Participants in Wade Knight's 'Broga' class, a yoga class for men, perform yoga poses during the class at the Summit Athletic Club in St. George, Utah. (Jud Burkett/The Spectrum via AP)
A studio in St. George has introduced a new type of exercise class for men looking for a different type of workout. They call it 'Broga.'
The classes are yoga classes catered specifically toward men. They focus more on the exercises and strength side of yoga, instead of the mystical aspect of the discipline.
During a recent early morning class, men set their yoga mats down and talk about upcoming NFL games, the Spectrum newspaper in St. George reported.
Instructor Wade Knight led them in warmups and asked who had done yoga before. One man answered that he had tried it, as part of a rigorous workout program marketed on TV, but didn't like it.
'That's a rough introduction to yoga,' Knight said.
Most of the other men only had marginal experience with yoga too, prompting Knight to advise that he'd keep the class simple and focus on getting the correct posture.
'If I see this weird look on your face, I'll come back and help you out, or just give me that look that says, 'Dude, I'm stuck,' and I'll come back and help you out,' Knight told the class at the Summit Athletic Club,
Co-founder Robert Sidoti told The Associated Press earlier this year that he created Broga to let men get a workout to accompany their other fitness routines.
In Broga, there are no candles, no spiritual music, no chanting and no spirituality — it's about improving the body, he said. Pushups, squats and elongating stretches are added to make a more familiar regime for men, however the exercises still stress breathing, strength, flexibility and balance.
St. George class participants Tyrel Olsen and John Rice told the Spectrum that being able to try yoga without worrying about women around lured them to the class.
'I like yoga, but I hate taking it with women because it's so intimidating,' said Olsen, a first-time participant. 'They're so good at it.'
Added fellow class participant John Rice: 'I really like yoga, but a typical yoga class you get a little static from women; you get weird looks; it's nice to be able to go a yoga class without that.'