Yoga for Men

   The general consensus in our society seems to be that yoga is only for women. In Yoga Fitness Dublin we are determined to change that perspective!. Once men realize the many ways that yoga can also benefit them, they have a change of heart about this yoga-is-for-women mindset.

For starters, yoga works the entire body — and that’s all bodies, not just the bodies of women! Did you know that during sports, we tend to only utilize about 10 – 15% of the body, whereas, yoga provides a workout that covers every muscle, joint and organ. Yoga gives the term “full body workout” a whole new meaning!

The practice of yoga oxygenates the blood, thus, creating more post-yoga energy as opposed to depleting the body of energy as is often the case after sports and gym workouts. Yoga, however, is ideal for removing stiffness in the bodies from sports and workouts.

Did you know that yoga also has some “private” benefits, too? (Wink, Wink!) For instance, Guarasana (Eagle pose) sends fresh blood and oxygen to the sexual organs. Trikonasana (Triangle pose) increases cardiovascular endurance and is the only known posture that utilizes every organ, muscle, and joint in the body.  Studies have shown that yoga also helps men to be more mindful during that “intimate” time with their partners.

It’s well-known that a regular yoga practice can reduce stress! The mindfulness of yoga helps the practitioner identify tension held in the body and mind, and then the postures combined with conscious breathing help release it.  Since men are known to have higher stress levels than women, they can certainly benefit from the stress-relieving effects of a regular yoga practice.

Still not sold on how yoga can be equally as beneficial for men as it is for women?

Here are a few more physical benefits yoga has to offer:

Men are especially prone to low back pain, and yoga can help reduce and/or alleviate that pain. Yoga can also lower blood pressure, plus, make one smarter! Since the ability to recognize a problem is critical for the exercise of good judgment, a yoga practice may help those who practice it make better decisions about key areas of their lives. Then, with the large degree of stress reduction and mind-clearing yoga offers, one is able to see things from a new, smarter perspective.

More benefits of the yoga practice for Men:

- Yoga can help you develop a better breathing technique while it improves your balance, flexibility, core strength, and endurance.

- If you participate competitively in sport or simply join the occasional fun run on a whim you are aware of the impact breathing can have on performance. Deep, relaxed breathing is the foundation of reducing performance anxiety and improving concentration. Yoga will help you develop a habit of breathing correctly.

- Yoga practice integrations the mind-body connection and athletes can benefit from this combination of skills training.

- Increase Core Strength: Yoga poses are all about building core strength. The slow, focused movements require a strong mid-section and the isometric contractions of many exercises will add a new form of resistance training to your typical machine-based workouts.

- Increase Flexibility and Range of Motion: Yoga routines incorporate slow, steady flexibility exercise that is ideal for athletes. Frequent yoga training may increase flexibility, and range of motion while relieving muscle tension. Whether you are a runner or a golfer, improved range of motion can often help improve performance.

- Improve Balance. Yoga is a perfect way to incorporate balance exercises into your training routine. Balance exercises are often overlooked by athletes, but are one of the most effective ways to correct muscle imbalance or body mechanic problems. With most sports and weight training routines you tend to perform repetitive motions that develop some muscle groups while others are ignored. Yoga can fix these imbalances.

- It’s Great Cross Training. Yoga is a great low-impact way to cross train. Cross training is necessary for athletes who do the same sport or exercise routine year-round. Adding new exercises can help reduce injury, relieve training boredom, add variety and help recover from hard aerobic or strength workouts.

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