Why I Dislike Yoga Teachers

All of you yoga lovers out there, take no offense. I have nothing against yoga. If it works for you, it's great. It didn't for me. But that is an entirely different story. Right now I just want to rant about yoga teachers.

Every single one I've met (I can think of 3 right now) has been a condescending, self-righteous individual trying to tell me how yoga is so much better than anything else out there and refusing to acknowledge that there may be other--more effective for some people--ways to get/stay in shape.

If you are unable to acknowledge effective alternatives, you are stupid. That's it. Nothing worse than someone claiming their way is the one and only, for everyone. And I haven't met as many people teaching any other exercise/life style having this weird stupid belief than people teaching yoga.

Today, I went to my regular gym class--complete conditioning. It's a girly aerobics/weights workout, great cardio, some stretching, awesome stuff. But my instructor is pregnant, so we had a sub, who happened to be a yoga teacher. Before the class, I asked her if there was going to be any cardio (which should have tipped her off as to what I was looking for), she said, no cardio but some stretching, weights, abs, and butt. Fine, I've done pilates before, and I liked it a lot, so I was hoping maybe this would be similar. I have also done yoga before, and I really dislike it. I would never willingly do it again, ever. It doesn't work for me, and I do not enjoy it.

So, this instructor proceeds doing hatha yoga.

Oh, and in the beginning of the class, she claimed her accent was German and Polish...then why the hell did she use Russian words for when she did not know English words?

Some time into the class, she introduces us to this "special exercise makes your stomach good." Lie down on your back, put your legs up at 45 degree angle, hold for a count of 100. Well, genius, they do it in pilates. It's one of the most basic exercises called the hundred. Nice try.

The next special exercise? "Great for bra area, shoulders, sides." Also known as chest flies. Never seen this one before.

And my favorite! Now that she has used common non-yoga exercises, she proceeds to tell us about how weights and gym "make you look like man, I like woman figure. I never use weights, eat meat, steak, same weight 20 years."

And I am very happy for her, but no need to hate on the gym. Seriously, no need. I do not look like a man. I've tried yoga and I didn't like it. I love my cardio and weights, they make me feel and look good. Are you telling me something is wrong with me?

Maybe if she were teaching people who haven't done any kind of exercise before, this strategy would be perfect--show them special exercises and hate on the gym, and hope they enjoyed your class enough to do it again. But she's subbing for a regular class that incorporates cardio and weights, and people coming to it are coming because they like it, not because they are looking for an alternative.

What is it that makes it so difficult for yoga teachers to acknowledge that different people may respond differently to different exercise styles???