Yoga for Men
Besides helping you maintain your manly shape, yoga has many other benefits for you, some of them even a bit surprising. While yoga has long been thought of as a feminine form of exercise, many men are now introducing themselves to the yoga mat and its exercise potential.
Yoga as the ‘fountain of youth’
Stamina, flexibility, optimum performance, strength, and energy – these are just a few of the things you can expect from doing yoga regularly.
Aches and pains disappear over time if you stick to a yoga regimen. Many men have sports injuries with attendant pain in their backs, their joints, and especially in their knees. The yoga asanas demand that you push your body only as far as it is willing to go without pain. Yet each time you do an asana (or pose), you will find that your body responds by going just a bit farther into the pose than it did the previous time.
Building up like this over time increases your flexibility, strength, and stamina safely, and offers you postural alignment that tends to alleviate aches and pains. Most men find that within the first month of doing yoga regularly, their pain from injuries is lessened and in some cases totally alleviated. They feel younger and more vibrant than they have in years.
Yoga is an opportunity to challenge yourself physically without being competitive.
Stamina improves with regular yoga
You may have noticed your ability to last as long doing the things you love to do decline with the passing years. Or, if you are in a sedentary job, you definitely have noticed this decline if you have a lack of exercise in your life. Desk jobs tend to offer your body little challenge, and a body at rest tends to want to stay at rest.
Yoga’s powerful asanas strengthen your body, and with this strengthening comes increased stamina. Yoga requires self-discipline, and in exchange for self-control, you:
• Learn to breathe in ways that increase strength and energy
• Increase your flexibility, which in turn increases stamina
• Develop additional strength in all areas of your body.
Regular yoga improves your mind
Exercise in any form has been shown to help you improve your memory. The yoga asanas offer you an opportunity to focus your breathing, your mind, and your body so that they operate as one cohesive unit. They also help with stress.
Stress is very debilitating, affecting your body, your mind, your behavior, and your mental health. It is also the root cause of many diseases. Living under constant stress can even shorten your life.
Stress is everywhere; it is unavoidable. Traffic, the workplace, neighbors, children, relationships, and even fun are areas that can be excessively stressful. Yoga educates your mind to remain grounded and tranquil when stress happens, making your life flow better.
Once you begin practicing yoga you will also find yourself turning toward healthier ways of living that build on the benefits you have achieved from doing the yoga asanas. Your body will thank you as you become a more balanced, tolerant, de-stressed individual.