Men's yoga DVD, Men's back training, yoga for men , men's yoga dvd

MEDITATE: Yoga instructor Laurie Meilbeck leads her yoga class in meditation before last Wednesday's class.

STRETCH: Yoga instructor Lore Meilack offers a men's yoga class as part of the Saddleback Valley Unified School District Adult Education program.

YOGA: Yoga instructor Laurie Meilbeck, who offers a class geared toward men as part of the Saddleback Valley USD Adult Education program, leads her class at Trabuco Hills High School last Wednesday evening.

STRETCH: Yoga instructor Laurie Meilbeck, who offers a class geared toward men as part of the Saddleback Valley USD Adult Education program, helps Dan Fitzgibbon, of Mission Viejo, with a difficult stretch at last week's class.

Mission Viejo yoga class helps men relieve aches and pains

Mission Viejo yoga teacher designs yoga class just for men.
By LINDSEY BAGUIO
STAFF WRITER

Ask the average group of men what downward facing dog means and they might think of an ailing canine.

Ask the men in the dance room at Trabuco Hills High School on a Wednesday night and you'll see them assume the position.

Fifteen men participate in the weekly "Men's Back Health Through Yoga" class, which debuted in February as part of the Saddleback Valley Unified School District Adult Education Program.

Certified yoga teacher Laurie Meilback has designed the course to target men's back problems. She teaches yoga with a twist, as songs by Aerosmith and Boston softly radiate from her iPod.

"I try to keep it light with fun music and more of a relaxed feel and not the typical studio setting," she said.

So far, feedback from students has been positive.

"They have gyms only for women and I think guys have a thing about yoga too so it's good that it's just men," said Jason Maeda, 35, who says he's intimidated by a room full of flexible women. "Chances are most of the other guys wouldn't have done yoga either so you're all at the same place."

Maeda, of Laguna Hills, was in a car accident about a year ago and says the classes have helped with rehabilitation.
Frank Conway, 65, enrolled at his wife's urging. He underwent three back surgeries and a hip replacement, so he thought he could benefit from yoga.

"Before I never thought much about taking yoga," said Conway, of Mission Viejo. "My brother told me one time he took a yoga course and I laughed at him because I thought yoga wasn't really for men."

Meilback says she was introduced to yoga 10 years ago after a near-death car accident left her with severe back problems. About two years ago she started leading yoga classes at Camp Pendleton, where wives took their husbands to class. Those men were "Wounded Warriors," Marines returning from Iraq who were in the process of rehabilitation.

After her experience with the Marines she developed the workout DVD "Men's Back Health Through Yoga," and with the help of Eric Setlich at the school district, she brought the class to the adult education program.

"Most people think of adult education as high school students making up course work, but we've got academic and physical education and we're looking to do more," said Setlich.

Now that yoga is in the program's course catalogue for the spring it's one class her students are happy to repeat. "I already have five of the guys from this class signed up," said Meilback.

"I think it has been working," said Conaway. "I like to play golf, but I haven't played golf for the last three years. Last week I went out and hit a bucket of balls for the first time and it felt pretty good. I never thought I'd play golf again so I'm sure it (yoga) is doing a good job."

Contact the writer: lbaguio@ocregister.com 949-454-7363