Broga

thisismynickname2 · April 2015

Have you heard of this?? Yoga... for men. Because they emphasize strength and flexibility and don't want to do all the spiritual stuff alongside women twisted like pretzels, or humiliate themselves because they can barely touch their knees.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/27/us-fitness-broga-idUSKBN0NI0LS20150427

This really bothers me! The reason I don't do yoga, and with all due respect I know plenty of women who love it and swear by it, is because I would rather emphasize strength and flexibility than the ommmm. There are actually yoga classes for that already, I know. My BFF attends Core Power which sounds like it would be right up my alley, but it's expensive.

So of course, now there's "broga." Yoga for bros. If I can get past the gag-worthy title, I would rather go to that class too.

lacqueredlover · April 2015

I would go to broga in a heartbeat. I hate all the spiritual and meditation stuff in most yoga classes I've taken.

littlepep · April 2015

I think this bugs me because like you said there are already other yoga class that do focus more on the workout than the spiritual stuff. I don't care for that either.

But I had a membership to a studio here that was power yoga. They had one class that even used weights (yoga sculpt). They are awesome and hard and a good workout.

I don't like the implication though that it has to be for "bros". Women want to workout too.

[Deleted User] · April 2015

Certainly you don't expect men to do all that sissy GIRL yoga stuff do you? MENS NEED THEIR OWN SPACES TO BE MANLY AND FULL OF TESTOSTERONE!

novella1186 · April 2015

Ugh. That's so obnoxious.

What else do they need? Brogurt? Cuz yogurt has fruit in it and fruit is for girls? Brunderwear, cuz underwear is associated with feminism cuz women wear it? I mean JFC, idiots. You don't need to masculinize things that already exist in the form you want. I feel like it's degrading and condescending to the people who like the thing in its original form AND to the women who like the thing in the "masculinized" form.

Personally yoga is too slow-paced for me so I did MMA fighting. Guess that makes me a man? Oh I'm sorry, I mean I did broMMA brofighting.

littlepep · April 2015

novella1186 said:
Ugh. That's so obnoxious.

What else do they need? Brogurt? Cuz yogurt has fruit in it and fruit is for girls? Brunderwear, cuz underwear is associated with feminism cuz women wear it? I mean JFC, idiots. You don't need to masculinize things that already exist in the form you want. I feel like it's degrading and condescending to the people who like the thing in its original form AND to the women who like the thing in the "masculinized" form.

Personally yoga is too slow-paced for me so I did MMA fighting. Guess that makes me a man? Oh I'm sorry, I mean I did broMMA brofighting.

CACKLING at work over brogurt.

climbingsingle · April 2015

Totally ridiculous and annoying.

My H has taken yoga classes with me many times. We've done all different ones (hot, strength, core, etc) and he never felt that he needed his own manly bro class.

ashley8918 · April 2015

climbingwife said:
Totally ridiculous and annoying.

My H has taken yoga classes with me many times. We've done all different ones (hot, strength, core, etc) and he never felt that he needed his own manly bro class.

Well, then he is obvisouly womanly.

lacqueredlover · April 2015

I would get that they would focus on different muscle groups. There is a spa my family goes to and they have separate male and female stretch classes because generally different muscle groups are tight depending on your sex.

I dont' know, I guess I don't find it that big of a deal. If a guy is a pussy and doesn't want to go to a yoga class with women and would rather go with all men and do different exercises, I don't see it any different than an all women's gym like curves because women don't want to work out with men.

I think if it were called something other than "broga" and the article wasn't written in such a way to make the men sound like douche bags, everyone might have a different reaction to it.

I'll just stick with my spinning. And spending every class wondering how the dudes aren't crushing their balls.

climbingsingle · April 2015

ashley8918 said:

show previous quotes
climbingwife said:
Totally ridiculous and annoying.

My H has taken yoga classes with me many times. We've done all different ones (hot, strength, core, etc) and he never felt that he needed his own manly bro class.
Well, then he is obvisouly womanly.

You're right! And after the last yoga class, his junk actually fell off to reveal a newly formed vagina!

levieenrose · April 2015

Last week, I met the guy who started/owns Broga. He's been doing a convention-y thing with DH, and DH thinks very highly of him.

I while I totally agree with PPs on the name and the over-genderedness of the advertizing, I have to say that the guy is an emotional softie. I am pretty sure he's a feminist in addition to being a jock.

climbingsingle · April 2015

levieenrose said:
Last week, I met the guy who started/owns Broga. He's been doing a convention-y thing with DH, and DH thinks very highly of him.

I while I totally agree with PPs on the name and the over-genderedness of the advertizing, I have to say that the guy is an emotional softie. I am pretty sure he's a feminist in addition to being a jock.

A feminist believes in equal rights for all people. So why would he create a class geared only towards men?

LondonLisa · April 2015

Please- We aren't French, inanimate objects (or classes) don't need genders.

ashley8918 · April 2015

levieenrose said:
Last week, I met the guy who started/owns Broga. He's been doing a convention-y thing with DH, and DH thinks very highly of him.

I while I totally agree with PPs on the name and the over-genderedness of the advertizing, I have to say that the guy is an emotional softie. I am pretty sure he's a feminist in addition to being a jock.

Being emotional makes him a feminist?

ashley8918 · April 2015

LondonLisa said:
Please- We aren't French, inanimate objects (or classes) don't need genders.

Um, women totally need their own pens. Regular pens are WAY too manly!

climbingsingle · April 2015

ashley8918 said:

show previous quotes
LondonLisa said:
Please- We aren't French, inanimate objects (or classes) don't need genders.
Um, women totally need their own pens. Regular pens are WAY too manly!

Yes, I need special delicate pens in pastel colors.

littlepep · April 2015

ashley8918 said:

show previous quotes
LondonLisa said:
Please- We aren't French, inanimate objects (or classes) don't need genders.
Um, women totally need their own pens. Regular pens are WAY too manly!

Don't be ridiculous. Everyone knows women shouldn't write.

levieenrose · April 2015

climbingwife said:

show previous quotes
levieenrose said:
Last week, I met the guy who started/owns Broga. He's been doing a convention-y thing with DH, and DH thinks very highly of him.

I while I totally agree with PPs on the name and the over-genderedness of the advertizing, I have to say that the guy is an emotional softie. I am pretty sure he's a feminist in addition to being a jock.
A feminist believes in equal rights for all people. So why would he create a class geared only towards men?

I'm not really arguing for him, because I totally agree with you all and when I met him I had to bite my tongue about the business and how it is advertized. I honestly think he's a feminist who's going about it in a misguided way.

However, I think his personal blind spot is that he used to be a "jock" who had a change of heart and is now trying to change how men appreciate what he and many other men have demeaningly considered "women's" physical activities. It's personal for him, because it's about his youthful preferences for "manly" sports and his relationship with his yoga teacher mother.

Anyway, like I said, I'm really not arguing for him. But having met him it did change my opinion of his vision being a classical instance of antifeminism.

LondonLisa · April 2015

littlepep said:

show previous quotes
ashley8918 said:

LondonLisa said:
Please- We aren't French, inanimate objects (or classes) don't need genders.
Um, women totally need their own pens. Regular pens are WAY too manly!

Don't be ridiculous. Everyone knows women shouldn't write.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS37SNYjg8w

FiancB · April 2015

Ugh. God forbid that a guy take a class with all those sissy wimmenz. The fumes coming out of their vaginas while they stretch may make them grow boobies.

Also, can't help but think this is a guy thinking hm, yoga is very popular and profitable and mainly participated in and led by women. How can I get in on this?

I'm too impatient for yoga but I'm trying to get more into it. It's true that there are some that focus on strength, but tbh while I prefer it, distancing from the spirituality and meditation aspect bothers me because that's what it was originally for. Not a 6 pack.

levieenrose · April 2015

ashley8918 said:

show previous quotes
levieenrose said:
Last week, I met the guy who started/owns Broga. He's been doing a convention-y thing with DH, and DH thinks very highly of him.

I while I totally agree with PPs on the name and the over-genderedness of the advertizing, I have to say that the guy is an emotional softie. I am pretty sure he's a feminist in addition to being a jock.
Being emotional makes him a feminist?

No, you're right. It doesn't. I guess I was trying to include information that didn't paint him as a super macho character and an over-the-top male rights activist. It was a characterization of him in addition to my noticing he was also making comments which made me think he has feminist tendencies.

ETA: Clarity.

novella1186 · April 2015

littlepep said:

show previous quotes
ashley8918 said:

LondonLisa said:
Please- We aren't French, inanimate objects (or classes) don't need genders.
Um, women totally need their own pens. Regular pens are WAY too manly!

Don't be ridiculous. Everyone knows women shouldn't write.

Writing is a sign of mental illness for women. That's why I've been locked in this attic, surrounded by yellow wallpaper....

FiancB · April 2015

novella1186 said:

show previous quotes
littlepep said:

ashley8918 said:

LondonLisa said:
Please- We aren't French, inanimate objects (or classes) don't need genders.
Um, women totally need their own pens. Regular pens are WAY too manly!

Don't be ridiculous. Everyone knows women shouldn't write.
Writing is a sign of mental illness for women. That's why I've been locked in this attic, surrounded by yellow wallpaper....

In a nice cozy jacket that keeps your arms together!

climbingsingle · April 2015

levieenrose said:
show previous quotes

levieenrose said:
Last week, I met the guy who started/owns Broga. He's been doing a convention-y thing with DH, and DH thinks very highly of him.

I while I totally agree with PPs on the name and the over-genderedness of the advertizing, I have to say that the guy is an emotional softie. I am pretty sure he's a feminist in addition to being a jock.
A feminist believes in equal rights for all people. So why would he create a class geared only towards men?

I'm not really arguing for him, because I totally agree with you all and when I met him I had to bite my tongue about the business and how it is advertized. I honestly think he's a feminist who's going about it in a misguided way.

However, I think his personal blind spot is that he used to be a "jock" who had a change of heart and is now trying to change how men appreciate what he and many other men have demeaningly considered "women's" physical activities. It's personal for him, because it's about his youthful preferences for "manly" sports and his relationship with his yoga teacher mother.

Anyway, like I said, I'm really not arguing for him. But having met him it did change my opinion of his vision being a classical instance of antifeminism.

BOX

But he's not. He's created a separate class for men.

levieenrose · April 2015

climbingwife said:

show previous quotes
levieenrose said:

levieenrose said:
Last week, I met the guy who started/owns Broga. He's been doing a convention-y thing with DH, and DH thinks very highly of him.

I while I totally agree with PPs on the name and the over-genderedness of the advertizing, I have to say that the guy is an emotional softie. I am pretty sure he's a feminist in addition to being a jock.
A feminist believes in equal rights for all people. So why would he create a class geared only towards men?
I'm not really arguing for him, because I totally agree with you all and when I met him I had to bite my tongue about the business and how it is advertized. I honestly think he's a feminist who's going about it in a misguided way.

However, I think his personal blind spot is that he used to be a "jock" who had a change of heart and is now trying to change how men appreciate what he and many other men have demeaningly considered "women's" physical activities. It's personal for him, because it's about his youthful preferences for "manly" sports and his relationship with his yoga teacher mother.

Anyway, like I said, I'm really not arguing for him. But having met him it did change my opinion of his vision being a classical instance of antifeminism.

BOX

But he's not. He's created a separate class for men.

I know. I agree. I think he's misguided.

thisismynickname2 · April 2015

lacqueredlover said:
I would get that they would focus on different muscle groups. There is a spa my family goes to and they have separate male and female stretch classes because generally different muscle groups are tight depending on your sex. Really? I'm interested in examples. It's just that I'm a runner, so I know my workout needs based on my sport of interest. I can barely touch my toes too, just like the men in the article. I'd prioritize sport-specific conditioning over gender-specific conditioning.

I dont' know, I guess I don't find it that big of a deal. If a guy is a pussy and doesn't want to go to a yoga class with women and would rather go with all men and do different exercises, I don't see it any different than an all women's gym like curves because women don't want to work out with men. To be honest, I never really "agreed" with Curves either. Maybe I just can't put myself in other women's shoes, but I don't know why working out co-ed is intimidating. So they can lift a lot more. Ok? And if we have to have a gender specific gym to avoid harassment, that's a whole other ball game. I've never been harassed at the gym personally but know others sometimes feel they're being "checked out."

I think if it were called something other than "broga" and the article wasn't written in such a way to make the men sound like douche bags, everyone might have a different reaction to it. Maybe. But how else can you spin a male-specific workout class without also providing the examples above of how men's bodies are so different in athletic need than women's?

I'll just stick with my spinning. And spending every class wondering how the dudes aren't crushing their balls. I wonder about ball-crushing with everything. Maybe broga shows them how to cross their legs and twist without crushing their balls, considering they can't manage to put their legs together on public transportation. Maybe "manspreading" is part of broga.

Also, my responses here are in no way snarky, just being calm and honest. I'm not trying to challenge your view or anything, just discussing.

littlepep · April 2015

novella1186 said:

show previous quotes
littlepep said:

ashley8918 said:

LondonLisa said:
Please- We aren't French, inanimate objects (or classes) don't need genders.
Um, women totally need their own pens. Regular pens are WAY too manly!

Don't be ridiculous. Everyone knows women shouldn't write.
Writing is a sign of mental illness for women. That's why I've been locked in this attic, surrounded by yellow wallpaper....

Be still my heart! I got into a MAJOR fight with a professor over that story in class one day.

lyndausvi · April 2015

I just don't care.

I also don't care if women feel more comfortable in a woman's only fitness center or class.

Sure I might find it's a little silly, but if that is what it takes to get them moving, so be it. Everyone has different comfort levels. If making they feel more comfortable in a male oriented class. No big deal to me.

I also hate all the spiritual stuff in yoga. That is one reason I haven't attended in a while. And I'm too lazy to shop around.

lacqueredlover · April 2015

thisismynickname said:

show previous quotes
lacqueredlover said:
I would get that they would focus on different muscle groups. There is a spa my family goes to and they have separate male and female stretch classes because generally different muscle groups are tight depending on your sex. Really? I'm interested in examples. It's just that I'm a runner, so I know my workout needs based on my sport of interest. I can barely touch my toes too, just like the men in the article. I'd prioritize sport-specific conditioning over gender-specific conditioning.

I dont' know, I guess I don't find it that big of a deal. If a guy is a pussy and doesn't want to go to a yoga class with women and would rather go with all men and do different exercises, I don't see it any different than an all women's gym like curves because women don't want to work out with men. To be honest, I never really "agreed" with Curves either. Maybe I just can't put myself in other women's shoes, but I don't know why working out co-ed is intimidating. So they can lift a lot more. Ok? And if we have to have a gender specific gym to avoid harassment, that's a whole other ball game. I've never been harassed at the gym personally but know others sometimes feel they're being "checked out."

I think if it were called something other than "broga" and the article wasn't written in such a way to make the men sound like douche bags, everyone might have a different reaction to it. Maybe. But how else can you spin a male-specific workout class without also providing the examples above of how men's bodies are so different in athletic need than women's?

I'll just stick with my spinning. And spending every class wondering how the dudes aren't crushing their balls. I wonder about ball-crushing with everything. Maybe broga shows them how to cross their legs and twist without crushing their balls, considering they can't manage to put their legs together on public transportation. Maybe "manspreading" is part of broga.

Also, my responses here are in no way snarky, just being calm and honest. I'm not trying to challenge your view or anything, just discussing.

It's at a spa, so it's generalized classes, not for serious athletes. I just know the mens classes focus more on hamstrings and chest stretches while the womens classes focus more on things like hip openers. Not saying I agree, just giving an example.

I just think everyone is making a huge deal out of this becasue of how the article was written. It was written in kind of a douchey way so it makes women recoil. Honestly if it makes a dude more comfortable to go to a dude only class, so be it. It doesn't have any impact on my life or my workout.