Exercise has become even more important in recent times, mainly due to our lifestyles and diets. Many years ago we didn’t have escalators or lifts or 12-hour days working in offices. In addition, our diets contained far fewer substances that cause the build-up of fat. Combined, these factors cause the need for more exercise. However, exercise is often not fun, can cause injury and is mostly inconvenient. Swimming is the best, but it requires a pool, time to prepare, swim, and shower and change afterwards. Jogging is a good cardiovascular workout, but damages knees and other joints. One of the best solutions was created thousands of years ago in what is now known as India. Yoga is proven to be a wonderfully healthy and effective form of exercise that can benefit experts and beginners alike. Moreover, it can be performed at any time of day and in almost any place where there are two square metres of floor space. For the beginner yoga may appear rather intimidating, but with good advice, some respectful training and a little patience, one can advance swiftly to become proficient, and at the same time healthier.
Unfairly, yoga is often regarded as a woman’s activity, or only performed by men who are less masculine than those in the gym or on the football field. Those men who are broad-minded enough to at least give yoga a try will soon realize the benefits and be able to perform in the gym, on the football field, or even in the bedroom much more effectively in a very masculine way. Nowadays courses and rooms that focus purely on yoga for men are becoming more available and more popular. Beginner yoga lessons are gentle on the muscles and joints, and do not leave the new students with any form of ache or pain. The improvement process is smooth and gentle and one does not become an expert overnight. Those who try too hard too early will only set themselves back further. This could also be said for any other form of exercise.
Of course, one needs to learn a little about the activity before trying to arrange their feet behind their head. A good teacher will be patient and understanding. A good school will have plenty of yoga pictures showing examples and a list of yoga workouts for all levels to practise.
The biggest step, especially for men, is the psychological one that restricts the taking up of yoga. The stigma of being thought of as a leotard wearer or a hippie is far from easy for any man to swallow, but that first hurdle is the only one that is difficult to pass. After accepting that it is beneficial in so many ways and discovering that other men, real men, are already performing yoga to help their performances in other, manly, activities, one can relax and enjoy a long and healthy life.
Unfairly, yoga is often regarded as a woman’s activity, or only performed by men who are less masculine than those in the gym or on the football field. Those men who are broad-minded enough to at least give yoga a try will soon realize the benefits and be able to perform in the gym, on the football field, or even in the bedroom much more effectively in a very masculine way. Nowadays courses and rooms that focus purely on yoga for men are becoming more available and more popular. Beginner yoga lessons are gentle on the muscles and joints, and do not leave the new students with any form of ache or pain. The improvement process is smooth and gentle and one does not become an expert overnight. Those who try too hard too early will only set themselves back further. This could also be said for any other form of exercise.
Of course, one needs to learn a little about the activity before trying to arrange their feet behind their head. A good teacher will be patient and understanding. A good school will have plenty of yoga pictures showing examples and a list of yoga workouts for all levels to practise.
The biggest step, especially for men, is the psychological one that restricts the taking up of yoga. The stigma of being thought of as a leotard wearer or a hippie is far from easy for any man to swallow, but that first hurdle is the only one that is difficult to pass. After accepting that it is beneficial in so many ways and discovering that other men, real men, are already performing yoga to help their performances in other, manly, activities, one can relax and enjoy a long and healthy life.
