YOGA

YOGA FOR MEN

I started learning yoga out of a book while I was in college.  It wasn’t until I was living in South Korea that my boyfriend encouraged me to go along to a class with him. The teacher was a man,  Ron Katwijk, from Magic Pond Yoga School (see above). Many of the other students were men and all the teachers I’d ever read about like B.K.S Iyengar, and K. Pattabhi Jois, were men. So for me, yoga was a guys thing. Their strength and power on the yoga mat always impressed me. It wasn’t till I got home that classes were dominated by women, thankfully men in Ireland are now realising the health benefits of yoga too.

Why Yoga is Beneficial for Men

Men often neglect to stretch their bodies, resulting in stiffness, pain and injury, especially when playing other sports. Yoga incorporates specific poses that bring greater flexibility to the neck, shoulders, lower back, hips and hamstrings, however the whole body gets a good stretch. During yoga, emphasis is placed on deep breathing which better oxygenates the muscles, but it has the added benefit of bringing about a sense of peace and calm.  Men are always welcome in all the yoga classes!

Men need yoga just as much as everyone else, and benefit just as much as everyone else, but men’s needs are different. While men excel at strength and stamina, there is a greater need for flexibility and relaxation. So pop along and experience yoga for yourself!

Some of the benefits of yoga for men.

• It helps to prevent injury while playing other sport
• It loosens tight muscles gained through repetitive exercise like weight lifting, running and cycling etc
• It softens and relaxes the cardiovascular system, which boosts cardiovascular health.
• It builds strength while improving flexibility.
• It reduces blood pressure.
• It helps brings about greater calm, lifts mood and helps guys connect to their emotions. 
• See the home page for a longer list.