Yoga for Blokes – in Bermuda!

Yoga for Blokes® in Bermuda. Here we see YFB dedicated member Pat, doing Moving Cat/Cow in Bermuda. In his 70s, Pat suffers with Parkinson’s Disease and finds hatha yoga helpful in combating the negative physiological effects of his illness. We have three men in our group who are similarly afflicted. Yoga for Blokes isn’t specifically for people with Parkinson’s, we just welcome men into the group who think yoga may be of help to their lives.

The climate of Bermuda is sub-tropical with fairly high mean temperatures and moderate rainfall. 4hrs behind the UK timewise. Daily temperatures fluctuate between 63°F and 90F (17°C and 32°C) with May to October considered the summer months. The warmth helps loosen muscles and increase flexibility. Yoga classes there usually cost about £25.00 per hour and according to Pat, Yoga for Blokes is comparably good in terms of content and teaching quality. Outdoor yoga is a great thing – if not taken too far. Avoid excessive exposure to heat and sun but by all means enjoy the sense of freedom to be gained from not being enclosed.  Another member of our class did forty five minutes of outdoor yoga on his own the other day – in sunny Nailsea! In his 70s, Adrian did well to recall enough asanas from class to do this. He has improved since he started coming to Yoga for Blokes® and finds the activity complements his squash game.

Yoga for Blokes in Bermuda – well, thanks Pat for letting us know you ‘are with us in spirit’. I think we’d rather be ‘with you in body’ if we could. Moving cat/cow or Chakravakasana is a breath-synchronized pose. It is beneficial for your body and mind. Cat/cow powers up your brain and improves focus, coordination and mental stability. The cat/cow pose improves blood circulation between the vertebrae of your spine and  helps in relieving back pain and stress. It also calms you down.  The cat-cow stretch activates muscles throughout your body, including your hip flexors, abdominal muscles, upper back muscles like the trapezius, spinal erectors, (Erector spinae and Longissimus) and lower back muscles such as the Latissimus Dorsi. (Google sources and ‘Swami’ Alan)

Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that leads to shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with walking, balance, and coordination. Parkinson’s symptoms usually begin gradually and get worse over time. As the disease progresses, people may have difficulty walking and talking. Yoga helps particularly with balance based exercises such as Vrkasana (Tree), or Utthita Hasta Padangusthasna. At Yoga for Blokes in Bermuda (!) we practice stepped procedures towards balancing, including a form of Pratyahara (sense withdrawal) with our eyes closed. Well done Pat, for your persistence. Yoga for Blokes® is also practiced in the Scottish Borders and in Izmir, Turkey – via Zoom. If you are interested in joining us, see the Classes page of this website.