Yoga for Men

It is only in recent years that women have been practicing yoga- originally the practice was a male dominated activity. In fact many of the postures (asana) are easier for the male physique than the female having being designed by men for men! 

However many men are put off by the popularity of yoga with girls, especially female celebrities such as Geri Halliwell and Madonna. However there are also many devoted male yogis; not just teachers and celebrities such as Sting but also many athletes (see below).  Yoga helps improve focus, balance, coordination and flexibility as well as provide a practice which balances body and mind helping relieve stress and improve sleep patterns. It compliments weight training and makes you stronger, helping to relieve back pain and prevent training injuries. It can also help in relationships, not only by mentally calming & de stressing but also charging up and improving your sex life!

It can help to prevent injury, relieve stress, remedy problems caused by sitting at desks and in cars as well as improve flexibility, strength, coordination and stamina. You do not have to be flexible to begin practicing yoga, this is something that will improve with regular practice. It is about listening to your individual body and working with, not against yourself. In fact as one respected yogi said…if you can breathe you are able to do yoga…so no excuses… 

Basically yoga is good for you! It can help manage and relieve ailments such as back pain, stress, high blood pressure, weight problems, digestive problems/ IBS, asthma, depression, arthritis and diabetes to name a few supported by research. For recent research and relevant links please look at my Blog.

Yoga and Sport

Most sports now incorporate many techniques from yoga and others,such as premiership footballers and golfers often incorporate yogic postures and techniques into their training regime. Yoga practice can complement many other sports such as football, running, rugby, golf to name a few. Many top sports people, including Ryan Giggs and Tiger Woods have accredited their longevity, focus and success as being supported by practicing yoga. It can improve not only flexibility, strength and coordination, balance and focus, but also the use of the breath. Habits and skills learnt and practiced on the mat will carry over and relate to sporting performance, relationships and work life in a positive way.

Practicing yoga helps you learn more about your body, and become more self aware.??You become more conscious of poor habits such as lazy posture, stressed breathing patterns and lack of focus. However you also learn the techniques to begin to rectify and improve these habits. Focus and concentration, calmness and creativity are all improved by regular practice. Just simple postures such as standing on one leg and really taking the focus to the breath will allow us to shut off other external distractions. ?By excluding the outside noises and focusing in the breath, movement and structure of the body and the posture we become more aware within ourselves.

Doing yoga can stimulate the immune system, aid effective digestion and generally help the body to work more effectively. Many students also notice that increased awareness of their body and generally feeling healthier encourages other healthy choices such as better nutrition. It reduces stress and tension, both of which can encourage unhealthy choices, as well as directly lowering body fat and helping in weight management. As well as improving how you feel and how you look, yoga can also help with relationships. A calmer less stressed mind and a more flexible, balanced and toned body will all help in the bedroom department! Regular practice can also widen your social circle and introduce a new activity for couples to practice together.

I hope that I have encouraged you to view yoga with a more open mind; as a practice that can improve your life in many different ways. Now all you have to do is buy a mat and come to class! Or if a small group of you wish to focus on a particular sport, such as golf or climbing, a regular time and venue can be organized. For a minimum of 4 people this is around the same cost as a scheduled class with more individual attention and structured around your personal requirements.

Any further information can be obtained by email or phoning Tabitha on 07754 434350.

I look forward to seeing you at future classes