“It’s good for flexibility and for strength,” Cooke said. “It helps me because it is both meditative and physical,.”

Sophomore Kevin Springer has found that yoga benefits him in a similar way.
“It causes you to become more aware of your own body,” Springer said. “You have to move and stretch in ways you’re not required to in your daily life when you’re just sitting at a computer desk.”

Sandoval echoed these thoughts.

“Yoga teaches students to slow down and observe what’s around them,” Sandoval said. “It heightens our awareness of our bodies, because often times we’re not aware of how we’re treating them, or what we’re putting in them.”

Universal Appeal

Sandoval said that, while the turnout to men’s yoga classes at SJU may not be as large as women’s yoga, it is becoming more common among men as they realize its health benefits.
“You have to be open to other forms of exercise when you’re doing yoga,” Sandoval said. “With any exercise, you need flexibility within your muscles.”

Sandoval noted that many of the disciplines yoga teaches are not only useful while exercising, but also can be incorporated into students’ daily lives.

Sandoval said that yoga is a sensible method of working out for students for a number of reasons.

It requires no expensive equipment — all you really need is a yoga mat and enough room to move your body.

It also helps to relieve stress, which is a big plus when papers are piling up and finals are fast approaching.

Sandoval said that gender doesn’t make a big difference when it comes to doing yoga.
“It’s a personal journey for everyone,” Sandoval said.

“Taking an hour out of your busy schedule for yoga is well worth it,” she said. “Yoga invigorates the mind, allowing you to be that much more productive when you get back to studying.”

Filed under: News by Jordan Louwagie