Reasons Yoga May Especially Benefit Men

Yoga classes attendees are generally composed of women, and this perception has probably skewed men to assume that it is a more lighter practice that focuses on flexibility and breathing. However, athletes and sportsmen around the world now are increasingly getting in to the mind-body practice as a way to complement, cross-train, increase range or motion or proprioception (awareness of the body within the space) to gain a competitive advantage in their respective fields.

An article published on MindBodyGreen highlights reasons why Yoga may complement any strength training or cardio routine:

It builds muscles evenly

“Men tend to work at building muscles on specific parts of their body, focusing, for example, on biceps, quads, and shoulders, whereas yoga builds muscles evenly over the whole body and increases flexibility.”

More flexibility means fewer injuries

“The controlled moves of yoga offer opportunities to safely and efficiently exercise parts of the body that men don’t normally use and strengthen those parts they do. As a result, muscles learn to cooperate more harmoniously.”

Improved stamina

“Another recent study found that yoga practice improves respiratory and cardiovascular function, as well as building muscle strength. The combined stamina with improved flexibility provided by yoga leads to potentially better workouts in other physical disciplines, such as running, tennis, and bicycling.”

Counters the muscle imbalances of other activities

“For example, when playing racquetball and golf, the spine tends to consistently turn in one direction. Yoga helps balance this disparity, using postures that keep the spine supple. It also counters the effects of gravity experienced by runners.”

Fewer visits to the doctor

“People who practice yoga could reduce their need for health care services by 43 percent. That’s almost half as many doctor visits and fewer doctor bills. While this is true for both men and women, men tend to have more cardiovascular problems as they age. More than one in three adult men have cardiovascular disease.”

From better sexual performance to anxiety reduction, read up more reasons on the full article here.

If you are considering Yoga, our website offers a page dedicated for the activity so you can easily find people, places and events near you: http://workout.lk/index.php/Activities/view/56_Yoga