Topics: exercise, gender, yoga

GIVE a man a dumbbell and he'll heave until his biceps bulge, but give him a yoga mat and watch him squirm.

A common misconception by the male species is that yoga is too easy, doesn't do anything and is just for girls.

Voyage Fitness club manager Jaron Cumerford was the first to admit this was entirely false and simply a cover-up for the real reason blokes usually opted out of a yoga class.

"For most guys, it's because the girls will be better at it than them so the main thing is intimidation," Mr Cumerford said.

He said it was the smart guys who participated in a yoga class or two each week.

"The guys that are training and want to become a weapon do yoga," he said.

He said those who were serious about their training would often do yoga as a recovery session because it could be as intense or as controlled as desired.

"It's not like a dance class - you go at your own pace and to your own ability," Mr Cumerford said.

"Yoga really is great for guys, especially if they play footy or other sport because it makes you more stable on the ground and improves flexibility so if you have to go for a big jump in footy, you can land a lot sturdier and can go higher."

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Yoga ideal for agility, bodies like 'weapons'