LIVING YOGICALLY: Hot in herre
It is getting hot in herre (so hot). So take off all your clothes. I am getting so hot, I wanna take my clothes off. -Nelly
I am not entirely sure where herre actually is. I am pretty sure Nelly is talking about a big yacht, off the coast of Miami, with hot chicks wearing skimpy, white bikinis getting sprayed with champagne, or as the music video suggests, at some sweaty dance club. I think Nelly needs to do a remake and have his music video take place at a hot yoga studio.
I am being serious. I came to this realization as I attended a yoga class on Monday surrounded by hotness. Hot, sweaty people everywhere- especially hot sweaty dudes. For the first time in my yoga life, there was an equal ratio of men to women in the class. Nothing is more attractive than a man that does yoga. I like this new trend and hope it continues to rise.
Yoga has many benefits for the male population.
-Yoga requires full body participation. There is no such thing as Bicep and Back Mondays or Hamstrings and Shoulder Tuesdays, yoga trains the entire body. I teach a very physical style of yoga and have been told by many fit dudes that I kicked their ass in class (their words not mine). Yoga strengthens every muscle, joint and organ. So you know those huge body builders with tiny, weak ankles- this practice is perfect for them. You can balance out all your overdeveloped muscles that you train faithfully at the gym or use on the golf course. You can lengthen your muscles and even increase your body’s recovery rate. The practice oxygenates the blood, creating more energy when you finish the practice as opposed to depleting the body of it. Yoga stimulates the digestive system, which also means the body’s ability to absorb nutrients. You work every system: cardiovascular, skeletal, muscular, digestive and endocrine.
-Yoga trains the mind. Athletes like Wayne Gretzky and the Australian footie team that I teach on Sundays (Go Hamilton Wildcats!) have heightened their performance levels through yoga. By combining mental strength into their training regime, they have all become better athletes at their chosen sport. Yoga teaches you how to remain calm and centered in the midst of chaos- something a lot of us (both men and women) could benefit from.
-Yoga makes you better in the bedroom…or on the kitchen counter, in a hammock, on the side of a dirt road…wherever you like to get it on. There are poses designed to make you a better lover. Take eagle pose for example, the posture sends fresh blood and oxygen to the sexual organs. There is also a root lock called mula bandha which yogis learn that helps strengthen the pelvis. Without going too in depth, I just want you to trust me on this one- it translates positively in the bedroom/kitchen/car/etc. Overall, yoga makes everything feel ten times better because you are more aware of the sensations of the body- especially the good ones.
-Yoga is good for pain relief. I started practicing yoga to rehabilitate my knee after I had major reconstructive surgery. It worked very well. That’s no coincidence. According to several studies yoga reduced pain in people with arthritis, back pain, fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel syndrome, and other chronic conditions.
-Yoga can also prevent pain. Not only can you cure pain that is already present in the body, but yoga can also prevent the onset of aches and pains. One great example is the ability to ward off osteoporosis. Many postures in yoga require that you lift your own weight. And some, like chaturanga dandasana (low push up), help strengthen the arm bones, which are particularly vulnerable to osteoporotic fractures. In a study conducted at California State University, yoga practice increased bone density in the vertebrae. Yoga also lowers cortisol levels. Normally, the adrenal glands secrete cortisol in response to an acute crisis, which temporarily boosts immune function. If your cortisol levels stay high even after the crisis, they can compromise the immune system. Yoga helps keep the immune system strong.
-Yoga puts you in control. Yoga increases your ability to control the functions of the body. Of course we are all able to control large body movements- like walking or waving your hand. Yoga takes this to a higher level. I have witnessed non-yogis unable to lift and spread their ten toes, or do small isolated movements. After practicing yoga for many years I can widen the space between my eyebrows. Who needs botox when you are able to soften the brow line on your own!
-Yoga makes you a more confident, nicer, peaceful person. Some people take drugs, overeat or workout too hard to compensate for low self-esteem. Balance postures are designed to increase confidence. If you practice regularly, with the intention of more than the physical benefits of yoga, you begin to self-examine yourself and are inspired for betterment of your entire self. You’ll experience feelings of self confidence, joy, the need for forgiveness, as well as the sense that you are part of something bigger than your ego. That you are more than just a physical body- so who cares if your triceps are perfectly chiseled because life is about much more than that.
Take a look at these popular male yogis. Looking good boys! Looking real good!