BLOKES and yoga? Don't see them as easy bed partners myself. And neither do men. Although there are moves afoot to help fellas see the light and realise that while it may not be in the same macho-chest-pounding league as rugby or pumping iron, it's hugely enjoyable, not to mention beneficial - and that by abstaining, they're missing a great stress-busting opportunity.

As I say, I can't picture it myself. Those bony shins and knobbly knees, those bulging biceps (well on almost all men bar my husband) neatly curled up in a semi-lotus position, the toes resting in the crotch.

No way. Men have enough trouble sitting cross-legged. They may be the stronger sex, powerful and athletic and all that, but men are as supple as steel girders. I just can't see them craning, swan-like, into any so-called relaxing position.

No, a man's idea of a de-stressing activity is a sweaty, mucky afternoon in the middle of a rugby scrum, jogging around a park at 7am or - the overweight businessman's favourite - smashing a ball against a wall in a claustrophobic, airless squash court.

And, for inactive men that have an allergy to sport, like my husband for instance, stress relief is achieved by a spot of gardening or having the odd pint with friends down the pub.

Men just don't seem to need - or at least they don't think they need - activities designed around so-called relaxation therapies.

They think breathing exercises are the domain of mums-to-be, and would feel more at ease sitting in an underground car park listening to someone's alarm going off than reclining in a darkened room filled with the sound of mating whales.

I know there are some men out there - I know of at least two locally - who have found calm through relaxation techniques: soothing melodies, crystals and the like. But they are few and far between.

A new report, commissioned by FHM magazine, reinforces this fact, citing group sports and the pub as two main male stress relievers.

Gyms in the south-east are spearheading the drive to marry up men and yoga - if it's a success no doubt fitness centres in the north will follow suit.

I'd like my husband to calm down a bit (after 20 years living with me, he's turned from lamb to lion) and I'm sure there are other women out there who feel the same about their other halves.

Maybe we should give fellas a nudge in the right direction - half a dozen yoga classes, a trendy Lycra leotard and a three-hour tape of dolphin chat makes a great birthday gift.

EVERYONE may coo and marvel at the latest snaps of Joan Collins plastered across the tabloids. The bikini-clad 68-year-old actress posed for photographers on a sun-baked Ibiza beach. I think 'posed' is the key word.

She looks very uncomfortable, leaning awkwardly backwards with her legs stretched out at an odd angle, shoulders thrust back.

Presumably, like many celebrities (of all ages), Joan knows exactly how to sit to look firm and supple. Had she been pictured off-guard, relaxed and slouched - the normal sitting position for most people - I dare say we'd be reading very different remarks from the media, along the lines of how she's showing her age and should cover up.