Man Vs. yoga; Celebrate the yogi in you

Can men practise yoga? First of all, yoga is not gender-specific. Yoga is the unification of the mind, body and soul. Yoga as a practice has men practitioners across the globe. Yoga incorporates both the gender aspects in the form of yin and yang. Here, yang is the masculine energy and yin is the feminine energy for harmony and balance in life.

Man Vs. Yoga

Yoga helps to make you strong, it helps you to become a better version of yourself. It teaches you the art of living and how to balance life in all favourable and unfavourable situations.

In addition to yoga for men, many known athletes and celebrities practise yoga to keep them safe from injury, stay fit and bring calmness to the mind and body.

Yoga increases your range of motion and flexibility while enhancing overall fitness. Yoga for men helps one be more productive at work, beat stress, improve sleep quality and it also improves sex life. Yoga also helps men to improve physical posture, improve overall muscle endurance and regulate blood circulation in the body. Men can create a wonderful atmosphere by practising yoga as it reduces anxiety and improves the life energy that helps to keep you active throughout the day.

How does yoga for men compliment their life?

Improved performance in gym and sports: The muscles align and work together in movements during the workout, yoga helps to feel those muscles movements i.e. contractions, expansion and relaxation. It helps to push your limits in certain exercises with better understanding of posture alignment and flexibility. Yoga for men is good for session recovery in sports and gym. Improved joint mobility and helps one feel a smoother range of motion in the joints and muscles to give better performance in sports and workouts. It also helps release any tension or stiffness in the body.

Improved and balanced life energy: Yoga for men practices involve various techniques to control the body and mind. The balance of masculine and feminine energies is the ultimate goal of the practice. These two energies can be represented by the two main Nadis called Ida and Pingla that reside in the base of the spine in the Muladhar. Activation and balance of these two Nadis help one feel grounded and confident in daily life.

Yoga for men sequence will help you to achieve your mind and body goals (flexibility, core strength, reduce stress/anxiety, improve libido, improve sleep quality, etc.) through yoga.

Here are the asanas

Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)

This asana in the yoga for men sequence helps you activate the core muscles thereby building core strength. It stretches the spine and back and releases any tension or pain from that region and provides relief. It also helps strengthen the lower body while improving flexibility and balance.

Contraindications: If you have vertigo or have serious neck and back injury, you are advised to avoid practising this pose.

Virabhadrasana 2 (Warrior Pose 2)

This pose is an excellent pose to improve focus and concentration. This pose helps boost energy and immunity by stimulating the abdominal organs. Pro Tip: Begin your day with this pose and take on the rest of the day like a warrior.

Contraindications: If you are suffering from a knee injury, you should avoid practising this pose.

Watch our Video on Full Body Yin Yoga Practice (Beginners Yin)

Chaturanga Dandasana (Four Limbed Staff Pose)

Here’s the yogic version of every man’s favourite workout pose- plank. This pose amazingly strengthens the core and builds strength in the upper body (shoulders, arms, biceps, triceps, wrists, forearm muscles). It also improves focus and balance thereby helping to strengthen the lower body too (legs, quads, hamstrings, feet, calves, lower back).

Contraindications: People with any wrist, shoulder, elbow, arm issues should not practice this pose.

Naukasana (Boat Pose)

Another excellent pose in the yoga for men sequence is Naukasana. As the name defines itself, this pose takes the shape of the boat and works majorly on your core muscles. It not only works wonders with strengthening the core but also improves balance, focus and regulates blood circulation to the overall body.

Contraindications: People with high blood pressure, any spinal disorders, asthma patients and heart patients are advised to avoid doing this pose.

Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose)

This pose helps to supply fresh blood to the brain thereby calming the mind and reducing the level of anxiety, stress or depression.

Contraindications: If you are suffering from any neck or shoulder injury, avoid doing this pose.

Yoga can also be used as a tool for men to relax deeply and re-energize the body and mind, after all the hard work they put in their daily life. When you make yoga part of life it helps you find peace within yourself.