I was probably like many men starting with the simple question; is Yoga for men? The typical response that men give; “Yoga, are you kidding me? That is for women”, just isn't true! Unfortunately, many men don't believe that Yoga is for them, so they end up missing out on the many benefits that Yoga can bring to the male species.

In my opinion, and the opinion of millions of people, Yoga IS the best form of physical, mental, and spiritual guidance, that we have on planet earth and, my goal, is to try and open the minds up of as many men, as possible!

The benefits of Yoga for men is endless, but there are a few questions that you need to ask before you are ready to take that step into true optimal health…

The first question is; can men even go to Yoga? Many men, that I have spoken to, feel as though they aren't welcome in a Yoga studio. Why? Maybe because, in general, the ratio of men to women, Yogees, is 1% to 99%, respectively. But, that does not mean that we aren't welcome, it simply means that not enough men have had the guts to put their ass in a Yoga studio!

The second question is; where should I go for Yoga classes? As I stated in the video, you can go to your neighborhood Yoga studio as it may be more comfortable for you, in the beginning, as these are usually not advanced classes. But, for me, I enjoy Core Power Yoga, which has Professional Yoga Instructors and a variety of different classes. My thought is always, if I am going to do it, I am going to do it full boar!

Third question is; what type of class should I go to? In general, there are dozens of classes that are offered, maybe even hundreds, but I would suggest the following;

Hot Yoga: This Yoga class takes you through 22 different poses (usually stable poses), in a heated room. Temperatures can get up to 115 degrees! The heat is an important part of this process as it helps to eliminate toxins!

C1 and C2: These are Vinyasa Yoga classes, meaning you are moving or flowing from pose to pose. Again, these are generally heated classes, but not as hot as the Hot Yoga and usually is in the mid 90's.

Sculpt: This Yoga class is for all those men like me, that love lifting weights. Essentially, you are doing yoga poses with lighter dumbbells. Honestly, you need to work up to this if you are new to Yoga as it kicks your ass!

In terms of the benefits of Yoga for men, there are many. Personally, I have lost 55 pounds of FAT. I have worked out for 30 years and have never experienced the type of weight loss and strength improvement, than I have with doing Yoga. Mentally, it has helped me bring down my anxiety which has also affected my blood pressure in a big way (was at 140/90, now at 117/77)!

Other Yoga benefits may include;

  • Increased flexibility. Can you touch your toes?
  • Increased muscle strength and tone. You will become the strongest you ever have because of the fact that Yoga works ALL muscles, not just the large groupings.
  • Improved respiration, energy and vitality. Energy is beyond believable!
  • Maintaining a balanced metabolism. Increased metabolism in my case.
  • Weight reduction. Between the heat and workout, nothing better to burn fat than Yoga.
  • Cardio and circulatory health. You may THINK that your heart rate wouldn't go up, but wear a heart monitor during class and you will understand it is just like going for a jog, but less impact on the joints.
  • Improved athletic performance. Stamina and flexibility helps any athlete.
  • Protection from injury. Surrounding muscles help support the joints!

I hope that you take my advice, as man to man, that Yoga can and will be one of the best things you have ever done for yourself!

If you would like to learn more about Natural Health, visit The Balance You Need and soak up the information!

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photo credit: RomeoAD inspired by Sting via photopin (license)