Most ‘regular’ guys think yoga is just for women. Actually, many men probably think yoga is a great way to meet women, but that’s not all yoga is good for. For most men, yoga can actually be the best damn workout they’ll ever try.
According to Men’s Fitness writer, Jennifer Cohen, there are three main reasons that men should do yoga. She says that yoga will:
- Increase a man’s range of motion
- Lower stress and cortisol levels
- Strengthen the cardiovascular system
When men increase their range of motion, they actually increase their capacity for weight lifting, and thereby increase the amount of weight that they can lift.
As explained by Kate, Abate, a certified yoga teacher and trainer,
“Yoga widens range of motion and increases access to more muscle fibers, allowing for more substantial hypertrophy in any given muscle group.”
Hypertrophy occurs when a muscle becomes enlarged because its cells have become enlarged: muscle growth at the cellular level. In simple terms, you get stronger, and your muscles get a bigger pump.
Next, yoga lowers your cortisol levels, by reducing your stress levels. Cortisol is a hormone that is produced by the body when it is stressed. When cortisol levels increase, the body reacts by holding onto fat, which is something no man wants. Lose the beer belly, don’t keep it. Yoga lowers stress by teaching practitioners how to breathe deeply, which lowers the heart rate and the stress levels.
The lowered heart rate isn’t just good for men’s stress levels. It also helps to strengthen the cardiovascular system. When the breathing volume of the body is improved, the body works more efficiently, i.e. less work is done by the heart.
Boil it down
Simply put, yoga is great for both men and women, but men can get some amazing strength gains through yoga, while improving their hearts and lowering their stress levels. Yoga is also a great workout for couples, as it is something you can do together.
