What are the benefits of yoga for men?

Q: Is yoga good for a man?

Yoga is a fantastic exercise for men, regardless of age or ability, as it uses your body weight and endurance to improve your overall fitness. No matter if you're a gym enthusiast or have no workout equipment at all, yoga is accessible to everyone. Yoga can be challenging for some men as flexibility is required to assume the correct position in the poses, but each pose can be adjusted to suit your range of motion until you can attain a deeper stretch and pose correctly. In order to understand why yoga is so good for men, let’s take a closer look at some of the benefits it presents.

Q: How often should men do yoga?

Men should aim to practise yoga at least three times a week in 30-minute sessions in order to see the most benefit. You can opt for a daily yoga routine, but you should account for rest and recovery days by making sure that one of those sessions is more of a gentle flow. Beginners should start off with two sessions a week, or four sessions of gentle yoga.

Q: What should men wear to yoga?

Since yoga requires flexibility, you will need to wear comfortable clothing that allows for plenty of stretch and movement. Some men like to wear loose fisherman-style trousers, but others find that all that fabric can be quite irritating. Instead, we’d recommend opting for a pair of comfortable shorts or track pants. The Focus classic shorts and Focus tech pants make excellent choices and are available in a wide array of colours to ensure you can find a style that suits you.

For years, despite traditionally being made for men, yoga has often been stereotyped as a practice mostly for women. However, these days, yoga is something that can be beneficial and inclusive for all. More men are beginning to discover that yoga offers benefits beyond improved flexibility. It works on both the body and mind and caters to a wide range of needs and lifestyles.

There are many different types of yoga, and each can be used to provide specific benefits. For example, ashtanga yoga is great for men who are building strength and muscle, whereas vinyasa is a good choice for men hoping to improve their flexibility.

Whether you're an athlete looking to boost performance, a busy professional managing stress, or simply someone wanting to feel better in their body, yoga has something to offer. In this blog, we’re going to break down the specific benefits of yoga for men and why it might just be the missing piece in your fitness routine.

Is yoga good for men?

Yoga has a multitude of benefits for men, boosting both physical and mental health. Whether you’re a workout fanatic or you’re simply looking to improve your mental health, yoga is accessible to everyone. It’s even known for helping athletes boost their skills by helping them achieve a deeper range of motion that can support their movements during big games.

Yoga can be challenging for some men as flexibility is required to assume the correct position in the poses, but each pose can be adjusted to suit your range of motion until you can attain a deeper stretch and pose correctly.

What are the benefits of yoga for men?

To help you understand the specific benefits yoga can have on your mind and body, we’ve included a list below of some of the ways yoga can help support and boost your everyday well-being.

Improved flexibility and mobility

One of the most well-known benefits of yoga is, of course, the enhanced mobility it provides. This benefit is great for athletes as it helps them to move with ease during big games and enhances their overall agility. Many sports require repetitive movements, which may result in pain or injury over time, but with regular yoga practice, this discomfort can be avoided and your performance improved.

Strength and conditioning

The practice of yoga involves holding poses, and this can help with not only balance but strength as well. By utilising body weight and a wide variety of poses that target your muscles from your head to your toes, yoga helps to break down fat and replace it with lean muscle.

Although yoga can be seen as low-impact and easy going, it requires a lot of core strength to keep balanced and is an excellent choice for strength training and a full-body workout. Ashtanga and power yoga specifically are great for strength training.

Improved mental health

Yoga has been shown to have a substantial positive impact on mental well-being as well as physical well-being. Yoga seeks to unify the body and mind, and regular practice can help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression as well as promote feelings of contentment.

Better sleep quality

Due to the calming and mind-focused properties of yoga, it can help benefit those who struggle with issues like insomnia. It can help to improve both the quality and duration of your sleep thanks to the breathwork and meditative properties that come with long-term yoga practice.

Better circulation

Yoga does wonders for blood circulation, which in turn will help supply more oxygen to your muscles during workouts, which means less risk of soreness and cramping during and after exercises.

Boosting your immune system

There are certain yoga poses (known as asanas) that force us to tighten and relax our muscles, which drives lymph fluids and infection-fighting white blood cells through the body. This will help fight off viruses and bacteria, such as flu and cold, by carrying away the broken-down infectious waste from the muscles so they can then be expelled from the body.

Reduced risk of injury

For those who are involved in high-impact sports such as rugby, weightlifting and more, yoga can help you prevent and recover from injuries more easily, which means less time worrying and more time enjoying your workout.

Getting started with yoga

One great advantage of yoga is that you can do it anywhere, from a studio, the comfort of your own home or on a beach - all you need is a reliable yoga mat. However, creating a new exercise routine can be hard, so below are some of the best practices for getting started with yoga:

Set aside time for your practice

Consistency is vital in order to reap the benefits of yoga. Men should aim to do yoga around 3-4 times a week for at least 30 minutes per session. However, if you’re a complete beginner, then two times a week is a great starting point for building up endurance.

Start easy

If you’re going to classes, start with a beginner class. If you’re doing yoga at home, make sure you’re following a beginner's tutorial. This is a great way to learn the basics and get your body used to doing regular yoga.

Wear comfortable clothes

Yoga requires flexibility, and so you’ll need clothes that can support your movements. Some men like to wear loose fisherman-style trousers, but others find that all that fabric can be quite irritating. We’d recommend opting for a pair of comfortable shorts or track pants. Such as these Focus Tech 2 shorts and Focus Tech 2 pants. With materials that stretch with your body, enjoy a streamlined fit and greater range of motion that support all the stretching that comes with yoga practise.

FOCUS 2 TECH SHORT - £17.30

FOCUS 2 TECH PANT - £17.95

For a supportive top, we’d recommend the Focus Classic jersey as it offers plenty of stretch with breathable materials that are perfect for yoga practice. Complete with moisture-wicking materials that boost performance, this top makes the perfect addition to any workout wardrobe.

FOCUS CLASSIC JERSEY - £8.95

Step into the world of yoga with Avec Sport

Yoga is a great workout for those looking to work on their mental and physical well-being. It can support athletes by aiding performance in their respective sports, and can help quiet the mind for more peaceful sleep.

Whether you’re doing home practice or heading to a yoga studio, make sure you have all the right clothes to support your stretches and browse our men's sportswear and find the right outfit for your practice.