Yoga can be spiritual or physical, with benefits varying depending on the type practiced. Asana, or exercise-based yoga, is popular in the West and has physical benefits such as improving blood flow and flexibility. More men are practicing yoga, with some variations geared towards building strength. Yoga can also have sexual benefits.
The benefits of yoga vary depending on the precise type of yoga practiced. At one extreme, it can be an almost entirely spiritual matter and way of life. On the other hand, it can be a purely physical form of exercise.
In its purest form, yoga is as much a philosophy as it is a physical activity. It can cover beliefs such as avoiding violence or coveting possessions. It can also include activities such as meditation and contemplation.
Many people, particularly in the West, are more likely to experience the health benefits of yoga in the form of exercise. This type of yoga goes by many names, but it comes under the general heading of Asana. This term refers to the many positions that yoga practitioners move into as part of a routine.
The medical benefits of yoga can be somewhat debatable depending on your interpretation of medicine. For example, some yoga enthusiasts believe that it can help a form of vital energy known as prana to flow better. But even those who adhere to the mainstream scientific attitude toward the body acknowledge that yoga has physical benefits. These include improving blood supply to all parts of the body, increasing flexibility by stretching the muscles, and relieving some of the pressure on the bones caused by poor posture and long periods of sitting at a desk.
More and more men are enjoying the benefits of yoga. Famous yoga enthusiasts include Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George, NBA All-Star MVP Kevin Garnett, and NHL All-Star Sean Burke. Former professional wrestler Dallas Page even designed his own form of the exercise that he markets as “Yoga for Regular Guys.”
The concept of yoga is around 6,000 years old, but it wasn’t until relatively recently that it caught on in a purely exercise-based way. Most of the systems geared toward men are variations on Ashtanga, or as it’s often marketed, power yoga. These techniques combine the breathing and stretching of traditional yoga with calisthenics routines to build strength. There are also several sexual benefits of yoga, including how improved blood flow can increase sexual arousal.
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