health news
from February 2006

Leeds yogi Dave Edwards is running a series of ‘straight-friendly’ yoga classes, which already have a 100% queer attendance rate!

‘Hatha yoga,’ Edwards explains, ‘mainly involves stretching, balancing, rotating, extending and bending the body in various poses or “asanas”. When we extend and bend the body and use all the muscle groups, as well as building and toning those muscles, we reduce fat, and gently massage, stimulate and invigorate the bodies’ major systems, the cardio-vascular, lymphatic, nervous, endocrine, immune, and digestive systems to name a few!’

Some of the potential benefits of regular yoga practice are improved posture, flexibility and suppleness, strength, balance, reduced tension and stress and a general sense of wellbeing.

‘Yoga can also help reduce aches and pains and help to improve many physiological and psychological problems,’ says Edwards. ‘Loving yoga as I do, and being gay as I am, it struck me that there aren’t any readily available yoga classes for gay people and their friends, so I’ve started one! We already have both guys and gals coming, so you won’t be the odd one out! And most importantly, complete beginners are more than welcome.’