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Original poster

Creepy man in yoga class

77 replies

Foreverinjeans · 27/03/2022 20:18

Hi.
I wonder if anyone else has come across this?

And disclaimer. I'm not saying all men attending yoga classes are like this.

However I have been to a few yoga classes and have noticed that it can attract predatory men.
Example, one guy joined our predominantly female class a few weeks ago. He's in his early 40s.
He made one of the girls uncomfortable by standing too close and staring.
He asked another for a drink . She declined and told a few of us older and therefore not on his radar women that she and others, found him creepy and letchy and how he'd made strange comments about keeping his urges under control!!!

He disappeared. Probably as he realised he'd been uncovered.
The younger girls say there's always one man who is there, using yoga class as a pick-up opportunity. In my last class there was another, not quite as overt but who did make women uncomfortable.

yoga is ever more creasing in popularty and there are way more females that practice.
Have any other yogis found this?
Sometimes it feels like nothing is sacred.

OP posts:
DameHelena · 29/03/2022 09:40

@Soffit

I think that it is a shame that the UK never really found a collective cultural vision wrt yoga. I know that is easier to achieve in California with the warm Pacific on your doorstep, enormous sunsets and scenic hikes at every turn. I suppose I mean that many casual practitioners of yoga do not really respect the fact that it is a coherent spiritual system and should go hand in hand with developing a profound connection with nature and influence a host of lifestyle choices. However, I suppose that I do take my practice too seriously (and I know that I am not alone in that either). I was annoyed at one particular group who would attend yoga, chat quietly and joke for half the session and then head off to McDonalds straight afterwards.
Oh dear, I used to get a Yorkie bar and a packet of McCoys steak crisps after my yoga class. Would that count as a bad lifestyle choice or prevent me from developing a profound connection with nature? NB I didn't, and would never, chat/joke through a yoga session though.
WellTidy · 29/03/2022 09:46

What a coincidence that men rarely go to a local community centre type activity doing something like Zumba mid afternoon that tends only to attract women wearing baggy tracksuits in their 40/50/60/70s.

stripeyflowers · 29/03/2022 09:53

Yes, tell the instructor. You don't have to put up with it.

stripeyflowers · 29/03/2022 09:55

@Foreverinjeans

Wow. It's too common. This particular creep has disappeared. But the girl he propositioned thinks he's at another class. I think it. needs to be called out. Its horrible.

And yes unfair, on the non-predatory males, they worry about being thought of as pick-up artists.

A total creep letch from my road, whose marriage has broken up has gone all spiritual and yoga. He's so there for the women. Total creep in the street, never mind with young lycra girls.

And a friend who lives on Portugal reports similar.. interestingly, she says its the British men who do it. Locals are far more respectful.

O do think we need to call it out.

God, they think they're being to clever, don't they? The absolute worse guy I ever went out with was 'spiritual.' Yuk.
stripeyflowers · 29/03/2022 09:56

*so clever

Blackbirdblue30 · 29/03/2022 09:59

I've only been practising yoga for three months and I like the hot classes. So far, thankfully, the men haven't been predatory, however they exhibit an entitlement to shared space that is tiresome and annoying. The spaces for mats are marked. Yet I watched one woman pull hers back against the wall, limiting herself, because a man was throwing his legs into her space. That has been common behaviour so far. Also, if someone comes into (A HOT) class smelly, that person has so far always been a man. Unfortunately my place doesn't offer women-only classes; I'm sure I'm not the only member who'd prefer them.

lifelast · 29/03/2022 09:59

I went to yoga for years and the few men were decent and normal.

I did speak to a guy who did say he found going to yoga quite sexual just because of all the women then doing the poses so....He said most men were like that. I hope they are not.

I've read that naked yoga classes attracts many more men than women and the teachers have trouble drumming up enough women to go.

Kuachui · 29/03/2022 10:01

i went to yoga. had a man try and "show" me hoe to stretch... from behind i was 16 and he was in his 40s. definitely not.

lifelast · 29/03/2022 10:01

God, they think they're being to clever, don't they? The absolute worse guy I ever went out with was 'spiritual.' Yuk

Me too! He was such a wanker! Really sexist too! And bad in bed, though believed he was amazing!

putridpudding · 29/03/2022 10:04

Ugh. I was already feeling nauseous and now I’m even more so reading this. There are one or two blokes in my yoga class but they’re not at all creepy. I can totally imagine it been fertile ground for predatory men though. Funnily enough I’ve been trying (quite unsuccessfully) to find male or mixed Pilates classes for DH whose physio said he needed to join. This was both so a) he wouldn’t feel awkward if it turned out to be only women and b) in case the women felt uncomfortable with a man in the class. Isn’t that sad. Think I’ll just go with him as my back isn’t the greatest either.

Svadhyaya · 29/03/2022 10:12

@DameHelena absolutely not, I think the beauty of yoga is that it is different things for different people. A connection with nature isn't essential either. It's widely accepted now that we have to update the ancient texts to fit in with modern times so it's perfectly possible to be an urban yogi Grin

Essexgirlupnorth · 29/03/2022 10:14

Luckily never had this at any yoga class. I would speak to the teacher as she would rather have a work with one man than loads of women being put on and not come back.

DidgeDoolittle · 29/03/2022 10:14

@Frogium

Doesn't surprise me. I was hit on at yoga just last week by a man who could be older than my father.

I think it's the by product of all "join groups and activities to meet people instead of online dating" and instead of acting normally, men bring their awful lecherous attitudes perfected from online dating to real life situations.

Wait till you join hiking/walking groups though!!

What's to tell about hill walking groups?
DameHelena · 29/03/2022 10:17

[quote Svadhyaya]@DameHelena absolutely not, I think the beauty of yoga is that it is different things for different people. A connection with nature isn't essential either. It's widely accepted now that we have to update the ancient texts to fit in with modern times so it's perfectly possible to be an urban yogi Grin[/quote]
Oh, I agree with you. I was asking about the poster who judges fellow yogis for going to McDonalds.

Svadhyaya · 29/03/2022 10:22

@DameHelena absolutely - I'd say that comes under Brahmacarya - everything in moderation Grin

ImAvingOops · 29/03/2022 10:22

I can't think of anything less sexy than watching a man do yoga.
I hate mixed classes. I have a man in my class, who seems nice enough but the class feels different to me because he's there. I had to stop going to the gym because there's a man who worked there who didn't do anything I could put my finger on as creepy but he was always there. Always around just as I was arriving or leaving, always talking to me. I sound crazy writing it down because talking to a person isn't a crime but something about him made me feel really uncomfortable. But how can you complain to a gym about a man talking to you?

DameHelena · 29/03/2022 10:24

[quote Svadhyaya]@DameHelena absolutely - I'd say that comes under Brahmacarya - everything in moderation Grin[/quote]
Me too!

DameHelena · 29/03/2022 10:27

I hate mixed classes. I have a man in my class, who seems nice enough but the class feels different to me because he's there.

I think that's really sad. Creepy men, sure, they shouldn't be there (and I totally get you about when seemingly benign behaviour/people are creepy even if you can't put your finger on it – it's called instinct).

But just hating all mixed classes?

springsmiles · 29/03/2022 10:36

I recognise that this must happen, but my husband has a really bad back and has tried a few Pilates classes during the day ( self employed) and hasn't gone back.

When he was moaning about his back again this weekend I said why don't you go back to the pilates class and he finally admitted he was just made to feel uncomfortable as if he shouldn't be there as it's all women in the class. I thought this was really sad that he should feel like this

Sidisawetlettuce · 29/03/2022 10:51

Not yoga but years ago i used to go to Step aerobics and the instructor used to make all men go to the front just in case.

ImAvingOops · 29/03/2022 11:23

I know I'm probably being a bit unreasonable in hating mixed classes and I am not rude or unfriendly. But I feel more comfortable doing stretches etc in front of women only

toomanytwinkies · 29/03/2022 11:47

@ImAvingOops

I know I'm probably being a bit unreasonable in hating mixed classes and I am not rude or unfriendly. But I feel more comfortable doing stretches etc in front of women only
No you’re not. Something normal like stretching becomes massively sexualised for some blokes. You only have to look at them down the gym gawking at women just trying to exercise and get on with their day! A womens only gym would be heaven!
irishfeminist · 29/03/2022 12:12

Yes, it really is a thing. I've done yoga and pilates for over 20 years and have noticed some pervs but almost as annoying is the attention seekers: the grunters / showoffs/ hypochondriacs hogging teaching time by talking about their ailments and restrictions. Women only classes are just a lot calmer.

DameHelena · 29/03/2022 12:20

@irishfeminist

Yes, it really is a thing. I've done yoga and pilates for over 20 years and have noticed some pervs but almost as annoying is the attention seekers: the grunters / showoffs/ hypochondriacs hogging teaching time by talking about their ailments and restrictions. Women only classes are just a lot calmer.
TBH I've seen plenty of women hogging teaching time/showing off/clustering cliquily around the teacher at the start and end. Not to mention chatting, laughing etc through class.
sadsackusa · 27/10/2025 10:49

i have to say it is extremely depressing reading this as a male, but confirms what I've been thinking all along about females when I do yoga classes. friendliness and wanting to make a friendship with someone on the same spiritual path is interpreted as the man being a pervert. this one track mind of the females on this chat indicates more about themselves than men doing yoga. yes, i've often been met with hostility from women doing yoga. Very sad as yoga means a lot to me and it would be good to have female friends who are on the same path. But this confirms why they behave as they do. sex must be on their minds all the time. as is baiting males who do yoga. why they put their yoga mat next to mine, stare at me during sivasana then rush off at the end if i try to talk to them, must be my fault.

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