Want Male Yoga Classes Near You?
Male yoga classes near me: the short answer
If you are searching for male yoga classes near me in Darwin, here is the short answer. Flametree Yoga Studio teaches Iyengar yoga to men and women together, in beginner classes anyone can join, and Stuart McGill is one of the Flametree teachers. You don’t need to be flexible, fit or experienced. Many men arrive stiff and a little unsure, and many tell us they leave calmer. Below you will find what a class is like, two men’s own words, what to wear, and how to start.
Iyengar yoga is the style developed by Mr BKS Iyengar. In the 20th century he did more than anyone to set down traditional Indian yoga, through his books and his teaching, and he pioneered the use of props. It is sometimes called modern classical yoga, and it’s the style we teach at Flametree. This page sits in our men and sport notes.
Male yoga classes near me: this article in short form
- Who it is for: any man, of any age, fitness or flexibility.
- The classes: mixed beginner classes in Darwin and live online.
- Male teacher: Stuart McGill teaches at Flametree, though you don’t need a male teacher.
- Stiffness: the most common reason men come. See yoga for stiff guys.
- Strength: yoga uses your strength differently, and many men find it hard in a new way.
- What to wear: shorts or loose pants, and a t-shirt.
- Health questions: tell your teacher before class, so the poses suit you.
- Next step: your first class is free if you’re new to Flametree.
Free ebook: Stay In The Game. Why yoga is the add-on that keeps men playing their sport, by Stuart McGill.
New to Flametree, or away 3 months or more? 2 free classes + 2 ebooks, only available via this offer. Already a student? You can still get this book. Get your free copy of Stay In The Game
Is it ok to do yoga as a male?
Yes. Yoga in its traditional form came from India and was long taught mainly by men, and the Iyengar tradition began with a man, Mr BKS Iyengar. Men and women both do yoga today. Many of the men who come to Flametree tell us that they feel calmer, or “chilled out”, as they walk out of class.
Scroll further down for “what to wear to yoga, male”.
A chair lets the back rest and lengthen.
What do men say about their first yoga classes?
Two short stories show what is common. Chris once took a phone call from a marketing man who had just started yoga. In his words: “I was doing gym before. I think of myself as pretty fit and I was really surprised that I found it challenging.” Asked if he would continue, he said: “yer I am because I like how I feel after the class … It chills me out.”
Enrico, a Flametree student who played soccer, did athletics, canoeing and sailing, wrote: “I was always good at sport… but as a young male, I still ended up very stiff.” He also wrote: “Yoga has made me flexible, and I’m still dramatically improving.” On props, he said he first felt he did not want to show he needed them, then: “I have come to accept them, and even like them.”
Testosterone controversies, and yoga for guys in Darwin
Many men notice changes in energy, mood and sleep in midlife. Hormones may be one cause among several, along with stress, sleep, weight and health conditions. Yoga works on several of those at once: stress, sleep and a body that moves.
What yoga can offer is a regular way to slow down. Chris teaches that calmer mind states come from practices that bring the “rest and relax” part of the nervous system forward. Many men find that helpful, whatever else is going on. We have more on that in our post how to calm your nervous system.
Testosterone, intimacy, and yoga for guys in Darwin
Stiffness, tight hips and a sore back can affect many parts of life, including intimacy, and women have a high interest in the men in their lives feeling well. A gentle, regular class helps you get to know your body better. The pelvic floor is one example; see yoga for pelvic floor for the research, written for both women and men.
Reach long through both arms in triangle pose.
Building on men’s strengths
Flametree’s classes work with the strengths of men’s bodies, such as strong upper bodies, and also meet common physical issues for men, such as stiffness and inflexibility, tight hips, sore backs, rounded shoulders, posture habits and tight hamstrings. These issues can be painful and inconvenient for many men, including very young men, and similar patterns show up in women too.
Enrico put it this way about strength: “I also now understand that strength does not need to look like bulging muscles.” Whether yoga builds muscle is a common question, and our post Can Yoga Build Muscle? goes through it.
Darwin Man Yoga class deals
Your first class is free if you’re new to Flametree. See the Practise this at Flametree box below for the half price 10 class pass.
Posture habits and yoga
A standing posture with rounded shoulders and a forward head, a common habit.
When we stand upright in the correct manner, many of us feel more confident and positive. That is part of what men tell us they feel after class. Yoga teachers pay a lot of attention to how you stand, starting with Mountain Pose.
The painful posture of many runners
Chris often observes regular joggers whose calf muscles look very tight, whose backs are bent, and whose chests are collapsed. They are trying to do everything right. A teacher can help you see the habit and work towards a more upright posture, and this is one reason runners and other sporty men try yoga. For cyclists in particular, see yoga for cyclists.
Darwin Man Yoga for the inflexible male, and much more as well
Yoga has a wide range of benefits. Many students describe feeling calmer, more flexible and more energetic. For the stiff beginner, yoga for stiff guys sets out the first poses and answers common questions.
Testosterone decline at andropause, and earlier
Women know about the hormone changes of menopause. “Andropause” in men is a less settled idea, and medical opinion on how to describe it varies, so we won’t give a diagnosis or a list of symptoms here. Whatever the label, regular yoga works on the stress, poor sleep and stiffness that often come with it.
In class, Stuart or another Flametree teacher will show you a beginner sequence that suits you. Poses are adjusted to who is in the class on the night, and Chris, Flametree’s owner and Senior Iyengar Yoga Teacher, designed the beginner program around common problems like stiff hips, tight hamstrings and sore backs.
Get a male yoga instructor near you, including via online options
Stuart McGill, Flametree teacher, in Tree Pose.
Stuart McGill teaches at Flametree. He grew up on cattle stations near Torrens Creek in North Queensland, then Tipperary in the Northern Territory. Stuart’s loose shorts and t-shirt are one answer to “what to wear to yoga, male”. Anyone can try a class with him, or with any of the other Flametree teachers.
Yoga, stress and weight: what is known
Many men gain weight in midlife. Yoga is exercise, and it is also a way to slow down and notice how you feel. Many men tell us that after class they feel calmer, and some say it is easier to notice how and when they eat. Our post Is Iyengar Yoga Good For Weight Loss? looks at what is known.
Darwin male yoga teacher, Stuart, demonstrating a lunge posture
Stuart McGill in a lunge posture.
Stuart in a lunge. Poses are adjusted based on who is in the class on the night, and your teacher can show you easier options with props.
Wellness Yoga For Men (AKA Yoga for Guys)
The beginner classes work with both mind and body. They include poses for the hips, back, shoulders and legs, along with breathing and relaxation at the end of class. If you have a health condition, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease or prostate problems, tell your teacher before class so they can adapt the poses for you.
If you’re a man, please come along. If you’re a woman, please mention our beginner classes to the men you know.
Darwin Man Yoga classes and your pelvic floor
The pelvic floor muscles, stretched across the base of the pelvis.
The pelvic floor is the group of muscles stretched across the base of the pelvis. Men have one too, and our post on yoga for pelvic floor explains how teachers think about it.
Male yoga classes including snippets of useful information
There will be snippets of useful information on the reasons for the poses, but most of the time is spent doing the poses. Classes are in the studio, so the teacher can walk around and give help and adjustments. You can also try Flametree’s online beginner classes, taught live from Darwin.
What to wear to yoga, male?
Wear comfortable shorts or longer pants, and a t-shirt or singlet. The shorts or pants can be loose, or tighter but stretchy. Yoga tights are also fine, depending on the climate and the temperature of the room. At the studio, everything else is provided.
Top deals to start Darwin Man Yoga beginner level classes
Darwin Man Yoga is simply Flametree’s beginner yoga, and the Flametree teachers include Stuart. Anyone can attend, though it is of most interest to men. If you’re new to Flametree, your first class is free. In the studio, just come along about 10 minutes early and tell the teacher it is your first class. For an online class, click the class time you want on the class list and we email you the link to join.
A chair lets the spine stay long in a forward bend.
Practise this at Flametree
Flametree Yoga Studio teaches Iyengar yoga in Darwin and LIVE online, with Christine (Chris) Lalor, Senior Iyengar Yoga Teacher. Newcomers get a free first class (for the studio, you need to be an NT resident of three months or more; online, anyone new). New students, and students who have been away three months or more, can also get a half price 10 class pass with 2 extra classes free, to use online, in the studio, or both.
- New to yoga? See the beginner half price 10 class pass, for new and lapsed students.
- Already practise? See the half price 10 class pass for non-beginners, for new and lapsed students.
- Want to see class times? Open the timetable, including online classes.
Related reading: yoga studio near me and online course for yoga.
More from Flametree: how to lower cortisol, exercise for over 60s and how to reduce lower back pain.
Your free copy of Stay In The Game is waiting. New to Flametree, or away for 3 months or more? You get 2 free classes + 2 ebooks, only available via this offer. Already coming to class? You can still get the book.
Male yoga classes near me: questions people ask
Is it ok to do yoga as a male?
Yes. Men and women both do yoga, and Iyengar yoga was developed by a man, Mr BKS Iyengar. Flametree’s beginner classes welcome men of all ages, sizes and levels of fitness.
Are there male yoga classes in Darwin?
Flametree Yoga Studio teaches mixed beginner classes in Darwin and live online, and Stuart McGill is one of the teachers. Anyone can attend, though many classes suit men looking for a first class. Your first class is free if you are new to Flametree.
Do I need a male yoga teacher?
No. You do not necessarily need a male instructor. What matters most is a teacher who can see you, adjust the pose and use props so it suits your body.
What should men wear to yoga?
Comfortable shorts or longer pants, and a t-shirt or singlet. They can be loose, or tighter but stretchy. At the studio, everything else is provided.
I’m stiff and not flexible. Can I still start yoga?
Yes. Being stiff is a reason to come, not a reason to stay away. Props such as chairs, belts and blocks bring the pose to you. See our post on yoga for stiff guys.
I go to the gym already. Is yoga too easy?
Many sporty men are surprised to find it challenging. One new student told Chris he was pretty fit from the gym, and was really surprised that he found it challenging.
Will yoga help my testosterone or andropause symptoms?
Yoga works on the stress, poor sleep and stiffness that often come with midlife changes in men, and many men tell us they leave class calmer. Tell your yoga teacher about your health before class.
Can men do yoga online?
Yes. Flametree teaches live online classes from the Darwin studio, so a teacher can see you and help you. Click the class time you want on the class list and we email you the link to join.
Is yoga good for runners and cyclists?
Many runners and cyclists try yoga to work on tight hamstrings, hips and posture habits. Our note on yoga for cyclists goes into it.
How does a new man get started at Flametree?
Your first class is free if you are new to Flametree. After that, new students and students who have been away three months or more can choose a half price 10 class pass with 2 extra classes free, to use online, in the studio, or both. The links are in the Practise this at Flametree box.
