Yoga men

When you think of yoga, what comes to mind? Women in yoga leggings? But if you think the benefits are just for women, you could be missing out. Big time. Here are the benefits guys get when they take up a little Downward Dog.

Prostrate relief.

Prostate relief and Prostagenix might be what comes to mind when you have painful prostrate symptoms. But did you know that exercising is one way to improve painful symptoms that develop from an enlarged prostrate?

Your pelvic floor muscles help your body relieve pelvic tension, which reduces prostrate pain. Various yoga poses, such as the Hero pose, Cobbler pose, Bow pose and others, can be key to prostrate relief.

Better digestion.

Are your bowel movements irregular? Or do you frequently find yourself battling with constipation? Perhaps you have gas issues after eating a certain kind of food? Did you know that yoga has been reported to help your food move through your digestive system?

It does this through stretches that massage and follow the flow of internal organs, aiding the food’s path through your body. Try the following for relief from all sorts of digestion related woes…

  • The Aspanasana Pose
  • The Spinal Twist
  • The Bridge Pose
  • The One-Legged Seated Spinal Twist

Relief from work stress.

Boss giving you grief? Co-workers not cooperating as they should? Sales on a downward trend?
All of these factors and more are contributing to an estimated 8.3 million Americans who suffer from stress.

Men are traditionally placed in the role of providers and the wage earner for families. Thus, guys often feel tremendous pressure to achieve at work. But stress that is not dealt with properly can lead to physical health issues.

Daily ailments, such as headaches, tension in one’s shoulders, and chest pain, all may be symptoms of stress. As well as trouble falling asleep, digestive difficulties, and a lowered sex drive. On a more alarming note, chronic stress can put a person at higher risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and asthma.

The good news is studies have found that people who did yoga exercises for an hour per week, over 6 weeks, felt improvements to their stress levels. Also, the study noted that participants felt more clear minded, had increased energy, and more confidence and composure. The increased mental alertness that comes with practicing yoga is one of the unexpected benefits of a yoga practice.

A counterbalance to muscle building.

Even serious weight lifters believe in a little yoga action. Much of yoga has to do with increasing flexibility and strengthening your core. And the benefits to doing so is better balance and a reduced risk of injury when playing sports or engaging in other intense exercise regimes. For those who spend serious time on chest presses, squats, or other reps, often the core group of muscles are neglected for one’s chest and legs.

And if you are wondering, the “core muscles” are the ones in your lower back and pelvic area. You could be improving your form for all other muscle building exercises by just incorporating a little yoga to your gym routine. More benefits? Frequent complaints from body builders include stiffness in joints and decreased range of motion. Both of which can be reduced through a regular yoga practice.

Better shut eye at night.

Have trouble sleeping at night? Or when you do, it is shallow, and you rarely wake up feeling fully rested nor energized? Sleep deprivation can lead to many health risks, including:

  • lowered immune system
  • high blood pressure
  • weight gain
  • lowered sex drive
  • increased risk of heart disease
  • and more

All your bodily systems require sufficient sleep to perform at their best. When your sleep suffers, the health of all your bodily systems suffers, too.

But by adding just 25 minutes of yoga to your day, you could be increasing your quality of deep sleep every night. So that you wake up feeling ready to take on the day, versus feeling like the day will be an uphill climb.

Naturally, with the high number of female participants in yoga classes, you might feel awkward joining in on a yoga class. But there are options that don’t require you to stretch with the ladies. YouTube channels and DVD rentals can offer in-home tutorials. And of course, if you can afford a personal yoga instructor, more power to you.

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