People of all social categories and age groups can enjoy yoga as their hobby or even as a lifestyle. Yoga practitioners have been studying the physical and psychological differences between men and women for a long time.
In general, men are known to be less emotional than women and they often suppress their emotions. This leads to high levels of stress and increased risk of heart problems.
Higher physical strength of men is acknowledged by most dedicated yoga practices. Some of the poses designed for men involve more muscle power and stamina. Many male yoga practitioners have found that a combination of yoga and weight training can provide them with the necessary vitality and positive thinking.
In many cases, the balance between mind and body is broken by different adverse outside factors such as stress, pressure, and social problems. The close connection between body and spirit can be seen when the spirit is defeated and the body soon gets weakened and ill.
To strengthen the connection between body and spirit more physical aspects of yoga are highly recommended to men. Society imposes certain standards – staying fit and looking good are just some of them. In order to have self-confidence and self-respect you need to take care of your body properly.
Some yoga poses are great for keeping the body in perfect physical shape, especially when a balanced and nutritious diet is considered. Physical yoga training also greatly reduces the chances of various illnesses such as lowered blood pressure, heart attacks and osteoporosis.
As some of its most efficient shields against stress yoga favors meditation and relaxation. Half an hour of stretching and deep breathing brings you into a state of peace and relaxation that helps both mind and body to replenish energy. For example, the head stand forces you to breathe deeply, improves brain oxygenation and is excellent for aiding circulation and allowing the heart rate to drop.
The shoulder stand enhances the positive effects of breathing by increasing the lungs capacity to process oxygen. Both these poses are beneficial to the spine as well as they allow it to stretch and relax at the same time. The plough pose strengthens the abdominal and lower back muscles. Savasana, also known as the corpse pose, is excellent for relaxing the body between asanas.
All of the above poses need to be accompanied by special breathing techniques. The Anuloma Viloma technique balances the prana levels in the organism and is recommended for use during physical exercises. The Ujjayi breathing method clears the nasal passages and throat allowing for better air circulation. This technique also works well for improving nervous system responses.
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