Yoga for men is something that may not come to mind immediately as a great form of exercise for the body, and yet it is. The physical form of yoga was originally developed in India as an exercise for Hindu yogis, who are mainly men.

Yoga can be very helpful for improving bodily strength, which often comes as a surprise to many men. Many yoga poses are great for strengthening the back muscles. Others such as the Crow pose (Bakasana) work on increasing arm strength.

At the same time, yoga increases flexibility of the body which can be helpful if you tend to be stiff and muscle-bound. It also has a very calming effect on the mind. Once you begin to practice yoga and let go of the competitiveness that is associated with so many sport-based forms of exercise, you will find it benefits you through all of your daily activities. Yoga is well known for calming the breath, reducing stress and helping both men and women to become more focused and centered in their lives.

Yoga is a lot more than just a physical workout. Some forms of yoga, for example ashtanga yoga, are very fast-moving and aerobic, and many men are more attracted to this yoga style than the more meditative types of yoga that focus on breathing, slow movement and holding poses. However, the forms of yoga that hold poses for longer do give the body just as much of a workout, so do not avoid these just because they may not seem so masculine.

The yoga discipline, whatever form you choose, aims to combine mind, body and spirit to achieve a unity that promotes both physical and mental wellness. For men it is especially important to learn to relate to the body in this way and stop comparing with others or striving for fast progress. It does not matter if one person can do a pose more or less easily than another. It does not mean that the person is more healthy or fit.

If you are in a mixed class you will find that there are some poses that tend to be easier for women, and others that are easier for men. This does not matter, but if you prefer to concentrate on exercises that are particularly beneficial for the male body, you may want to seek out an all male yoga class.

It is important to enjoy your practice and not to force the body any further than is easy and comfortable. You will probably find that the day after what seemed like an easy yoga class, you can feel the effects with possibly some stiffness in the muscles. So do not push too hard.

Unlike many forms of strength-based exercise, there are no standards or goals to measure yourself against in yoga. Some men find this disconcerting, but once you adapt to it, yoga for men is very liberating.

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