The health benefits of yoga for men are not that well known, as many men have avoided yoga thinking it’s for women.
According to nichehacks.com only 27.8% of Americans who practice yoga regularly are men, but this is actually an increase and yoga for men is becoming increasingly popular.
Participation in yoga is growing across all age groups, particularly amongst millennials and men of all ages are becoming aware of the health benefits that can be achieved by taking up yoga.
Here are the top 5 health benefits of yoga for men:
Improves Breathing
You may wonder how yoga improves breathing because we do it unconsciously, but according to gaiam.com experts say most people only breathe at 10%-20% of their full capacity.
This poor breathing effectiveness can lead to a range of health problems including insomnia and high blood pressure. Practicing yoga involves taking longer, deeper breaths getting oxygen deep into the lungs and pumped around the body.
Having more oxygen flowing around your body has a number of benefits; it increases energy which aids fitness as you can workout for longer, lift more, and run further because the muscles have a better supply of oxygen. Another benefit comes from being stationary; by having increased energy levels you are less likely to reach for unhealthy snacks for a sugar boost, and keeps your coffee consumption to a sensible level!
Improves Your Sex Life
Do we have your attention now guys? Thought so.
According to Ekhart Yoga, yoga helps rid the body of toxins that affect sexual performance as well as improving blood flow to the genital area!
Yoga exercises help improve pelvic muscle tone as well as improvements in mood and energy levels. This should explain why a study published by The Journal of Sexual Medicine found that men who practiced yoga for over 12 weeks reported improved sexual performance including desire and satisfaction.
By practicing yoga you’re performing a range of exercises that give you all round muscle tone, improving pelvic and abdominal muscles which are likely going to give you increased self confidence and therefore a higher libido!
Extends the Range of Motion
When most men hit the gym, certain muscles are targeted by exercises such as bench press, deadlifts, squats and shoulder press.
Building muscles often affects your range of motion reducing your flexibility. In bodybuilding and sport, flexibility is hugely important to reduce the chance of injury, move faster, and actually allows you to build more muscle.
Yoga exercises also helps build muscle by using your natural body weight, and helps lengthen muscle tissue to increase your range of motion. Yoga is now adopted as a regular practice for many sports teams as well as professional rugby players, who use yoga to help increase their range of motion, build muscle and prevent injury!
Creates a Balanced Body and Mind
A big problem many men have is muscular imbalance. This occurs regularly due to weight training because of peoples natural tendency to be stronger on their right side (if right handed for example), coordination and often poor form when lifting.
Runners also experience muscular imbalance, due to their in-step and hips that often turn inwards creating hip related issues. These muscular imbalances can often lead to injuries as well as back problems when the spine is not supported by strong, balanced abdominal muscles.
Yoga helps to strengthen and stretch muscles, and the different exercises are designed to create all round muscle strength, helping you build a balanced physique.
Helps Relaxation
Few things are better for relaxation than yoga! Yoga is a mind-body practice so as well as physical poses, it combines meditation, rhythmic and deep breathing exercises which help for relaxation.
By using yoga as a relaxation technique you can reduce stress and anxiety, boost energy levels and mood!
Many men feel the pressures of daily life, trying to have a successful career, support a family and try to stay in shape, which can all take its toll on the mind. If you’re suffering from stress or mental health related problems, yoga could have a huge positive effect on your life.
The good thing about yoga other than the benefits described above, is that it doesn’t have to take a huge amount of your time. It can take half an hour, either at the gym in a class, or in your own home. By practicing yoga to help you destress and relax your mind, you can live a more positive, stress free life with higher energy levels to help you focus and pursue the things that matter to you!