Yoga and male culture

[Trek420]

No. The class came out of a discussion/celebration that in a very male field here's my Sensei with her own dojo, a world reputation for some 25 years. Then she felt some new students might feel intimidated by a mixed class (they don't). Plus someone was writing a paper about women in MA, so voila! A women's class formed. And now this once weekly class has been ongoing for almost 2 years.

Women quickly find the men-folk while obviously bigger in most cases, are very supportive and work on equal footing with all here. I can only think of 2 guys over the years who could not deal with training with, which sometimes means being thrown by women.

They didn't last long

They quickly realize that attitude is not tolerated and they'd be happier elsewhere.

Some might prefer to train with women, it's never mattered to me. It's different, not better or worse. It is good to see each technique mirrored by athletes with bodies more similar to mine. Sometimes hard to visualize in my body "Scott did this technique, he's 6'5"+, how's that possible for me? " But I enjoy that challenge.

In class I'm just one a' the guys. Nothing less is expected of me and nothing more than my best. Aikido is about connection, and the more variation more better. To practice same technique with partners of different size, attitude, experience or even the same person in different moods helps to learn to find the connection, blending, throwing then being thrown across the room

It's not self defense, and that's not why I train. I would not want an all-women's school because I'm not likely to be attacked by another woman. I hope to never ever "use it" but if so like the idea of seeing some huge guy and thinking "well, ok, he's about ____'s size, I can deal with him. I've pinned bigger, I can do this"

But I have enjoyed workshops, individual all women classes. I always come back to and enjoy being in a mixed school. Oh, and we have Yoga too, both men and women participate in that.

The only thing that is very different in the women's class .... after class we have tea and cookies

[smurfalicious]

Heh, one of the guys I work with is totally into yoga. No one gives him crap but then again this is Boulder, and I do work at a natural pet store. I tried yoga once, it was a heated Hatha class in the dead of winter. Loved it, but I have a hard time fitting "scheduled" things into my life. I think there are a lot of guys who do yoga around here, I see them carrying around mats all the time.