Men and Yoga: (not) an impossibility
2/6/2026
Translation: machine translated
Do men really do yoga less often than women? An attempt at an approximation.
Unmanly, not a real sport, too esoteric: If you want to know why "real men" can't get into yoga, just check the internet. Relevant online forums are full of men who prefer to hit the gym rather than learn asanas.
I'm interested: Do men dislike yoga – or is a loud minority distorting the picture here?
Let's start with anatomy. Men's hips are narrower and stiffer than women's. Their bodies are more muscular and larger. None of these are ideal conditions for a sport that's all about flexibility and body control. The "sleeping pigeon" is a half split, and in the "bound revolving seated pose," you knot your arms and legs while twisting your spine 90 degrees. That might hurt some people just reading about it.
And it's not as if men don't try yoga. Every now and then, a man or two wanders into my yoga classes. Only to disappear again after a few sessions.
Why is that?
According to a study by Australia's Deakin University, men feel uncomfortable in yoga because they can't keep up with the women. They feel, well… clumsy. "They feel intimidated by the many super flexible, young women," while they themselves are barely able to "touch their own feet while standing," summarize the researchers from Down Under.
Do men-only classes solve the problem?
A Galaxus colleague, who remains unnamed for reasons, reports similar experiences. He quit a yoga class because he couldn't keep up with the asanas. "I don't like it when I don't know what to do and everything goes too fast. I'm supposed to go from downward dog to baby cobra and back to downward dog. While I'm still sorting my feet, the instructor is already somewhere else entirely," he confesses. He's interested in yoga and sees the benefits. Nevertheless, he wishes for an "offering specialized for men, their inflexibility, and lack of listening skills."
In short: a beginner's class just for men.
And he's not alone in this wish. The Australian researchers found that a men-only class can increase motivation. The study participants said a men-only group felt like "a safe space" where they trusted each other.
When I read that, I had to smile. That's exactly why I love going to my yoga class. The group has known each other for years; some of us have even been on vacation together. There's no competition, no envy. On the contrary: We laugh at ourselves when we fall over for the umpteenth time during a balance exercise and the person next to us is also wildly flailing their arms. In that sense, I can well understand why the men in the study value camaraderie.
Some yoga studios have recognized the need and now offer such classes. There are also tutorials on YouTube – by men for men. We at Galaxus even have yoga books specifically for men in our assortment.
A good thing, I think. Men officially have some catching up to do, as this Statista survey illustrates.
Yoga used to be a male domain
What initially seems like a cleverly exploited market niche is old wine in new bottles: Yoga, in its original form, was purely a men's sport. In India, women were long forbidden from practicing yoga. Only in the last hundred years has this prohibition loosened. A pioneer was Indra Devi, who learned yoga from Guru T. Krishnamacharya in India in the late 1930s and subsequently popularized it in the West. Perhaps that's why today's yoga is considered a "women's sport."
Yet concentration, balance, and body control are not just elements of yoga. They are also found in ancient Asian martial arts. And karate is certainly a "men's sport," isn't it? Just to use a cliché as a stylistic device.
Positive experiences as a booster
Back to the present. I inquire further in the editorial office and lo and behold: another colleague of mine (not the one who wants a men-only class) has had very positive yoga experiences. That spurred him on. He does specific asanas to stretch and wind down after football practice. He usually follows the guidance of fitness YouTuber Mady Morrison.
Another colleague practices yoga several times a week with his wife. Sometimes for more flexibility, sometimes more challenging poses. He also pays attention to his breathing.
Perhaps yoga for men only needs one thing: a space where (almost) no one is watching.
To the men in the community: What about you? Do you do yoga?
Anika Schulz
Teamleader Editorial
Anika.Schulz@galaxus.deAs a child, I was socialised with Mario Kart on SNES before ending up in journalism after graduating from high school. As a team leader at Galaxus, I'm responsible for news. I'm also a trekkie and an engineer.
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