The path from Taekwon-Do to yoga might seem like an unlikely one to most people but that’s exactly the transition that shipping consultant Anthony Gurnee has undertaken recently.
“I did Taekwon-Do for 10 years and enjoyed it thoroughly but I’m pushing 50 now and it had just become too punishing on the body. I didn’t have any preconceptions about yoga really – some male friends of mine had done it in the past and they had nothing but positive things to say about it. My wife and daughter had started classes and I just said ‘why not’?”
Gurnee chose a men-only yoga class, which he says provides a less-threatening environment for a novice.
“I went along to one mixed class and the standard of yoga was very high. In the male class, the men are roughly the same age and ability so there’s less pressure. The great thing about it is that it is as hard as you want to make it and in a group you tend to push yourself a little more than you might otherwise. It’s certainly not girlie or in any way glamorous.”
So how does it compare to Taekwon-Do? “Because it’s quite static it doesn’t have the same aerobic benefit of Taekwon-Do, but having said that it’s probably comparable in terms of flexibility and it’s better in terms of improving abdominal and core muscle strength. You would certainly feel sore the following day. I do a bit of running and I think that’s the perfect combination – you are getting that aerobic benefit from the running and the yoga provides strength, balance and flexibility.”
I mention that some men might be put off by the spiritual element of yoga teaching. “It doesn’t strike me as spiritual in any way but it is meditative and I find that very relaxing. So far, I am really enjoying it. I have only done four classes but already I can see the path to improvement.”
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