Hey guys, do you consider yoga a form of exercise reserved for ladies in spandex? Think again, the male body can benefit plenty from getting all downward dog on a yoga mat. A little asana can help improve your flexibility, mental focus, and energy while eliminating toxins and decreasing stress.
Here are eight convincing reasons why dudes should do yoga…
De-Stress Dude
Women aren’t the only ones who burn the candle at both ends. Guys need to de-stress to, and yoga is the perfect place to slow down, unwind, be in the moment, and just breathe. Yoga teaches us to calm the mind (and it’s endless gerbil wheel of thoughts) and reach a state of peace that translate beyond the mat.
Unplug On the Mat
When was the last time you unplugged, like really unplugged—from your computer, smart phone, and the endless array of texts, calls, and emails pulling you in every direction. It’s easy to live life on hyper-drive, never really stopping to smell the preverbal roses, or rather, to see and appreciate the bigger picture, such as the pure joy of attempting and successfully holding a challenging pose.
Improve Flexibility
Even though gaining flexibility is just a small part of yoga, for men who sit at the same chair, at the same desk, in the same office day after day, week after week, stretching those stiff muscles can improve overall flexibility, relieve joint and muscle pain, promote detoxification, and better digestion.
Any guy in a job with repetitive physical stress can benefit from the flexibility yoga offers.
Boost Your Bedroom Antics
Have you ever thought about how getting all stretchy on your back on a yoga mat will translate to your bedroom antics. You better bet that a regular yoga practice will improve your breathing, endurance, sexual energy levels, flexibility, strength, and overall performance in the sack!
Plus, yogis credit regular practice with the ability to make more of an intimate connection with your sexual partner.
Sculpt & Tone Muscle
Power yoga (like Ashtanga) calls on cardiovascular endurance, but it also calls on muscle strength when you consider all of those challenging and long-hold body weight exercises (i.e., lunges, squats, planks, etc.) repeatedly over each class.
Lower Risk of Injury
Most of the yoga classes I’ve both taught and participated in begin with a cue to listen to your body and honor your body’s limits. This challenges us to acknowledge certain aches and pains, and compensate for past injuries. So instead of ignoring pain and discomfort the goal is more to improve and encourage healing, strength, flexibility, and alignment while reducing the risk of sports-related injuries.
Eliminate Toxins
All of the yoga teachers that I’ve studied and practiced under promote yoga as an exercise and a therapy. A large part of that therapeutic power is gained through waste and toxin elimination. When you twist and sweat regularly in yoga you are gaining flexibility and strength, but you are also ridding the body of harmful toxins, by wringing it out like a sponge—especially if you practice hot yoga or Bikram yoga.
Learn Life Focus
As yoga teachers, we know that one of the hardest parts of yoga class is the intention you set at the start of class. This quick self-reflection is meant to help us focus internally on why we are participating. For instance, some might come to the class to unwind while others may come to class to gain confidence.
For myself, the answer is often a pledge to “treat myself gently for just one hour.” By setting that intention, I’m able to experience my need on the mat and take this with me into my everyday life.
