I think yoga helped reduce the number and severity of injuries I suffered. As preventative medicine, it’s unequaled. ~ Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Don’t worry if you cannot do split or sit in full lotus. A man’s body is fundamentally different; although the benefits of yoga will make you lean, flexible & strong. Want to learn how to do a handstand?  There are many dynamic forms of learning and the book, ‘Yoga for Men’ is a great place to start.  Worlds Yoga offers many different styles of yoga- start by attending the a variety of classes: Gentle Yoga, HOT Yoga, Yin Yoga, Hatha Flow, Vinyasa, or Restorative Yoga.

Why Yoga For Men?

Men – especially men – NEED to practice Yoga. Guys get tight and tight in areas that are much stronger when flexible.  Yoga will bring both STRENGTH & FLEXIBILITY.  Most men do not know how tight they are until they experience their first yoga class!

With work, relationships, stress, family, exercising (mostly improperly) and sub-par diets, yoga will be the most necessary “reset button” or reboot on life that you will ever experience. But in case you’re still not convinced, here are a few more practical reasons.

How can YOGA help?

“Men often suffer from tightness particularly in the hips, hamstrings, and shoulders that can lead to injury or weakness,” says Baron Baptiste, creator of Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga and former assistant coach with the Philadelphia Eagles. “Over-training in any one sport can cause repetitive stress and other more serious injuries. Yoga is a full-body workout that creates both strength and flexibility. You need to have both. One without the other is a recipe for disaster.” Not sure where to start? Yoga helps stretch out guys’ tightest spots (like the shoulders, hips, and groin) and strengthen muscles that get no love during workouts (like the low back and knees).

Before trying yoga three years ago, Doug , 36, the chief executive of a Manhattan technology company, said he worked out but had difficulty touching his toes. Since he began yoga he radically changed his diet and said, ”my flexibility has improved, and I’m twice as strong as I was.” He also likes yoga’s meditative side. ”When I’m doing a pose, I can’t think about other things,” he said. ”I am being present.”

Specific Health Benefits for Men:

• Reduction of lactic acid in the muscles due to a lifetime of lifting weights. Over the course of a man’s lifetime, lactic acid builds up in the muscle tissues. This is most often caused by weightlifting and neglecting to stretch properly. It can also be caused by inactivity and complacence. Stretching the muscles properly enables more blood and oxygen to enter the muscles tissues and remove the corrosive acid and toxins that have built up.

• Yoga is an integrative discipline. What this means is that when you practice Yoga, you’re never just working on one or two specific muscles like you are when you lift weights. Each Yoga posture works numerous muscles, all in concert with one another. Over time you will find that you have as much, if not more, strength than you had before (more, in our opinion). This type of strength is what’s known as “functional strength” which enhances the coordinated working relationships between networks of muscle groups.

• Yoga IS your secret weapon.
Put simply, Yoga is what you do when you want to get even better at what you do. Play hoops with your boys on the weekend? Yoga will help you get the edge on them by bringing you newfound flexibility and stamina on the court. Are you a weekend football warrior in the park? Yoga will help you avoid or reduce downtime due to injury. Are you a road warrior in a highly competitive business environment? Yoga will help you to succeed and go the distance with new perspectives, insight and focus on your business.

Typical First Response:  “But I’m new to this. I’m not sure I can do it!”

You know what? We’re pretty sure you can and Worlds Yoga has the expertise and ability to help you. Think of how many new things in life that you’ve tried that you weren’t very good at first. But after a little practice, dedication and discipline (and once again, an honest effort) – the practice you begin to see how YOGA is crazy good!

You try it and the progress can be near immediate right from the first 3-months of weekly classes. Sometimes the first few sessions aren’t a breeze, and honestly, it can be quite humbling. But once you get hooked on the “yoga high” and understand that it’s a very real thing, you won’t want to go back.

Yoga For Men writes, “With today’s rapid change of pace and constant bombardment of information, it is becoming common knowledge to contemporary man – or at least it should be – that he can no longer put off or ignore his physical health, ongoing development of mental capabilities and spirituality. Our goal is to open the door for men to explore new avenues of accomplishing their goals – and in doing so – enable them to achieve a greater state of fulfillment and peace.”