Yoga for Men

Yoga for Wii...Perfect Together?

2009-01-15T06:20:00.000-08:00

My kids got the Wii for Christmas.
Santa brought it.
Sure, they say it's for the whole family, but does it really compare to 'real' exercise?

And can the Wii double as a trusted Yoga Guru?
Will we see the advent of "Yoga for Men and Wii Players?"

I wanted to right a lengthy article about Using the Wii to practice Yoga, but so many have already. Rather than try to write something meaningful without pirating already-discussed views, I thought I would instead give props to these already well-written articles.

That would be the Zen thing to do, right?

Wii Fit Yoga is a whole website/blog dedicated to Yoga on Wii!

Wii Healthy talks about Wii Fit here.

Let's Yoga on the DS, Wii Fit on the Wii and a comparison of the 2 here!

Wii WILL have a Yoga Wii soon, according to this article.

So read them all, and then go to www.Squidoo.com/YogaForMen and look for updates!

Everything you need for Yoga this year!

2008-12-22T11:58:00.000-08:00

Videos, supplements, mats, books....even materials for the Little Yogis in your house!
Wai Lana Yoga'>Wai Lana Yoga/a> has revamped their site so that you can find ANYTHING you need to make Yoga strong part of your lifestyle.

I'm not big on New Year's Resolutions...but being healthy and being conscience of how you carry yourself is so important and it transcends into everything you do and are. If you are going to make the effort to better your life this year, why not check into Wai Lana Yoga'>Wai Lana Yoga /a>and just see if there is anything that you need to make the cirlce complete.

BTW - not sure what happened to Diamond Dallas Page's yoga site, (DDPBang.com), but the site doesn't come up. I DID find a PDF about his foray into yoga that I wanted to share with you, but a funny thing happened...when I read it over to make sure it was 'site suitable' I found it laden with DDP's special brand of profanity! LOL! He didn't mean anything bad by it, but many of my yoga-colleagues keep their mind as pure as their body, so I decide to pass...

Also, for a quick-view at all things yoga, don't forget to check out the Yoga for Men Squidoo lens!

Basic Yoga Poses on a You Tube Channel!

2008-09-23T13:27:00.002-07:00

Are Basic Yoga Poses still not basic enough to learn by 'reading about'?

I understand completely. Reading it just doesn't show you WHERE exactly to put your hands, or HOW exactly to stand.

Pictures are good, but they only help so much. After all, it's too easy for the Yoga Guy to look at the picture and say 'OK, well how did you GET there?!'

That's why I'm pleased to share the You Tube Yoga channel from Yoga Kat!
Click on her various tutorials and learn the Basic Yoga Poses by WATCHING them.
Pause when necessary. Rewind when necessary.
Deep breath.
Repeat.

If this isn't the easiest way to learn Basic Yoga Positions, then I don't know what is.

We'll be sure to add this link to the Yoga for Men lens, too!

Basic Yoga Poses for Pigs an Men alike

2008-09-18T07:11:00.001-07:00

How often have you head that Men are Pigs? All the time, right?

Well, now you can master some Basic Yoga Poses AND relish in your piggedness.

Put down the chips, put away the soda....you know that Yoga for Men does not condone those unhealthy eating habits.

I mean the pig in you that stares at hot girls in short shorts. After all, that's why they don't let you in the Yoga studios anymore, right...? It's the only kind of piggy-ness we "Yoga for Men" types approve of.

Ok, all kidding aside, you need to check out the Yoga Pigs at Yoga Kat's "Circle of Peace" website. These cute Yoga Pig statues are positioned in some of the Basic Yoga Poses that you have been studying. They are a great reminder of how to assume the position...and of the fact that you cannot keep your mind out of the gutter.

I'm just saying...

Yoga Pigs are not toys. They are porcelain statues that look great an serve a higher purpose. Stop being a Pig and learn the Basic Yoga Poses so that you are welcomed back in the Yoga Studio with open arms. Then check out the Circle of Peace website and see the other tools that will bring you piece of mind and wholesomeness of body.

You Pig You....

Fitness for Golf

2008-09-07T11:28:00.000-07:00

Sure, it's hard enough to get my other 'male' friends to understand and appreciate why I pursue Yoga. Even though it's clearly "Yoga for Men", it still can be a hard sell.

But I understand. MANY of my friends play Golf, which I have little patience for.

HOWEVER, I have to admit that I was somewhat intrigued when I learned how physically fit...and powerful...Tiger Woods is. While I've heard conflicting reports over how much he can bench press, no one has ever debated his raw strength as well as his incredible concentration.

Many don't look at golfers as 'athletes'. I beg to differ.

That's why I wanted to share some information that appeals to both the Yoga for Men crowd and the Tiger Woods fan club. It's a program called Fitness for Golf.

The Fitness for Golf program used specific stretches, exercises and nutrition plans to make you the best golfer you can be, But golfing aside, the program will make you as healthy and fit as possible...so even if you are a CASUAL golfer, the program is still valuable.

Remember, not only does your body desire the training and nutrition to grow...it also is 'smart' and it builds endurance. This sounds 'good', but you have to remember that it ALSO means that over time your body 'anticipates' certain exercises and builds resistance to it.

So, if you've been an avid body builder, then the Basic Yoga Poses that Yoga for Men has presented so far will build new muscles by offering exercises you likely don't do often. Therefore, if you ARE familiar with Yoga for Men's Basic Yoga Poses (as well as advanced yoga poses...like Tantric Yoga) then the Fitness for Golf program will open NEW doors to fitness and accomplishment.

You can read some testimonials here.

So, if you are looking to both improve your cardio, physical strength and Golf Game, I encourage you to look at the Fitness for Golf program.

Namaste' and ...FORE!!!!!!!!!

Basic Yoga Positions and Tantric Yoga Positions

2008-09-04T11:57:00.000-07:00

I'm a big fan of Sting and the Police...that's how I first leaned about Tantric Yoga Positions.
Sure, there were all kinds of stories and rumours about what positive effects Tantric Yoga had on Sting's love making...

..rumours he ultimately dismissed as exaggerated.

But let's get to know Tantric Yoga and the Tantric Yoga positions, because many of them can fall into the category of Basic Yoga Positions.

According to ABC of Yoga, Tantric Yoga "pertains to concentrating on expanding one’s energy in order to achieve the goals of tantra."

OK, that may strike you as vague...but you can read the entire definition and article here.

In fact, the 'men' who read Yoga for Men may dismiss the entire idea of spiritualism an the etherworld and just concentrate on what these poses will do for your Sex Life. In fact, an article written on the Practicing Yoga website kicks off with this: "Tantric yoga positions quite often conjure up thoughts of sex positions..." The whole article is here. (But in fairness to both you and the website, it goes to explain that Tantric Yoga Positions are NOT strictly about sex and erotica. Sorry!)

(I have to give props to Practicing Yoga because they, too, have an article called Yoga For Men!)

In all, Tantric Yoga works on both your flexibility and your endurance. So while it's focus is NOT directly pertaining to sex, you can see where and how it will help!

Because most teachers of Tantric Yoga want to reiterate the history and spirituality of the art, it was very difficult to find an easy-to-follow page of visual 'examples' of the poses. (At least, not as easy to follow as my previous Basic Yoga Poses post). However, I found this article that explains some basic Tantric Poses for you. It comes from the TantricYogaTechniques.com website.

So, men, as you build your muscles and strengthen your backs and arms and abs...don't be afraid to look around a little and get to know the different TYPES of Yoga and how they can help you to grow, both physically and spiritually.

Who knows? Maybe she'll even thank you....

Basic Yoga Poses - the Sun Salutation

2008-08-26T11:17:00.000-07:00

In my last post, we talked about some of the Basic Yoga Poses that you can do, just to get yourself aware of what yoga feels like and what some of the core positions are.

Yoga (for men!) is like Karate and other martial arts. You need to master the basics so that you can move forward and advance to the more advanced. Knowing the basics builds mental and physical strength, and as you add more poses/steps/actions you get more out of the exercise.

But you always mind the basics.

One of the basic yoga poses was the Sun Salutation.
I found a GREAT example of the 'basic' Sun Salutation here.
It shows, in pictures, the core steps of the Sun Salutation...and explains each one clearly.
Once you get the hang of it you can extend the stretches, widen them, hold them longer, etc.

That's the nice thing about Yoga (Yoga for Men and otherwise). If you do even the basic yoga poses correctly you gain tone, endurance and flexibility. As you increase the level of difficulty, you open your body to higher levels of both physical attribute (Strength, flexibility, etc) as well as higher conscienceness and better health.

(A note about better health - this isn't some quacky holistic jargon I'm feeding you. Yoga opens up the body to better blood flow and deeper breathing. Your body needs this, and the more of it you get, the healthier you become.)

So, don't look at the Sun Salutation as just another morning jog. It's an exercises that does more than 'tones your legs' or 'tightens the abs'. The deep breathing and full, gradual stretches open the body up so that you go into your day aware and prepared.

That's a heck of a lot better than relying on a cold shower and a strong cup of coffee to get you going!

Enjoy learning the Sun Salutation and use these basic yoga poses to gradually get your body and mind in shape and on top of the world!

Basic Yoga Poses

2008-08-18T08:33:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share some Basic Yoga Poses. Nobody wants to show up for their first Yoga class knowing nothing. You stand there looking around at everyone stretching and you think “Uh oh. What am I doing here?”

So here are some very Basic Yoga poses so that when you make your foray into Yoga for Men you aren’t completely in the dark.

Most workouts start with the Sun Salutation…but this is a collection of positions and since we are talking ‘pure beginner’ here we’ll address that in a future article.

How about the Tree Pose? While standing, place the bottom your right foot against the inner thigh of your left leg. See how long you can hold the position. It’s simply a matter of balance and concentration. Now switch legs and do it again.

Often, the act of standing straight is the Mountain Pose. The most Basic Yoga Pose of them all!
Stand straight with your feet together. Your arms may remain at your sides Press the feet flat against the floor and visualize yourself lifting upward. Gradually lift your arms over your head until your palms are touching. Equally distribute your body weight. Breathe deeply and impose your best posture. Open up your spine and allow blood, oxygen and positive energy to flow through.

Now, as long as you are in this position…s-l-o-w-l-y bend at your waist, keeping your legs planted and your arms out. Bend as far forward as you can…SLOWLY!...and bring your arms down so that you can touch your toes.

Often, those new to yoga cannot touch their toes, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of. Your body needs to be used to the flexibility you are going to teach it. How far CAN you reach? Can you touch your ankles? Your shins?

I’ve found that in short time (a week or so, depending on what other exercises you do) you’ll be able to touch your toes…just let your body get used to the gradual art of stretching.

(Quick note – Mountain Pose into Toe Touching…these Basic Yoga Poses are the first 3 steps of the Sun Salutation. We’ll do more in a later post).

Do the Mountain Pose again.
Now, we’ll try Padahastasana…the Basic Leg Clasp.
Spread your feet about 18” apart.
Put your arms out at your side.
Now, slowly bend and twist at the torso. You want to touch your right calf with your left hand. Keep your Right arm extended…and pointing up at the sky. Your head is turned so that you are looking up at the sky as well.
Hold the pose for a 5 count. Feel the energy moving through your legs.
Slowly Rise back to the Mountain pose.
Repeat on the other side, so that your Right Hand is clasping your Left calf, and your Left arm is pointed facing the sky.

If you are looking at Yoga for Men for the ‘meditation’ side of yoga as well as the strength building, learn the Lotus Position. This basic “sitting with legs crossed” position has the added effort of being the heels of your feet as close to your abdomen as possible. Remember to keep your back completely straight. Almost all yoga poses were designed to keep your posture perfect so that you can maximize the blood, oxygen and energy flowing through your spine.

Now, as long as you are sitting, relax your les and sit with them out straight.
Reach both of your arms out…bend your head down like you are looking at your legs…and s-l-o-w-l-y reach forward in an effort to touch your toes. Lean forward, from the waist, as far as you can. Touch your toes or ankles and hold the position for a 5 count…letting your spine stretch.

Now, it’s time for Savasana…the relaxation post.
Lay back, completely level with the ground.
Your palms upward to the sky and your legs about 12” apart from each other.
Breathe deeply and slowly.
Feel the energy around you. Feel it flow upward…from your feet to your thighs…to your stomach.
Be aware of your breathing. Be one with it...
Relax.
Empty your mind and be conscience of how your breathing bring in nutrients and exhales bad energy...
Relax.

You have done some very Basic Yoga Poses.

Come back tomorrow…

Dallas Page and Yoga for Regular Guys

2008-07-15T14:25:00.000-07:00

Diamond Dallas Page started out promoting night clubs...then he got involved with Pro Wrestling...today he is the founder and teacher behind Yoga for Regular Guys.

Yoga for Men loves DDP's program because Page was a muscular big mouth who wanted no part of Yoga at all until he discovered it's strengths and it's benefits. After embracing Yoga, he designed a system that would work for athletic men and beginners alike...all who may have an aversion to Yoga but could be quick to learn why it worked for him.

Page has a very thorough, very interactive website that you can see here. You start with the basic theories and the basic yoga poses, and gradually build your strength and endurance.

You can find Page's book on Yoga here.

Page, along with other men who make Yoga accessible for skeptical men, is thumbnailed at Yoga For Men on Squidoo.

Bottom line - -Yoga isn't just for women or granola lovers. You can be manly and muscular and still benefit from it's lessons and excercises.

Check out Dallas Page's website, and then get his book.
You won't be sorry.

Yoga for Men and the Energy Muse

2008-07-14T18:47:00.000-07:00

You work out hard. You eat right. You think good thoughts.

You're of sound body and sound mind.

Right?

What about your jewelry?

Sure, it sounds nutty, but are you aware that certain crystals offer wisdom and healing properties of crystals? Let me show you Men's Jewelry that serves as a tool to help you tap into your inner power.

This jewelry is brought to you by Energy Muse.

Think it's all bunk?
What about the athletes and celebrities that sport such jewelry?

Phil Jackson, David Beckham, Seal, Josh Kelly, Jeremy Piven, Drew Fuller, Usher, Dee Snider and Duff McKeagen...amonst others...all sport the Energy Muse crystals around their neck.

Some for protection, some for performance, some for prosperity...but whatever the reason, they know that Energy Muse crystals are the 'clincher'.

You consciencely work on your body in the gym and your mind in your work.
Ensure that you are protected when you're NOT thinking about it.

Brought to you by Yoga For Men at Squidoo

Yoga Men - Create Your Own Energy Drinks

2008-05-22T07:11:00.000-07:00

Energy Drinks have become so popular, that they make up almost 15 percent of the beverage market currently.

After a serious work out and a mind-cleansing meditation, you're probably going to be craving one yourself.

But which one? And do you really know or trust what is in that bottle you're buying?
Are you getting too much sugar? Too many chemicals?
Something just barely passing as Ice Water? (Or TAP water!)

Our recommendation is to make your own energy drink using the SodaClub machine.

Generate your own energy with a Soda-Club Energy Machine! Why pay up to $2 for energy drinks from the store when you can make it yourself, in seconds, starting at just 25 cents per serving? You control the intensity. Extreme flavor. Extreme savings.

You read it right. Instead of paying up to $2 a bottle for an energy drink from the corner store, you can make one yourself...in seconds!...for roughly 25 cents per serving? And if one bottle of concentrated Energy Drink sodamix makes 50 8-oz. servings, then even if you drink 3 a day you're good for almost 3 weeks!

I personally like the idea that you can make it to the 'flavor' and 'fizziness' that you desire. From a seltzer base to a dulled 'Red Bull' style of fizz...you can get something that tastes exactly what you are craving!

Create your own energy drink and generate your own energy! Contains Vitamins B6 and B12 and Vitamin C!

So work out hard...work out smart...and be smart about what you ingest.
Control the chemicals and nutrients you put into your body by making your own energy drink, and save a ton of money along the way!

You are not Ready for the Laughing Buddha

2008-03-31T07:50:00.001-07:00

Buddha - the enlightened bringer of prosperity and calm.

Pewter - a metal allow, consisting of tin and copper, used to forge decorative items.

So a pewter Buddha should be all I need to make my journey into prosperity, health, calm and enlightenment.

But the Bravisa Gold Trimmed Pewter Laughing Buddha has exceeded my reach. It's greatness does not fall in with my budget.

Is this not a paradox?

Shouldn't I be forsaking my budget to achieve my Buddha?

And if I am worrying about my Buddha, does that mean that I need it MORE than I thought?

And is trimming the Buddha in gold sacrilege? In fact, is this or is this not a False God?

But on the other hand, isn't the Gold Trimmed Petwer Laughing Buddha laughing because he KNOWS that these questions will be asked...and their answers will never reach a meaningful conclusion?

In fact, is he not laughing becasue he KNOWS too much thought is going into the attaining of this wonderful 5" x 4" statue?

Has Yoga for Men enlightened me....or only led me FURTHER into the darkness called 'choices'?

AH! Gold Trimmed Pewter Buddha! You tooy with my Kharma! My very EXISTENCE is now in question! Should I persue the Buddha, the Budget or Both?!?!?!

Brought to you by www.Squidoo.com/YogaForMen

Back Strength and Lumbar Support

2008-03-03T14:22:00.000-08:00

What a lot of men do not realize is the importance of a healthy spine.

Sure, you look old and funny if you are walking around bent over like Igor...

But more importantly, the spine does more than just stand you up straight. Neuros/pain sensors, oxygen and blood all flow through the spine as it makes it way through the rest of your body.

Have you ever caught yourself sitting 'stooped over' after a period of time? and when you straighten yourself out, aren't you amazed by how good you feel? (In fact, I'm often ALARMED at just how hunched over I was!)

By keeping your posture strong and your spine healthy, blood and oxygen moves more easily through the body.

This is one of the BIGGEST principles of Yoga! Even the most Basic Yoga poses enhance stretching, reaching, flexibility and holisitc health.

No, you do not need blood thinners and diet supplements. You need to keep your entire body healthy and strong.

Outside of being conscience about your posture, there are many inexpensive, easy to use tools for ensuring a strong, healthy spine. Click to see the unit that Bravisa/Defmall offers .

In all, you need to do more than build a 'strong' spine. You need to build a healthy and flexible spine. It's good for more than just your back. It's good for your life!

Brought to you by our friends at Yoga For Men

Yoga for Men and All Natural Products

2008-01-25T07:58:00.000-08:00

Some of us pursue Yoga for Men becasue we want to be stronger and healthier.

Some of us do it for the Peace of Mind.

Many of us stop at the actual excercises. The things we do to break a sweat, or conversely, to calm our universe.

Not many of us 'real men' give 'real thought' to the tools that go into doing Yoga. The Yoga Mats and the propper clothing.

I mention this because I had a conversation recently with the owner of White Lotus Home. They manufacture all natural mattresses and pillows. He has expanded his line into Yoga Mats, Neck Rolls and Zafu.

When we got onto the topic, he explained that if people are concerned about what they ingest and what they wear...from an ecological and environmental standpoint...then certainly die hard Yoga fans could appreciate the need for these all natural solutions.

To a point, this makes sense. Maybe those of us who only see Yoga as 'excercise' won't care about what their sweatpants are made of...but those who see Yoga as a 'practice' knw it's a 'lifestyle'. And while you are clensing your mind and your body, you may as well surround yourself with items that promote this practice.

White Lotus sells their all natural Yoga and Meditation products here.

(the line is small...but growing).

If 'all natural' isn't an issue with you, you can go to our frineds at Yogi Direct, by clicking here.

The Yoga for Men Squidoo lens is constantly being updated, and can be found here: www.Squidoo.com/YogaForMen

The Yoga Guy and Origami

2007-11-28T06:20:00.000-08:00

You have stretched and you have strained.

As your body develops into a stronger and more flexible machine, what of your mind? Are you more self aware? Are you more creative?

Yoga works on the 'inside' as well as the 'outside'.

That's why I wanted to talk up Simple Origami.

My friend Chris has written that "The art of origami helps you balance your physical and mental relationship."

You might already know that your left side of your body is controlled by the right hand side of your brain and vice versa. Each side of your brain is responsible for different tasks that your body does.

This is relevant because when you apply yourself to following an origami design, using folds and creases to construct that pattern you use both sides of your brain! As you focus on solving the design by folding your square piece of paper. You are channeling your energy in to that mini project and being consumed with a desire to complete the simple origami pattern.

Follow?

Let me direct you to Chris' website. He spells out the Simple Origami thing really well here.

It's going to appear on the Yoga for Men lens, here.

What to Wear After Yoga

2007-11-26T12:23:00.000-08:00

You have stretched, you have reached you have opened up your mind and body and soul.

You are exhausted, and yet you feel...good!
Like a light has gone on inside of you, and/or a clensing breeze has passed.

Maybe, sometimes, that light and that breeze blow away some of the 'crust'.
You know, the part of you that needs to be 'serious'. 'Focused'. An 'Adult'.

With that crust removed, maybe you'll be prone to seeing things less serously.
Maybe you'll embrace the music inside of you. The humor. The soul.

That's why Wunjo 'is'.

Wunjo (woon·jo) 1. to illuminate. 2. to experience the joy of conscious, creative living.

Wunjo Wear was born out of the desire to merge style, substance, and self-expression. Life in all its forms, colors, and energies is our inspiration.

They believe that the threads we wear ought to reflect this 'awakening' that often occurs after the yoga has become a part of your daily routine and your body begins to respond.

Has the Yoga you've done this week opened up someting inside of you?
Are you feeling creative? Expressive?
Do you feel like some of the crust has blown off, and you'd like to express yourself a little?

Check out Wunjo Wear.

Naked Yoga for Men in Texas. WHY?!?!

2007-11-20T13:02:00.000-08:00

OK, let me take a second to say that I have no problem with homosexual men 'per se'.
But I ran in to a quandry earlier today and I feel the need to 'air it out' here. And I think Texans need to know about it, too!

I went onto to Google to see what other facts and figures about Yoga for Men I could share with you. I get 4 or 5 entries down the page, and there it is: Dallas Naked Yoga for Men. And I'm, like , NO WAY!!!! BLEAUGHGH!

It's hard enough, as a guy, to be taken seriously for doing yoga.
All I need is the world to think I do NAKED Men's Yoga and I am finished.

BUT WAIT...!

4 searches down FURTHER: Austin Naked Yoga.
Yeah, go on. Click the link. You are NOT going to see Pam Anderson and Claudia Schiffer in any sexy poses....

Remember the movie "Officer and a Gentleman"? The Marine drill seargent tells a new recruit "Texas? Nuthin' but Queers and Steers in Texas!"

I never, ever, ever, ever associated Texas with queers OR steers. In fact, I thought most cattle was raised in Oklahoma. Shows you what I know.

The bottom line is, that here I am pushing Yoga as a difficult and serious work out practice for men...and Google is listing Yoga for Men as a high ranking listing for alternative lifestyles.

I had no idea...

Nevertheless, I am undeterred. Perhaps my friends wil not take me seriously, but I know what I know. And what I know is that yoga kicks butt. YOUR butt, tough guy.

Check out Progressive Power Yoga. Only a real man would use 'Power' and 'Yoga' in the same sentence.

How about Sonic Yoga. Sonic Boom, Sonic Yoga.
Manly, right? Like "I'm a superhero and I'll crush you right after I do this VERY difficult Yoga pose!"

Lastly, there's the "Flexible Warrior" DVD collection of work out videos.
You can't use 'Warrior' in a title unless it kicks butt.
Doesn't matter how Flexible you are, if you are a 'warrior' that's a different story.

So people, my point is this:
I AM in favor of Men doing Yoga.

I am NOT in favor of men doing yoga naked.

I AM in favor of you going to the Yoga for Men lens and learning more about the manly art of Yoga.

I am NOT in favor of going to Texas to find groups of Naked Men doing Yoga.

But that's just me....

Yoga For Men...all kinds of Men

2007-11-19T07:42:00.001-08:00

Real men really DO do Yoga, and the book above was written to prove it. 21 star athletes (copyright 2003, mind you) discuss how yoga improved their strength, fitness and flexibility.
If this isn't proof enough that you can be a 'real man' and a yoga lover, then nothing will convince you!

OK, well...perhaps you are ALREADY convinced and you want to get up to speed all KINDS of ways to add serentity, peace and comfort to your life? Find Bliss is a website dedicated to sharing music downloads, books, recipies, lifestyle advice and more! It's the all-in-one solution to getting in touch with your quiet, happy side!

Maybe you are right in the middle? No longer a gun totiing, steak eating 'real man' but not quite ready for the life of total serentity? Find links to the Yoga sites that YOU want to visit all compiled at Yoga for Men

Yoga...a little something for everyone!

See the Yoga, Be the Yoga

2007-11-15T08:06:00.000-08:00

I'm a 'visual' guy. I like to be shown how to do something, and then I go and do it.

As much a I enjoy reading, I don't like textbooks, or things that read like instructional manuals. I want to see it...step by step...so I know if I am doing it right. (You ever assemble something using text-based directions, and you don't figure out that it's wrong until it's 95% put together? Stinks, right?)

Ok, why am I sharing this personal information with you?

Becasue I recently discovered a website called MyYogaOnline.

The website is a collection of Yoga videos.
Yoga in the Office
Basic Yoga Positions
Yoga for Beginners
Meditation
etc.

It provides chakra charts and downloadable audio, as well as other text-based information (like a handful of blogs based on yoga-specific subjects).

This is a great site to see yoga postures 'in action' as you learn them.

Whethr you are learning the most basic yoga postions, or are ready to transcend into tantric yoga positions and beyond, I invite you to visit MyYogaOnline and check out these valuable resources.

Real Men, Yoga and Children

2007-11-14T17:42:00.000-08:00

So, real men now can do yoga and still be 'real men'.

Let me tell you what I did, Yoga-wise, that PROVED I'm a real man:
I invited by 8 year old daughter to join me.

I love my little girl. We have a lot in common. She's a feminine little princess that likes to watch Football with me. She also likes to play princesses and dance to You Tube videos.

I love her so much taht it pains me when things are less than perfect for her.
While she's involvved with Soccer and Dance, she still is having a hard time geting rid of the baby chub. She's not terribly 'limber', either. Couple this with the fact that despite (finally) having her toncills and adnoids removed, she still strugglges with coughing and throat clearing. (I won't bore you with all the details in this post, but so far it's not allergies and it's not asthma)

So, the thought occured to me...why doon't we do yoga together?
The worst that can happen is that she doesn't like it and refuses to do it.
The best that can happen is she becomes more limber, and brethes more easily.

I'd love to be able to tell you that it was an overnight success, but let's be reasonable.
Most 'great ideas' take a while to be 'proven'.
Today was our first day, and while she has joined me in past Yoga attempts, she (and I) had to re-learn a little.

Occassionally, I'll share withyou an update.
I don't want to bore you with the family album...but I plan to have great results to share over time.

Power Yoga - The history, no mystery

2007-11-13T19:34:00.000-08:00

"Power Yoga". I like it. Sounds manly.

Mark Blanchard's purist and progressive "Power Yoga" class is for the 'real man'. No props. Nothing trendy. Nothing glamorous. It's designed to be straightforward, healthy and well balanced.

I don't know Mark. I've never met him. But his website gives a history of what has evolved into Power Yoga, and you can read about it here.

The website also gives you visibilty to his blog, access to his newsletter, and dates for his classes.

Go on. You're a real man. Check it out...

The First Book Yoga Men Need

2007-11-12T07:25:00.000-08:00

When I made my mind up that I was going to start doing yoga, I wanted to find a book or two on the subject. I needed to learn the Basic Yoga Poses, but I didn't want to learn it from a 'girly' source. I wanted something written for 'men'.

There were plenty of 'yoga for everyone' titles and even a 'yoga for dummies' I believe...but I really wanted something that said 'here's a Yoga book for beginners that was written for the man. Yes, YOU, sir. Here I am . Read me and become healthy.'

In true 'man' fashion, these basic Yoga Positions are named after something 'business' related, so the Sun Salutation is called the 'Opening Bell' and the BackBridge is called 'Beinding over Backwards for your Customers.

In true Yoga fashion, Bruce speaks slowly and clearly, and there is acoustic guitar playing in the background...but you can only 'man up' Yoga so much. To do Yoga properly, you need to be relaxed and you need to stretch yourself and you need to be calm. You can't take a deep breath and "power lift" yor way into the positions.

(What a lot of people don't realize is that the stretches and contortions attributed to Yoga are designed to let more oxygen into your body and to allow your back to 'open up' and allow blood to flow more freely. This gives you a much healthier body, but doesn't take away from your raw strength.)

You'll notice the image of the book cover has that Amazon.com "Search Inside!" logo. I pulled the image from there so I could share the link with you, too. I am not selling my copy and I don't make a nickel if you decide to buy one. But I think very highly of the book/program and you can read more about it here.

Namaste'...

The Yoga for Men lens

2007-11-11T19:02:00.000-08:00

A lens is a collection of web links and other facts all related to each other. Like a collection of facts about a given subject.

While the Yoga for Men blog strives to cover one 'point' a day, the Yoga for Men lens is an ever growing, work in progress. Like a library of Yoga-for-Men stuff.

You can see it's debut here, and you should always feel free to comment the blog with suggestions of what to add.

Namaste!

2007-11-11T18:43:00.001-08:00

I used to think that Yoga was for very flexible, skinny women who ate granola and lit incense.

I may not be 100% wrong, but I never gave thought to the number of men who do yoga.

Not granola-eating, incense-lighting men. I mean fit, health conscience men who care about thier physical and mental health.

I discovered yoga when I was in a place in my life where not only did I want more 'working out' time (I couldn't afford the gym) and I wanted a healthier lifestyle. I wanted to feel good about what I ate, how I breathed and how I 'thought'.

There are many, many blogs and websites about Yoga. Of them, there is a subsection that deals with "Yoga for Men'. (I say this because, as an example, there are yoga websites, principles and diets for pregnant women.)

My goal is to scan the universe of yoga blogs and websites, and then combine the information with my own experiences so that other men doing or considering yoga can be better informed, and hopefully a little entertained.

Yoga allows you to open your mind, your heart and your soul so that you are healthier and more able to appreciate your surroundings. You don't neccessarily need incense or candles or green tea...but you can make those decisions for yourself.