CAN a person imagine a straight, buff guyin all machismo splendorholding the Adho Mukha Svanasana pose during a yoga session?

Women are naturally more flexible than menof course there are always exceptions. But studies have found that women do indeed have more flexibility in their hips and elbows than the average man, shares certified yoga instructor Jenifer Rodriguez Martinez.

So men and yoga doesnt sound like a good mix. Why bother?

Actually, yoga benefits men a lot, especially in sports, the instructor states.

With sports like tennis, soccer, golf, basketball and running, you tend to utilize only 10 to 15 percent of the body. Whereas yoga provides a workout that covers every muscle, joint and organ. You work every system: cardiovascular, skeletal, muscular and endocrine.

Jenifer is the studio director of YogaHub Studio located at the Banilad Town Centre, Cebu City. She says that there are a lot of different kinds of yoga and enumerates a few: Power yoga, Yin yoga, Vinyasa yoga, Ashtanga yoga, Hatha yoga and Kundalini yoga.

Sure theres been debate about the morality and spiritual aspects of yoga since its a practice stemming from new age movement, but it helps for one to be informed by doing a little research and ultimately knowing what one is getting into.

Jenifer teaches Power and Vinsaya yoga. We (in the studio) are more on the Asana based kind of Yoga (meaning body postures) and not more on the spiritual, chanting side. Our studio promotes more on health and wellness.

Just recently, a campaign for getting men to do yoga was launched by YogaHub. Simply dubbed, Real Men Do Yoga, a few men have already enrolled in the program to reap the benefits of a good stretch.

Just to make it clear, I dont do yoga to meet girls. Thats the most common misconception when it comes to guys doing yogameeting girls. Those are just one of the many benefits of doing yoga though, Karl Antonius de Pio shares not without a few laughs.

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