In yoga, it seems that often men have less of a presence. As both a man and an avid yoga-doer, I’d like to talk about the benefits of yoga for men. Yoga is a nice addition to any fitness regimen. In fact, yoga can often make up for what other exercises may lack. Here are five solid reasons why men should add yoga to their regular exercise routines...
1. Yoga is a full body workout.
While free weights and similar exercises tackle certain muscle groups one at a time, yoga is one of the few exercises to observe the “big picture.” Yoga requires full body strength for the majority of its poses, and it can help one achieve a toned, sleek look faster than might be obtained with sprinting and free-weights.
2. Yoga increases flexibility & balance.
Nothing says strength like balance, so the better your balance is, the stronger you’ll be. Furthermore, weight-training is designed to build muscle and size, but it does little to make one loose or flexible. In certain cases, some men become so large and muscular that simple tasks like scratching one’s back can become a problem. All those hard-to-reach places become accessible once again with a little flexibility training.
3. Yoga blasts belly fat.
Yoga relies on deep abdominal breathing, which in turn generates one’s nervous system. This actually lowers your level of cortisol, a hormone that holds onto belly fat. You’ll get big with free weights, but several weight-lifters also have a tendency to hold their breath while exercising, which can lead to stomach distention and a gut larger than one would like. Reverse those effects with a butterfly pose!
4. Yoga improves concentration.
Yoga requires you to be in the here-and-now, and it can train you to focus more on whatever you’re doing in the moment. As human beings, we tend to get distracted easily, and sometimes we lack the discipline to do what we need to do when we need to do it. If you’re looking for a mental workout to go alongside your physical, yoga is an option to consider.
5. Yoga reduces stress.
Stress reduction is arguably the most important reason to implement yoga into your exercise routine because stress can cause quite a few problems in one’s life. It hurts relationships, clouds your vision, and in extreme cases, leads to things like weight gain, increased blood pressure, and even heart attacks. Guys…You’re just as prone to stress as women, so why not give yourselves a much-needed break? Grab your mat and take a little stress off your shoulders.
