The thought that yoga is only for women is extremely outdated. Yoga should be and is getting more accessible for everyone and especially with the country being in a national lockdown, everyone is trying to find new ways of working out. Going for a walk in nature has never been this popular and the same applies to yoga. During the pandemic, we have seen a huge increase in yoga practisers which of course, we are very happy about! With its many benefits, yoga is a great practice to incorporate into your daily routine, whether this is during lockdown or in post-covid life. In this blog, we will guide you through a yoga beginners guide for men.

Benefits of yoga for men

Now that we have cleared the air and have established that yoga is actually for everyone, it’s time to talk about the benefits of yoga, in particular for men. Yoga can be practised to promote flexibility which often is not thought of as helpful for men when in fact, it is. Don’t worry men, we won’t ask you to do the splits or put one leg in your neck (unless you want to!). If you’re a gym rat, yoga can be beneficial to improve your form during certain exercises. By doing yoga on a regular basis, you will improve not only your squat form but also the depth of your squat. In other words, you will be able to squat deeper which should be your ultimate goal. Is the bench press your go-to exercise? Yoga will help you to press safer which in time will help you to reach that personal record. Overall, practicing yoga promotes physical benefits such as an increased lung capacity and an increased focus and balance. 

Not only does yoga have physical benefits and helps to build your strength, but it also comes with many psychological benefits. If you’re feeling stressed, practicing yoga can help to clear your mind and increase your focus on priorities. 

Yoga workout for men

Have you not put on your workout gear yet? It’s time to grab your yoga mat (if you have one already, if not, keep reading!) and start your first yoga workout. We have collected a couple of effective yoga poses that help to increase your flexibility and strength. When starting a practice, it’s important to warm up your body and stretch your muscles. Start off with a forward fold, which means you will keep your legs straight while bending your upper body down towards your legs. This stretches your hamstrings, calves and hips which helps to strengthen the legs and knees, something that is useful when you squat heavy in the gym. 

Continue your yoga flow with a downward dog, crescent lunge, warrior pose and hero pose to promote the untightening of muscles and helping you achieve more flexibility and strength. Depending on your personal goals, you can switch up the yoga poses while targeting arms, shoulders, back or your legs.   

Best yoga mat for men

If you’re new to yoga, you might not have the attributes to start your practice immediately. Luckily, yoga doesn’t require a lot of equipment, but a yoga mat is very useful and makes poses more comfortable. As men generally tend to be longer than women, we’ve created a yoga mat that will do the trick. The Paws Longer and Wider Yoga Mat is, as the name suggests, longer and wider which makes it easier for you to move around the mat. The Paws Yoga Mat is extremely comfortable to use and besides that, it’s eco-conscious as well! The biodegradable mat also has innovative grip technology where the natural rubber is perforated for intense grip when you need it most.