It’s unfortunate that not many men do yoga. Various gyms don’t help with their marketing, as they most focus on attracting the attention of women.
Part of the reason is that yoga, as a rule, is a bit more difficult for men than it is for women. Yoga requires a lot of flexibility, and some of the movements and poses can be extremely challenging for men.
But men should consider the various benefits of yoga:
Increased Range of Motion
Yoga encourages your body to stretch, become more flexible, and give you a fuller range of motion. With yoga, you’ll open up your tight hips and hunched shoulders, and give you better form for other exercises you might do at your local Powerhouse gym.
With yoga, you can actually become a better lifter. And the increased range of motion and improved flexibility makes you more functional in everyday life.
Fewer Injuries and Less Pain
As you boost your flexibility and balance with yoga, you’ll find that you’re less likely to experience pain and injuries when you’re doing other workouts like running and weightlifting. In fact, yoga is fantastic for lower back pain.
It’s true that there will be some discomfort (to say the least) in the beginning. But that’s a small price to pay for fewer injuries.
Active Rest
Are you one of those guys who get restless when it’s supposed to be your rest day from the gym? If that’s so, yoga is the perfect option for those days.
It’s Not Effeminate
Some guys seem to think that yoga is just for women or effeminate men. But that’s not really true at all, as some absolutely manly men have been doing yoga for years. These include:
- David Beckham. Granted, Beckham only started doing yoga with his wife Victoria, and maybe he was just appeasing his wife. But from a longevity standpoint, it’s a good decision. He’s still looks fit and great, and he can take off his shirt on the beach without worrying about unflattering paparazzi pics. And he’s still with his wife Victoria for the last 13 years or so.
- Justin Timberlake. This is another guy who’s been seen doing yoga with his wife (the gorgeous Jessica Biel). But you can’t argue about how good Justin still looks, and he’s still with his wife of 10 years, with a couple of kids.
- Adam Levine. The singer from Maroon 5 has had a fascinating love life. He’s been married to Victoria’s Secret model Behati Prinsloo for 8 years now, though there have been some reports of infidelity on his part. And his former girlfriends include Victoria’s Secret model Anne V, Cameron Diaz, and Jessica Simpson. Is it a coincidence that Levine is a certified yogi, and he does yoga before each band performance?
- Robert Downey Jr. Yes, it’s Mr. Iron Man himself. He actually credits yoga as one of the reasons why he has continued to avoid drugs since his arrest.
- Lebron James. Quite a few black men seem to think that yoga is a for women and trendy white guys only, and they’d rather go play basketball instead. But even the great Lebron James does yoga, which might explain why he’s still playing All-Star caliber basketball at his age. In fact, he’s led youth yoga classes in the Nike Basketball Academy.
- Orlando Bloom. It’s Legolas, though he might be his own personal Cupid, His love arrows have hit beauties such as Katy Perry, Kate Bosworth, and former wife supermodel Miranda Kerr. Bloom does yoga, and mixes that up with archery and horseback riding.
- Colin Farrell. Yep, even the “bad boy” rep of Colin Farrell doesn’t stop him from doing yoga. In fact, he credits yoga for his good skin. And if Colin does it, so can you.