Rick Hamister had heard all the talk about yoga being only for women. But he’d seen his son’s soccer team incorporate it into their post-game routine, so he knew there were some benefits. On the advice of his good friend, Steve Bell, Hamister made the leap into practicing yoga two years ago. He hasn’t looked back.
“I always thought yoga was a woman’s slow moving stretching class; not for guys,” explained Hamister, a vice president with Key Private Bank. “I had no idea how physical and mental the practice could be, and I get as much from the mental side, especially the breathing techniques. I have strengthened my core because of yoga, and feel good the entire day after a hard 6 a.m. practice.”
While women still account for 72 percent of yoga practitioners, the number of men taking part continues to rise rapidly. The 2016 Yoga in America Study conducted by Yoga Journal and Yoga Alliance reported that 10 million men attended a yoga class last year, as compared to the four million that took part in 2012.
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Those stats are also reflected locally: Steve Procknal is an instructor at Power Yoga Buffalo, and he’s noticed a definite increase in male participation at his classes.
“It really has changed a lot. I regularly teach classes that are about one-third men, but I’ve also had classes where it’s been 50 percent men in a room of 30 people,” said Procknal. “Men are now using the morning classes as part of their regular daily routine.”
Procknal stresses that the benefits won’t happen overnight, but men will see a definite change if they stick with it.
“Initially, the physical aspect comes into play because the style of yoga we teach will make you stronger, aiding things like your back and hamstrings. For the stress reduction as well, it just really works for men on many levels.”
Encouraging his friend to get involved in yoga was a no-brainer for Bell, who has seen a dramatic change in his quality of life since he started attending classes at Power Yoga Buffalo more than five years ago. A senior vice president at Eric Mower + Associates, Bell practices Baptiste Vinyasa Yoga two to three times each week. (This style of yoga combines elements of classical yoga, Ashtanga, Iynegar and Bikram yoga to build a practice that brings personal transformation in body, mind and soul.)
In addition to yoga, Bell also cycles, swims, plays squash and has completed two marathons. (Not bad for a guy in his 60s.)
“It takes five to seven classes to adjust to the heat and the demands of the practice,” Bell explained. “But the benefits are core strength, improved flexibility, better balance, and, something that I think might be rare, especially for some guys — the lack of competition in a nonetheless physically challenging workout.”
Even in the dead of a cold Buffalo winter, there’s nothing more exhilarating for Bell then getting into the yoga studio for an early morning class.
“You’ll never see a happier group of people at 5:45 a.m. on a Tuesday morning in February than the 25-30 people in [Steve Procknal’s] class on Elmwood. The combination of working out the body at the same time you exercise the spirit is a priceless combination. And, I want to emphasize that it’s for anyone. It’s not exclusive, it’s not elitist, it’s not impossible. It’s just the opposite.”
Defining yoga
Power Yoga incorporates various fitness techniques, strength building and heat into a comprehensive workout for both your mind and body. It’s a more athletic and intensive style of yoga that challenges the user on a number of different levels, with most classes being one hour in duration.
Other popular forms of yoga include:
Restorative Yoga: A more relaxing approach to yoga using just a few different poses to help improve range of motion and joint mobility.
Stretch Yoga: Gentle poses and postures that promote stretching, strength and relaxation.
Functional Flow: A movement-based class also used to strengthen and elongate the body, often incorporating items such as light weights, blocks and stretching bands.
Here are some of the more popular yoga studios in Western New York. Check their websites for class schedules, descriptions and pricing:
- Power Yoga Buffalo: Buffalo, Orchard Park, East Aurora, Snyder
- East Meets West Yoga: Buffalo and Williamsville
- Evolation Yoga: Buffalo
- Healing Waters: East Aurora
- Mind Body Flow Yoga: Amherst
- Shine Yoga: Hamburg
- DharmaDog Yoga: Orchard Park
- YMCA Buffalo Niagara: Multiple locations
