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Men’s Yoga at YMCA Bath highlights the importance of Men’s Mental Health Awareness
12 January 2024
As we trudge along through these long winter months, our mental and physical wellbeing is more important than ever.
Men & Mental Health
Did you know that suicide is the number one cause of death in men under 50? According to the Mental Health Foundation, “Society’s expectations and traditional gender roles play a role in why men are less likely to discuss or seek help for their mental health problems.” Men often experience the weight of societal expectations, and the stigma that prevents them from being about to speak up. This Samaritans report provides an in-depth look into the various issues men in our society struggle with.
What can we do?
While we can’t solve such a complex issue, we hope to work within our community to alleviate some of the stresses and anxieties that men are facing. At YMCA Bath, our Health & Wellbeing team have designed a Men’s Yoga program with the aim to create an inclusive, welcoming environment for men in our community to focus on their physical and mental wellbeing. This class is a partnership with Bullfrog Yoga in Bath.
The classes run on Friday evenings at 6:15pm in the YMCA studio. Men’s Yoga is led by yoga instructor and gym member Mark, who is not only an incredible yoga instructor, but has 30+ years of experience as a nurse in the NHS. Mark is passionate about creating a safe, non-judgemental environment for men of any background and ability to practice yoga and just have a chat.
More about the class:
If you feel apprehensive and wish to make contact in advance, please feel free to contact Mark via humannurtureyoga@yahoo.com. It may also be possible to arrange show you around before the class if you are not already a YMCA gym member.
This class will be 45 minutes of time to focus on your own well-being. Body shapes and “bio -mechanics” (what the body can do) will naturally vary from person to person and may have been affected, limited or developed, over time by things such as work or other sporting activity.
Options for different movements and poses will be given so there should always be something you can do.
- This is a non-competitive class. It will never be just about moving in a certain way or making a certain shape or the shape the next person makes.
- It will always be about ..
- enjoying the class
- learning to engage and use your whole body
- feeling something within your own range of movement and developing this
- connecting movement with your breath
- learning more about how yoga can enhance life
In addition Mark will be making some relevant resources for physical and mental wellbeing, available on his link-tree. https://linktr.ee/humannurtureyoga.
Book your space now: Classes – YMCA Bath
You can also have a look at some of the other classes we have on other, such as our two Community Yoga Classes which run on a donation basis and are open to anyone in the community.