The fact that men are a bit yoga-shy is an interesting phenomenon to me, considering that, historically, it has been men who have practiced and taught yoga. One reason, I believe, is that the very word yoga sparks the image of flower-strewn rooms full of cross-legged women chanting in unison. For another, it probably has something to do with the male machismo that stereotypes the real men don't have time to sit around breathing when they could be doing a manly workout in the gym!

I have always been very athletic: gym workouts, kick-boxing, jogging, roller-blading, etc. Yet I have developed a great love for yoga during the 6 years since I first began. Soon after I first started, my insomnia was miraculously and my back pain was gone. Yoga helped clear my mind of distractions, and put me back in control of my everyday hectic life. Most importantly, I have found it particularly useful to integrate yoga into my weight training routine. I usually sneak in a few yoga moves at the end of my weight training, since many of them make great full-body stretches (after years of weight training, particularly without consistent stretching, I've noticed my spine feels out of alignment and it has led to chronic back pain). On the other hand, a lot of weight training techniques also go along with yoga training: focus on breathing, feeling the stretches and what your body is experiencing. Practicing yoga gives my body a chance to recover and heal from lots of resistance and heavy lifting. For me, combining weight training with a yoga practice has earned me a great physique, flexibility I never got from weight training alone, and so much more confidence in life!