Why should men do yoga?

Why should men do yoga?

Yoga is suitable for absolutely everyone, regardless of gender.

Yoga was invented by men, but in the western world it is more practiced by women. One of the reasons is marketing. Instead of Indian yogis, advertisements use the image of a slender woman in a difficult asana. The second reason could be the perception of yoga as a sport, in which you have to show something or at least be as good.

Men are less plastic than women. In addition, the structure of the female pelvis implies a greater range of motion, and many yoga asanas require considerable mobility in the hip joint. Some men are embarrassed by the fact that they are not as flexible to begin with.

What yoga is good for: 

Relieves stress. Men tend to experience stress alone, not getting the release they need. Regular yoga practice has been proven to reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, help you experience less stress in everyday life and even reduce inflammation in the body.

Helps with anxiety. Yoga helps improve mental health on a physiological level. Yoga classes reduce anxiety and improve mood.

It helps you think better. Meditation is a scientifically proven way to think better, faster and more effectively. Yoga and meditation stimulate the brain, help you achieve your goals, manage your emotions, and form the right habits. Meditation is a great way to increase performance. Even one session of yoga increases the speed and accuracy of working memory and does it better than cardio. True, the effect is only seen after exercise and fades quickly, but it’s a good reason to start your day with yoga.

Relieves back pain. A sedentary lifestyle often affects the back. Yoga helps improve back health at the level of physical therapy, not only during exercise, but for months after you stop.

Keeps your heart healthy. Cardio exercises and high-intensity interval training are thought to help pump up the heart. But the tandem of yoga and cardio is twice as effective at reducing weight, cholesterol and blood pressure than both practices alone.

Improves performance in sports. Asanas require a good sense of balance and strengthen the abs and back muscles needed for many sports. Asanas will help develop overall flexibility, relieve limitations and increase amplitude in a wide variety of movements. Being able to focus on the movement helps to improve performance and avoid injury. Yoga teaches you to clear your head of unnecessary thoughts, and this has a direct effect on athletic performance.

To get the most out of the class, it’s a good idea to concentrate on your body work and breathing, not to rush things and to practice regularly. In this case, yoga will help you get a healthy and flexible body, calm and sharp mind.