Yoga is fantastic for men. It can build muscle, increase flexibility, relieve stress, prevent exercise-related injuries and even increase libido. If you want to boost your health and happiness, consider adding yoga to your routine.
Demystifying and Myth Busting
First, let’s clear up a few misconceptions.
- Yoga is “girly.”
Because it doesn’t involve brute force and heavy lifting, some have deemed yoga not masculine enough. It’s both prejudiced and untrue: yoga is not gendered, and it originated as a men’s practice with male yogis.
- It’s all about flexibility.
Yoga is great for flexibility and mobility, but it’s also good for increasing strength as well as building and toning muscle.
- It’s just some “new-age hippie thing.”
Although yoga has spiritual roots, it’s also a scientifically supported workout that can benefit people from any background.
Types of Yoga
There are many different types of yoga, including (but not limited to):
- Vinyasa: Coordinates movement and breath for seamless movement. Balances the body and prevents repetitive motion injuries.
- Ashtanga: A highly athletic set of poses, often performed at a faster pace. A good fat-burning cardio option.
- Power: Like ashtanga, but instructors may teach any order of poses. Raises the heart rate and gives a unique experience each time.
- Hatha: The most common type, which combines breathing, poses, and meditation. A good option for beginners working on mind and body.
- Yin: Combines slow movements, long poses, and traditional Chinese medicine. Improves flexibility and circulation in connective tissues and fascia.
- Kundalini: Involves channeling energy up through the body’s chakras. Ideal for spiritual individuals looking to reduce stress and center themselves.
Components of Yoga
- Poses: The positions that are held. Poses activate different muscle groups and bodily activity.
- Breath: Breathing exercises called pranayama are used to calm the senses and provide proper breath flow.
- Inversions: Poses in which the heart is higher than the head. These can improve circulation, nervous function and lymphatic drainage.
- Vinyasas: Flowing movements that connect breath and body (e.g., chaturanga to upward-facing dog, then to downward-facing dog).
Getting a Good Workout
You don’t need fancy machines or weights to achieve a toned body. In fact, Matador Meggings’ founder (pictured above) attributes his own fit physique to yoga. For full-body exercise, choose poses that target different areas for strength and stability. Chair Pose and Warrior II, for example, build strength throughout the ankles, shoulders, quads, glutes, abs, hips, chest, and thighs.
Men’s Yoga Fashion
Yoga is about freedom of movement. Stretchy, form-fitting clothing like compression tights and leggings eliminate clothing-related restrictions, allowing you to practice and improve efficiently.
At Matador Meggings, we’re creating meggings fashion with unmatched comfort, flexibility, and utility. Our leggings feature sweat-wicking fabric, practical pockets, a shirt/towel loop, and a molded crotch insert for pecker privacy. You can feel naked without showing off your goods (unless you’re into that) and focus fully on your breath and body.
Ready to gear up? Explore our selection of stylish men’s leggings online right now.
