Yoga for Men

1. Spirituality Beyond Religion

Before yoga, relationship pain led me to escapism. I’d get sick of people and just want to check out! "I'm sick of humans. I want to go off to a cave and meditate," I’d say loud to myself. Yoga taught me that this is a faulty theory. A true barometer of my spirituality was not my relationship with God alone in a cave, but instead, how I could relate to people whom God has put in my life. Yoga was never an escape from reality, but a chance to enter it. There you have it real benefits of yoga for men and you WILL NOT get this from the newsstands or in men's mags! If you’re doing yoga right, you’re going to get more than better orgasms you’re going to get complete, internal self-makeover.

2. Stepping Out of My Massive Ego

Yoga has helped me notice degrees of authenticity. It brought an awareness of when I'm genuine, and also when I'm being driven by an agenda dominated by my more base desires. By setting intentions to be true and authentic, I eventually learned to shed shallow expectations which would blow up my ego.

3. Becoming Aloof to Public Opinion

Isn’t it a burden to be overly concerned about what other people think of you? It's just exhausting! When I was younger, I’d always get teased about being a guy doing yoga by friends or acquaintances, but over time, I knew I had made the right choice. With yoga, I dialed into my personal internal compass of health, diet, ethics, and ways to relate to people. I came to a deep understanding that this body is a gift in this short life, and I’m here to give instead of taking. Once I embraced that spirit, I was forever after aloof to public opinion, as I had found a better way of living. Burden relieved.

4. The Full Spectrum of Health, Not Merely Fitness

Unlike most gyms, men's magazines, and fitness regimes, a yoga practice sees total health as more than being ripped. You can be ripped with six-pack abs and be totally riddled with anxiety, depression, rage, and more. How is that health? If our mind is not calm and our heart is not open, there is no full spectrum health. You might have nice abs, a great ass, and killer legs, but ultimately, who cares? Besides gross strength, I want pain-free movement and flexibility. I want to exist peacefully and radiantly alive in this body. I do this for my own pleasure, not to receive the validation from others.

5. The Melting Away of the Competitive Spirit

Men are especially haunted by the spirit of competition that's often bred into us from youth. Personally, the activation of that competitive spirit into my adult life made me envious of others, if not vicious at times, both in the workplace or even amongst friends or family. How miserable! What a relief it was the first time my yoga teacher said, “Keep your eyes on your own mat. This is your practice, and your worth has nothing to do with the person next to you!” BOOM! Game changer! Now I’m happiest just showing up.

6.Yoga for Men: Better Sleep Quality

Practicing yoga for 25 minutes a day can help you sleep better, according to a 2011 study from RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. Consistent yoga practice helps not only with insomnia but also with extending the duration of deep sleep, so you wake up feeling more rested. You may have to try several yoga classes before finding the right fit. “Not all classes are for everyone, but there is, without a doubt, a yoga class out there that can bring a lot of value to your body and mind and life overall,” says Adam O’Neill, president, and co-founder Broga Yoga. 

7.Yoga for Men: Osteoporosis

Dr. Fishman’s study, Yoga for Osteoporosis, published in 2009 in the journal Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation, found that individuals who practiced specific yoga postures for 8 to 10 minutes a day experienced an increase in T-scale rankings, used to measure bone density. The specific postures recommended stimulated the bone without putting participants at risk for fracture. Always check with your doctor before starting an exercise program, even one as gentle as yoga. There may be range-of-motion limitations or modifications you need to make.

8.Yoga for Men: Better Sex

Yoga's benefits of stress relief and increased flexibility can segue to better sex. What's more, yoga can help increase pleasure and performance by increasing arterial blood flow. One study, in the Journal of Sexual Medicine in 2010, compared sexual function scores for 65 men, ages 24 to 60, before and after a 12-week yoga program. At the end of the program, all aspects of sexual function — desire, performance, confidence, satisfaction, erection, ejaculatory control, orgasm, and partner synchronization — had significantly improved.

9.Yoga for Men: Stress Relief

Research has found that people who practiced yoga for 60 minutes each week for six weeks experienced significant improvements in well-being and mood. Clear-mindedness, elation, energy, composure, and confidence topped the list of benefits, according to the study, published in the Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health in 2011. Brad Barrett, founder, and president of GrillGrate grilling tools tried yoga for the first time 18 months ago with his buddy — on a bet. The buddy eventually bailed, but Barrett became a devotee, in part because of the tremendous stress relief he experienced. “I did not expect the mental aspect to be so beneficial and enjoyable," he says. "I have calmed down a lot from my normal anxious, type-A personality.”

10.The Many Benefits of Yoga

The word yoga may conjure up images of super-limber women in leggings twisting their bodies into impossible poses. But stereotypes aside, yoga offers a variety of health benefits for men as well as women. Loren M. Fishman, MD, medical director of Manhattan Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and an assistant clinical professor at Columbia Medical School, studied yoga in India, has written about it as a valuable addition to traditional medical treatment, and uses it in his rehabilitation practice to help with neurological and musculoskeletal problems. Different styles of yoga are better suited for different people according to their nature and need, according to Dr. Fishman. Yoga styles that focus on breathing and meditation can help men needing relaxation, Iyengar, Anusara, and Integral yoga, help with balance and coordination, and Vinyasa yoga is a safe and effective style if you're tight and muscle-bound.  Here are the specifics.