026: Making fitness-focused yoga for men (the MFY story, the 3 big differences from traditional yoga, & more)
The Better Man Podcast
Yoga Workouts
"There were just so many aspects of my fitness that I wasn't covering with my other, you know, more traditional workouts," she says. "I was working on my flexibility for the first time and challenging my balance in different ways" She finds it difficult to get enough instruction from a yoga instructor if there are 30 people in the class.
The first yoga workout I ever did was life-changing. Realizing I wasn’t nearly as strong as I thought, lacking flexibility, balance, and body & breath control, I was motivated to make yoga a permanent part of my fitness from that day on.
But as I attended different yoga studios and instructors, I realized that something was missing. I wasn’t getting the emphasis on technique that I wanted from the workouts. I didn’t know where I should feel the pose, which muscles to target, or what I should be striving for. I also didn’t understand how to modify the poses to fit my typically inflexible male body. And the inclusion of the spiritual aspects just didn’t jive with me. I was there for a workout, not a spiritual counseling session.My experience with yoga isn’t unique. If I was going through this, I knew that there plenty of other fitness-minded guys out there who were just like me - who were interested in the physical benefits that yoga had to offer, but wanted a more fitness-focused approach, more emphasis on proper technique, and some tips on how to make the poses work for their limited flexibility.
And that’s how Man Flow Yoga was born.
Here’s the truth:
Man Flow Yoga is not “real” yoga in the traditional sense. But for many, that’s a good thing - because traditional yoga isn’t what they’re looking for. Not everyone all men wants to use yoga to improve their spirituality. In fact, most men want a gentle workout that can help their gym gains, Many men use yoga as a form of low-impact exercise to help with their overall fitness, to help with functional strength, flexibility, injury preventionprevent injuries, and to help them feel their best each day. make them feel their best each day.
Unfortunately, since most yoga caters to women, a reality stemming from the fact that 80% of yoga studio attendees are female, traditional yoga can be dangerous for men who are less flexible. Especially when there is not enough emphasis on proper technique, let alone providing appropriate modifications for men who are not flexible.
In this episode, you’ll discover how stumbling into a hot yoga class led to the creation ofcreating Man Flow Yoga and how it has gone on to help over 10,000 men (even though it’s not “real” yoga), including (1) how I got started with yoga, (2) what I felt was missing from yoga as a fitness-minded male, and (3) how MFY evolved to serve both my needs and the fitness goals of other fitness-minded guys. And how Man Flow Yoga has helped over 10,000 men (even though it’s not “real” yoga).
Listen now. This is a really important episode for me
Show highlights include:
- The weird way focusing on your fitness boosts your productivity (1:43)
- Why shaming yourself when your fitness routine goes haywire makes it harder to get back on track (and how reading one book stops you from shaming yourself) (3:49)
- How “mirroring” yoga poses in a yoga class can cause devastating injuries (and why this is especially true for men) (14:31)
- Why it’s smart to mixmixing weight training with Man Flow Yoga, if your goal is strength and longevity is the most effective and safest way to get jacked (25:14)
- How even the simplest traditional yoga poses can wreak havoc on men’s knees, ankles, and back (27:30)
- Have a high resting heart rate? Try this Man Flow Yoga Challenge to drop it by 10%—in just two weeks (35:45)
- 4 non-physical benefits of Man Flow Yoga which help you feel better more often (36:31)
Want to unlock more flexibility and strength, reduce your risk of injury, and feel your absolute best over the next 7 days? Then join the FREE 7-Day Beginner’s Yoga for Men Challenge here: https://ManFlowYoga.com/7dc.
Tired of doing a form of yoga that causes more injuries than it helps prevent? The cold, hard truth is men need yoga specifically designed for them. Well, here's some good news: You can start your 7-day free trial to Man Flow Yoga by visiting https://ManFlowYoga.com/join.
Power Quotes:
- “Fitness just makes you more capable.” (2:00)
- “You're not always gonna be at your best.” (4:56)
- “Man Flow Yoga is not typical yoga.” (8:07)
- “Men are less flexible than women.” (16:17)
- “Yoga on its own is not the best way to get jacked.” (25:14)
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