Yoga is a woman’s business? Under no circumstance! Did you know that in ancient India - the birthplace of yoga - women were even forbidden to practice yoga? So yoga was originally reserved for men, but in today's western world about six times more women than men do yoga. Today we will dispel the prejudice that yoga is not for men and show you the benefits of yoga for men. Many well-known professional athletes are now supplementing their training plan with yoga exercises - so there has to be something to it.
These are the benefits yoga has on body and mind:
- Yoga increases your strength, endurance and flexibility.
- Yoga improves your mental and physical fitness.
- Yoga not only consists of meditation and breathing exercises, it can also make you sweat a lot.
- Do you do other sports like strength training, running or ball sports? Then yoga is an ideal supplement to get even more out of your training.
- With yoga you can improve your posture and prevent problems with your spine and back.
- Yoga has been shown to lower blood pressure and reduce the release of the stress hormone cortisol.
- With yoga you will get a better body feeling and more ability to concentrate.
Men Yoga: Advantages of the different yoga styles
The range of different yoga styles is huge - and there is something for everyone. Would you rather relax and find a balance to the stressful everyday life or do a sweaty workout?
These yoga styles are particularly suitable for men:
Yoga as a power workout
If you want to work up a sweat in your yoga practice, then you will surely like these yoga styles:
- Power Yoga: Power Yoga is a variation of Ashtanga Yoga. The difference: the exercises are individually tailored to the practitioner so that you can optimally adapt your workout to your fitness level.
- Bikram Yoga: This form of Hatha Yoga is practiced in a room with a temperature of 35 - 40 degrees. Sweating is inevitable.
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Jivamukti Yoga: In Jivamukti Yoga, on the one hand, demanding Vinyasa Flows - i.e. dynamic sequences of exercises - are practiced, at the same time this holistic yoga style conveys the spiritual background of yoga.
Yoga for relaxation, balance and stretching
You would like to take it a little more relaxed and practice yoga as a balance to everyday life or in addition to other sports, then try the following practices:
- Hatha Yoga : In this most famous yoga style, most of the exercises are held for a few breaths and it is very suitable for beginners
- Kundalini Yoga : Breathing exercises and meditation are central aspects of Kundalini Yoga with the aim of reaching a higher level of consciousness and your full energy
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Yin Yoga : Do you want to stretch intensely and become more flexible? Then try Yin Yoga: Here the positions are held for several minutes
Which yoga style can you use to build muscles?
Basically, all body-hugging yoga styles appeal to your muscles. The great advantage of yoga is that your body is trained as a whole - compared to isolated strength training.
The positive effects on muscle building are based on training whole muscle chains and isometric training. The body is brought into unfamiliar positions. You probably know that from the forearm plank, which not only trains your abdominal muscles, but also creates more strength and balance in the whole body.
In addition to the yoga styles mentioned above, Ashtanga Yoga a good example of building muscles with yoga: In this type of yoga, a precisely defined sequence of asanas - the physical exercises - is performed in combination with breathing.
Yoga exercises for men
As a male yoga beginner, a yoga course definitely makes sense. Whether in the yoga studio or online, alone or in a group is up to you. The correct execution of the exercises is particularly important in order to get the full effect of the exercises and to prevent injuries.
Two simple yoga exercises for men:
- Mountain posture (Tadasana): ensures a healthy, upright posture, promotes concentration and reduces stress
- Warrior pose (Virabhadrasana): steadfastness and strength for the whole body
Yoga exercises for immobility
It is often wrongly assumed that yoga is only suitable for particularly flexible people. But in yoga there is no right or wrong, no competition as to who can get the furthest down or ahead. Yoga adapts to your training level and flexibility and always has a positive effect. With regular practice you will notice that you will soon become softer and more supple in the stretches. It is therefore also ideal for immobile men.
These yoga exercises make you more agile as a man:
- Standing or sitting forward bend (Uttanasana or Paschimottanasana): stretches and relieves the entire back of the body and makes the hips more flexible
- Deep lunge (Anjaneyasana): opens the trunk and stretches the hip flexor and the front of the body
Reading tip: We present you even more Asanas and their effects in a separate article.
Yoga for men: which accessories make sense?
When practicing yoga, men are best to wear comfortable, sweat-wicking clothing that is not restrictive and ensures freedom of movement, especially in the crotch. Since yoga is practiced barefoot, you don't need socks or shoes.
The OGNX yoga pants for men are super comfortable and sustainably produced. They are available in short or long and in different colors to suit your taste.
The same goes for our Yoga tops for men .
Investing in a good yoga mat is worthwhile because it is for provides more comfort and a more secure stand. As a beginner and depending on your yoga style, you can also use a yoga block, yoga pillow or belt for particularly intensive stretches.
So you see: Yoga for men has many health benefits and is also a great addition to other sports.
If you want to find out more about yoga, be sure to read our large overview article on the subject Yoga .