Yoga catches on for soldiers, sailors looking to release stress

[Dover]

Yoga catches on for soldiers, sailors looking to release stress

Tuesday, July 18, 2006


PENSACOLA, Florida (AP) -- When Marine Lt. Alan Zarracina finally did the splits after months of struggling with the difficult pose in yoga class, the limber women around him applauded.

Zarracina, a 24-year-old Naval Academy graduate and flight student, admits he would have a hard time explaining the scene to other Marines.

Each class ends with a chant for peace. Then, instructor Nancy La Nasa hands students incense sticks as a gift for their 90 minutes of back bends, shoulder stands and other challenging positions.

Zarracina has tried to drag some of his military friends to class, but they make fun of him. "It's not necessarily considered masculine," he said...cont'd

http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/07/18/yoga.military.ap/index.html