DO MEN DO YOGA?
One of the most common questions I am asked is whether men do yoga. The answer of course is yes, men do yoga! But there is a higher percentage of female students at this studio then men and I’ve been investigating why that is…
‘I did yoga once at a studio near my house and I was the worst one there.’ I can almost guarantee you the room had multiple women in it having the same thought. This is not a ‘man thing’, it’s an ego thing. Yoga will help with this.
‘It’s easy and I like to be challenged.’ You need to try more classes because some yoga classes will have you in a pile of sweat on the floor.
‘It’s for women.’ I’ll just say this: www.boysofyoga.com
I’m too competitive to be in a room full of bendy women when I can’t touch my toes.’ First.. you do realise that touching your toes doesn’t make you better then anyone else, right? It’s not going to get you a million pounds or even a cookie. So, who cares?! I mean if there was a cookie involved, I may be more sympathetic but there isn't so please let go of the idea that touching your toes is yoga.
Here are some reasons why men should try yoga:
Yoga can help you in your other workouts
By improving strength, increasing flexibility and building muscle, you'll be able to lift more in the gym and prevent injury in sports like running and cycling.
It can help relieve back pain
Back problems are common amongst men, especially if you've got a desk job, do a lot of driving or are particularly tall. And I hate to break it to you guys, but it's only going to get worse with age. Yoga can help with poor posture, misalignment and will help strengthen your core to reduce and possibly even totally eradicate back pain.
Stress relief
Yoga is the ideal way to focus the mind, switch off and let go of stress. Life is crazy and we all need a bit of slow-time to balance it out and keep the crazy at bay. Yoga will teach you relaxation techniques that you can use to stay calm beyond your mat.
Better sex
Yes, you heard it guys...yoga will make you better in bed. Aside from improving your flexibility, endurance, strength and giving you more body confidence, it's actual scientific fact that doing yoga speeds the release of hormones that boost arousal and increase blood flow to those key areas. So there’s that…
Better sleep
A yoga class will leave you feeling physically relaxed and mentally calm, both of which add up to good night's sleep.
Other health benefits
The power of yoga is immense...it can improve your digestion, boost your immunity and reduce blood pressure. It can also reduce the risk of osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis as you get older.
It's fun AND challenging
If you're looking to challenge yourself mentally and physically then yoga will definitely deliver. Whether that challenge is to switch off and become more mindful or if you're looking to sweat it out and feel exhausted by the end, then there's a class for you.
Yoga is for everyone
Yoga is for everyone...every age, every shape, every ability. You might feel nervous going into your first class but once it begins you'll be so focused on your own practice that you'll forget to worry about what everyone else is doing. And you’ll soon start to discover all the amazing benefits yoga has to offer.
Try it out, Guys. Men are invited to attend one class for FREE in March. Email me at alissalawrenceyoga@hotmail.com telling me which class you want to come to and I’ll book you in. Simple as that! So, what are you waiting for?