The Benefits of Yoga for Men
When you’ve never tried yoga, it can be intimidating – especially if you’ve taken a quick scroll through Instagram and seen all of the carefully curated photos of beautiful, lean, young yogis glistening in handstands and arm balances, but fear not! While these advanced inversions and balancing poses look amazing and serve a purpose – it’s the basic yoga poses that give a man the foundation of flexibility and strength he needs.
Yoga is not just for the ladies…
The “yoga for men” community is growing every day, as more and more men are realizing the benefits of yoga and how it can improve their lives.Yoga does more than just increase flexibility, it also builds strength and tones muscles. It’s a great workout for your body and mind, and it can even help improve your posture.
Here are just a few reasons why all men should consider practicing yoga:
- Yoga can help with balance and flexibility.
- Yoga can improve breathing and circulation.
- Yoga can help relieve stress and tension.
- Yoga poses can help build strength and stamina.
- Yoga is a great way to connect with your body and mind.
Yoga can help with balance and flexibility.
As we age, our balance and flexibility decrease. This is because we don’t use these skills as often as we used to. And, when we don’t use them, we lose them. Yoga is a great way to keep your balance and flexibility sharp in order to stay healthy and active.
If you’re a man who’s looking to improve your balance and flexibility, yoga is a great option. Start by taking a yoga class specifically for men or beginners. You can also do a local search for private yoga classes, or yoga classes taught by men, for men. Once you get the hang of it, you can begin to practice yoga at home with yoga DVDs or online yoga videos.
If you’re an athlete who’s looking to improve your performance, yoga may be a good option for you. Talk to your coach or trainer about adding yoga to your training routine. You can also attend yoga classes specifically designed for athletes.
As a yoga teacher, I can say with certainty that the practice has a wealth of benefits for men. From improving our physical performance to promoting detoxification and good digestion, yoga is an all-around asset to our health and wellbeing. In particular, spinal twists are a great way to loosen the many joints that make up our spine and improve our overall game – be it on the tennis court or golf course. So if you’re looking for an edge, consider incorporating yoga into your training routine!
Yoga can improve breathing and circulation
Yoga is a not just a physical discipline, but also one that focuses on our mental, emotional and spiritual well-being too. The physical practice of asana clears blockages in the circulatory system (which the ancient yogis called “nadis” meaning tube, channel, or flow).
The effective, long-term strengthening of our muscles through yoga practice improves cardiovascular function similarly to standard exercise, and has a positive impact on our lymphatic system as well, drastically improving our immune response.
Yoga can help improve how you breathe and the circulation in your body. If you have trouble breathing or poor circulation, yoga may be a good option for you. Start by taking a yoga class specifically for men or beginners.
Yoga can help relieve stress and tension
It’s no secret that stress can and will, slowly over time, kill you. From the hormonal fluctuation on non-stop “fight or flight” response to our daily stressors, to the negative lifestyle choices we often choose to self-soothe.
Just as stress and tension can take a toll on your body and mind – yoga can help relieve stress and tension by calming the mind and body. If stress-reduction is one of your primary goals for starting a yoga practice, you’ll want to be sure to look into some slower, gentler forms of yoga – like restorative and yin classes – classes with a strong emphasis on deep breathing in a relaxing environment.
Yoga is a wonderful way to not only work on strengthening your body. The mental and emotional benefits on mind and stress-levels can spill over into every aspect of your life, making yoga an invaluable tool for the modern day renaissance man.
Yoga poses can help build strength and stamina
If you’re looking to build strength and stamina, yoga may be a good option for you, as yoga poses can help tone your muscles and improve your endurance.
One of the key benefits of yoga for men is that it helps to increase range of motion. This can be especially helpful for beginners, as yoga can help to unlock muscles that may have been inactive or tight. Additionally, yoga can help to access more muscle fibers, which can lead to greater muscle growth. This is because yoga helps to stretch and elongate the muscles, leading to a fuller range of motion and increased strength.
If strength and stamina are your primary goals, be sure to check out faster-paced, strength-focused yoga classes like power yoga, vinyasa, and even your local hot yoga studios.
Yoga is a great way to connect with your body and mind
If you’re looking to connect with your body and mind, yoga may be a good option for you. Yoga can help you learn to be more present in the moment and focus on your breath.
The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit word “yug”, meaning “union” (it’s also where we get the word “yolk”).
One of the first written works outlining the yoga practice – The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali define yoga as follows:
“Yogas chitta vritti nirodha” – Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuation of the mind.
At it’s core – yoga is about learning how to stop sweating the small stuff and live more fully in the present moment – to view life as it is, and alleviate our dogged desire to view it as how we would prefer it to be. With time and practice you’ll find life’s little annoyances and even some of your greatest challenges tend to roll right off your back, and you’ll perform with an almost super-hero-like sense of zen and calm!
Yoga is a great way for men to connect with their bodies and minds, can help improve breathing and circulation, relieve stress and tension, and build strength and stamina. Additionally, yoga can help increase range of motion and connect men with their inner selves.
