MCAS Iwakuni men practice yoga for Father's Day

Photo By Sgt. Benjamin Pryer | Hiroko Yanai, IronWorks Gym yoga and aerobics instructor, gives a massage to a class participant during the Zen for Men hatha style yoga class which took place inside the IronWorks Gym aerobics room here June 16,2012. Asanas, or "physical postures," focus on controlled breathing and calming the mind through relaxation and meditation.  

IWAKUNI, YAMAGUCHI, JAPAN

06.20.2012

Story by Lance Cpl. Benjamin Pryer 

Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni

IWAKUNI, Japan - Station residents participated in the first Zen for Men hatha style yoga class inside the IronWorks Gym aerobics room here June 16, 2012.

The goal of the class was to introduce this type of exercise to men who may have been apprehensive to participate in a yoga class.

“In honor of Men’s Health Month, Father’s Day and for military in general, we thought we would try something new, because often
times it’s intimidating for men to want to come into a yoga class for several reasons,” said Barbara Roman, Marine Corps Community
Services SemperFit Division fitness coordinator. “Number one, being the amount of women normally in a yoga class and number two being the intimidation factor of poses, fancy poses they might not be able to get into or they might not know they can get into.”

While the idea of yoga may seem alien to men who consider the only form of working out to be running many miles or bench pressing their body weight, yoga provides a plethora of benefits which may be unknown to them.

“Some men just feel that yoga is not important, that it’s more geared for women,” said Roman. “And my thought on that and the reason I wanted to do this was because yoga is a huge component into that ultimate fitness Marines strive for. Without that component, it all doesn’t come together. You don’t get the relaxation and the flexibility you need to stay healthy.”

“This class focused on very deep stretches and targeting the spots we find most tense in our military members,” continued Roman.
“For example, me being a fitness coordinator and doing observations, often times I notice the hip flexors are very tight with most of the Marines, because when you’re doing your (Physical Fitness Test) and you’re doing crunches, it is using those muscles. You constantly shorten and contract those muscles, so they never really get the chance to stretch back out, and that affects the rest of your body in some way.”

"My hope was this would draw more men into the yoga classes with the ladies and just to improve relaxation, to relax the mind. If you can relax the tension in your mind, you can relax the tension in your body,” she added.

Roman also mentioned hopes for a greater male turn out for yoga day, scheduled to happen in September.

• Date Taken: 06.20.2012
• Date Posted: 06.20.2012 02:18
• Story ID: 90286
• Location: IWAKUNI, YAMAGUCHI, JP