I've been doing yoga since early this year and I have to say, I'm in love with it. I feel fantastic after every class, where fantastic varies from a deep sense of calm through to smiling happily at strangers as I bounce down the street.
Even beyond the strength, stamina and flexibility benefits yoga has improved my posture quite a lot. I still have a long way to go, but over a decade of slouching isn't going to be cured in less than a year
Girls do form the majority of the each of the different classes that I've taken, though there has also always been at least one other guy. One of the two I've stuck with is
taught by a guy.
Some people somehow form the impression that yoga is all about sitting in one position for hours and fear they won't get any actual exercise, or even fall asleep. Perhaps that might happen in some classes, and those inexperienced in meditation will find themselves drifting off sometimes and the start and end of class. However the style of yoga will dictate the level of activity; I've practiced the ashtanga and hatha styles and the differences between the styles, as well as the differences in teaching style of my two favourite instructors, are the reasons I've continued to go to two classes. The ashtanga classes often leave me dripping sweat, carefully walking down the stairs so my exhausted legs don't collapse (of course you don't have to push yourself as hard as I do. In fact pushing yourself so much is discouraged), still feeling fantastic (though no bouncing
). Hatha focuses more on holding poses for a little longer, but is still challenging from the start.
If you're near Richmond, or would consider traveling there for classes, I can recommend one instructor who not only teaches yoga with great patience and attention, but also incorporates personal development into her classes, from a spiritual point of view. She regularly reads passages from Eckhart Tolle. Many people would consider her 'new-agey', but I'm sure you can look past that.
The other class, also in Richmond, is taught by a guy with a hell of a lot of knowledge about physiology so is of course very good at correcting posture. His classes are smaller, so that, his level of knowledge, and a tendency to move through the poses more slowly, mean more time to get things as close to perfect as possible.
PS: Yes, the girls are a bonus