Yoga for Men: Exercises for More Strength and Flexibility

Yoga for men? Of course – especially with male-specific problems, specific movements can bring the necessary balance. With yoga, you can specifically counteract complaints and get your body back into balance. If you are also interested in yoga’s stimulating effects, then take a look at our sample exercises, especially for men.

Yoga helps men with specific complaints.

Yoga is often ridiculed as a women’s thing. But it does not come from anywhere that so many people feel the great added value of the exercises and thus improve their quality of life. Yoga is simply about feeling healthy and well – men are, of course, not excluded from this privilege.

Maybe you feel addressed by the following list of problems:

• Muscle imbalance
• shortened backs of legs
• overloaded back
• Tension

As a man, these problems are not uncommon and can become a burden in everyday life. Restricted mobility, in particular, is often seen as a blockage. But you can consciously free yourself from it: work towards more flexibility with targeted yoga exercises – you will see how effectively you can be relieved.

Special yoga exercises for men

Men’s yoga focuses primarily on balance, strength, and stretching exercises. You can also practice mindfulness and concentration to find more relaxation.

Because a common problem of many men in yoga is stiff limbs, this is usually noticeable in exercises where you have to sit on your heels and stretch your feet at the same time. In many cases, pain is felt after a few seconds, and the exercise must be stopped.

But that doesn’t mean you have to give up hope – shortened backs of legs can be relieved by a yoga block, and there are many other aids available for beginners. After some time, you will also succeed in more difficult positions – even if it might be a challenge at first.

Male Yoga exercises: Instructions & Effectiveness

With a little practice, you will master the following yoga positions:

Exercise 1: The Warrior (Veerbhadrasana)

This exercise strengthens the lower back, as well as the arms, legs, and ankles. Your groin and thighs are stretched, and digestion is stimulated. Shoulders, chest, and lungs are opened. Especially for men in an office job, the warrior is an ideal way to improve your posture:

1. Start with the mountain posture (Tadasana). To do this, put your feet together, arms at your sides. Lift your toes, spread them apart, and put them back on the mat. Stretch your legs, distributing your body weight evenly over the foot surfaces. Thighs and shin go slightly inwards. The coccyx points slightly forward, the buttocks are relaxed. Pull the stomach in slightly. The gaze goes on in a relaxed manner. Your body is straight.
2. Now it starts: while exhaling, move your left foot backwards and turn it outwards. The heels are in line.
3. Please take a deep breath, raise your arms parallel to the floor, and let them float over your thighs.
4. Turn your palms so that they point to the floor.
5. Shoulder blades and chest are opened.
6. The coccyx and pubic bone are now turned slightly forward – this prevents a hollow back.
7. Your gaze always goes over your arm, hand, and middle finger to the horizon.
8. Breathe in and out slowly. Stay in this position for about 1 minute.
9. To solve the exercise, stretch your right leg the next time you breathe in. When breathing out, slowly move your arms down again.
10. You can now repeat this on the other side of your body.

Exercise 2: The bow (Dhanurasana)

During this exercise, you strengthen and stretch your back muscles and your lower abdomen, shoulders, and spine muscles. It opens the front of your body and the burst basket – allowing you to breathe more freely and relax:

1. Lie down with your stomach on the yoga mat. Leave your arms calmly beside your body, with the palms of your hands pointing upwards. If you wish, you can also rest your elbows and lay your hands flat on the floor at shoulder height. The toes are placed firmly on the mat.
2. Now breathe evenly.
3. Bend your knees and bring your heels as close as possible to your buttocks. Raise your hands and grasp your ankles. Your feet and legs should remain at hip-width.
4. When breathing in, now move your heels away from your buttocks, lift your thighs. By pulling, you can now raise your chest, push your shoulder blades together and push your shoulders down away from your ears.
5. Breathe out and lift the coccyx – this will raise the back hip a little. Let your back completely relaxed.
6. Raise your head until your gaze is directed forward. The abdomen is tensed and pressed to the floor to keep your position stable.
7. Stay in this position for a few breaths. Be sure to breathe into your chest, not your shoulders. Close your eyes. As you breathe in, you can relax your body. Allow all stress to be released from you as you exhale.
8. When you are ready, slowly release yourself from the posture. Your hands and ankles separate, the head is lowered, arms and legs slowly sink.
9. Once you are back in a flat position, you can relax for a few moments.
10. Repeat the exercise 2-3 times.

Conclusion

Yoga also offers a way for men to build strength and flexibility. You can reduce stress on both the physical and mental level and find peace of mind. Improve your flexibility with men’s yoga and feel healthier and more comfortable!