Do you do yoga or pilates?

1. 61

   mythicalstorm273posted 13 years ago

   Do you do yoga or pilates?
   
   Even if you do not do yoga or pilates I hope you answer this.  Why or why not? How do you do it if you do? Which do you prefer? Do you believe that it is not masculine for men to do yoga or pilates?

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2. 83

   wychicposted 13 years ago

   I do both, and for the most part I prefer yoga. It really all depends on my body's needs on a given day, though -- I have chronic sciatica on my left side and usually yoga does wonders for it, but sometimes Pilates or a combination seems to do a lot better. Yoga is great to stretch it, but I find that I really have to do it daily or the pain comes back. With yoga -- completely pain-free, and I tend to be much more alert throughout the day than when I don't exercise.
   
   As for men doing yoga -- no, it's not un-manly! In fact, I do attend yoga classes twice a week, and there are a number of male athletes, and a number of 40+ men who attend regularly. The athletes all say that they have not been injured since they started yoga, and one is recovering from a knee injury. Most of the older men are there either to stay nimble as they age, or because their doctors suggested it as an alternative to drugs for chronic pain. One of my favorite instructors is also male, and historically there has been no gender bias -- I'm really not sure why it's perceived as more feminine now.

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3. 75

   EuroCafeAuLaitposted 13 years ago

   Well, neither   I swim, walk and bicycle, and do 5 Tibetan back exercises which I wrote a Hub about recently.  They start from the neck down and stretch the entire spine - lasting about 15 minutes in total.  They make me stand up taller, feel more graceful and flexible, which goes to say that they make me feel a lot better.

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4. 59

   ambassadornchainsposted 13 years ago

   I used to do yoga much more often than I do now.  I started doing yoga to help with my back pain - it is a very relaxing exercise.  There are SO many benefits, both mental and physical, that it is pretty ridiculous NOT to if you're interested in an exercise.  I love it because I have terrible joints and this is a great exercise that is easy on the joints while increasing flexibility, balance, relieving anxiety/stress...I could go on with the list of benefits, but it is almost unending! I LOVE yoga!

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5. 0

   HERBERT ubaldoposted 13 years ago

   Yoga, is good for the health and for the mind. More men do YOGA and it is really masculine.

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6. 66

   Pinkchic18posted 13 years ago

   I do both yoga and pilates. I prefer yoga for a good stretch and muscle burn, plus relaxation. Pilates for me is more muscle/core building and is more work. Both are great though, I enjoy them both.

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7. 62

   TKirTigsposted 11 years ago

   I do yoga and have done pilates and enjoy them. I enjoy yoga more do to the whole body workout on top of a mental and spiritual workout. Pilates is great to strength the body and get into the nitty gritty of the body and the muscles we do not use. I feel yoga has the same value of pilates but it brings a more integration of alignment to the physical exercise pilates. Pilates in the end is a fast pace yoga vinyasa for advanced students. And I believe no exercise, sport or physical activity is either masculine or feminine. So no one should feel less of a man or woman for participating in anything that betters themselves!

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