You may have noticed that there are lots of different styles of yoga, but have you ever considered if your practice needs to be different to others based on factors such as biological sex?
In this article, we look at some of the key reasons that women and men should be practising yoga differently…
Why Do Men And Women Need To Practice Yoga Differently?
Men and women need to practice yoga differently because everyone—irrespective of biological sex—needs to practice differently.
And on top of the unique needs of every individual practitioner, the physiology and biology of women and men are very different.
Women have menstrual cycles, hormone cycles, and possibly pregnancy and motherhood to consider—as well as completely different body shapes to men.
Yoga is traditionally a spiritual practice that is tailored to your individual physical, mental, spiritual and energetic constitution. Every single person, irrespective of biological sex, is a unique constitution, and therefore each yoga practice should also be tailored as such too.
It’s a commonly held belief that yoga was historically mainly practised by males (although, there are many teachers who now dispute such claims). This means that yoga philosophy and traditional yogic practices are often largely—and generally—considered, viewed, and taught through a male lens.
However, the Yoga in America study of 2016 by the Yoga Alliance and Yoga Journal found that 72% of yoga practitioners in America are now female.¹
So, if the majority of yoga practitioners are now female, the traditional yogic practices being used in yoga studios around the world, more often than not need to be evaluated within their new modern context.
And not only that but beyond differences in biological sex, there are also a wide variety of other factors such as age and ability that affect yoga practitioners too—which supports the traditional protocol of catering for the differences in mental, emotional, and physical circumstances of each individual yoga practitioner.
If you want to learn more about women-centred yoga, you can read my blog article here.
And if you’d like to learn more tips about spiritual awakening and healing, then check out my blog article here.
Reasons Men And Women Need To Practice Yoga Differently
Here are a few of the obvious differences in physiology and biology of the sexes which highlights the need for a tailored yogic practice…
1. Women Have Wider Hips And Breasts
The body of a woman is designed to carry and birth children, and therefore women tend to have wider hips and larger breasts than men. This can sometimes affect body alignment in certain yoga poses, and some poses may be uncomfortable for women with larger hips and breasts, meaning that they need to be tailored for body shape and size.
If you notice during your yoga classes that certain yoga postures are uncomfortable for you, then ask your yoga teacher for variations to decrease the risk of injury and unnecessary discomfort.
2. Women Have Monthly Hormone Cycles Which Can Affect Energy Levels
During the reproductive period of a woman’s life (in which they are able to conceive), women commonly experience energy highs and lows due to fluctuating hormones and menstruation. This means that it often benefits women to practice different yoga styles at different times of the month according to the natural energy levels of the practitioner.
If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of cycle syncing with your menstrual cycle, then check out my blog article here.
3. Many Female Practitioners Experience Monthly Menstruation
During menstruation, there is an increase in downward-flowing energy, also known as apana in Sanskrit. Traditionally, many paths of yoga require a tailored and different practice of yoga during the duration of a menstrual bleed.
4. Lactation And Childbirth
During pregnancy and also post-partum, women often need to tailor their practice. During pregnancy balance, body shape, flexibility, core strength, body weight, breathing ability, and energy levels fluctuate.
And similarly, the body goes through multiple changes such as lactation, and sometimes diastasis recti, during post-partum too. All of which require an appropriately tailored yoga practice.
Prenatal and post-partum yoga often focuses on improving mental health, decreasing stress, and using breathing exercises and meditation to calm the mind as opposed to intense physical activity.
Conclusion
Tailoring your practice is important, and especially important if you are a woman. If you want to learn more about the seasonal nature of the menstrual cycle to improve your synchronicity with your natural rhythms, then check out my blog article here.
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