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Hard Yoga Poses for Men (Must Do’s)
There are several poses that are notoriously more difficult for men than they are for women. The big reason for that is anatomical differences; men typically don’t have to give birth. The other reason is for the way that most guys work out. More men than women are focused on developing muscles in their upper body, so they get tighter shoulders, chests, and backs as a result. Anyways… the 6 advanced yoga poses for men!
1) Dolphin Pose
Oh, super painful dolphin. I thought it was a joke the first time I did it, but it’s a real thing. It’s hard, it’s uncomfortable, but you need it.
2)Downward Facing Dog (Downdog)
Your shoulders are tight, and your hamstrings are tight, so it’s probably a good idea that you use an exercise that kills two birds with one stone.
3) Warrior 2
There’s nothing more basics and better suited to opening up your hip flexors than a simple Warrior 2 pose. Open your hips while working on proper core engagement. Good for posture, good for sports, good for life. Boom.
4) Pigeon
Pigeon is infinitely easier for women than for men because of that whole childbirth thing, but having stretchy external hip rotators (glutes) can help reduce lower back pain, make you run faster, give you more power in your legs, and more.
5) Pyramid
Your hamstrings. Are. Tight. So is your lower back. Pyramid is a fantastic stretch to help stretch both of those things. You can also get your IT band involved in pyramid if you’re being mindful of your hip positioning (make sure they’re facing straight forward!)
6) Eagle
Tight shoulders. Tight, tight shoulders. Eagle can be a huge pain for guys (especially in the testicle area when you wrap the leg too tightly). That being said, there are very few stretches, exercises, or poses that stretch the rhomboids (those muscles that connect your spine to your shoulder blades) as well as eagle does. Enjoy.
6 poses. Learn ’em, love ’em, and do ’em.
Namaste. – Dean
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Additional Resources
About the author, Dean Pohlman, Founder & CEO of Man Flow Yoga, Author of Yoga Fitness for Men, Expert on Yoga Fitness for Men.
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I love the pictures
I Love the challenging aspect of yoga that dean provides along with it being for guys also with a unique style he has in destroying your fuckin muscles into oblivion. But I live to see other days because I’m addicted to demanding yoga workouts like this. Those pushups that he does in the videos for endurance like plank form are killers. I stop on some of those but I can handle half pushups and then backup repeat. chatuarangas are tough themselves but I say one of my flaws I notice is when im holding plank for awhile my upper back starts hurting and im like wtf. am I not breathing or do I just have weak upper back muslces
oh yea dope ass website, first time seeing it
Yoga is about finding what feels good, forcing never gets you anywhere.
Depends on what you’re trying to accomplish, Sarah! If you want to improve your physical fitness, then you should push beyond your limits!
Agree with you Dean!
I agree with you Dean. 100%
How long would you recommend to hold these positions?
Generally 30 – 60 seconds.
This poses seems hard for me too. I never had tried to do those poses during my workout and I guess I should try this six because these have essential benefits too. So gotta try this soon and thanks for sharing!
Of course! Try ’em out.
Finding what feels good?
That sounds suspiciously like something an Adrienne devotee would say Sarah. Not that it’s a bad thing. She’s kick arse as well. Although Kassandra is a bit too tough for me, but a great chick.
I am getting hope from Dean saying some poses are tougher for men and looking forward to the rest of the trial.