Charli Sparks - Yoga Rhythm

1. Malasana Pose

I like to call this pose 'Smiling Buddha' fantastic pose known to also help prevent Prostate Cancer. A balancing posture for all the primary chakras (energy centres) in the body. Also, in a modern society where desk work is a daily habit their hips can often become extremely tight, this posture is also a fantastic hip opener, great for fertility and increase in blood flow to the reproductive organs. If you are tight in the hips and calves here this will be a killer - so i would highly recommend also trying to achieve this posture supine on your back, bottom touching the wall and with your feet flat up against the wall to help gently open the hips and with your spine lying flat on the ground, a lot of men when trying to practice this pose will round the spine and go onto the heels due to restrictions in various areas of the body, more beneficial long term to practice this posture supine as previously mentioned 1st then progress to standing on your feet when you know you can keep your spine straight and not hunched over. Try not to strain the shoulders and neck, keep it relaxed. Breathe and hold here for as long as feels comfortable and when you come out of this pose especially when you have been enjoying it supine, please take your time not to rush. This is also a fantastic posture for men who like to run, cycle and swim a great counterbalance to compliment their practice.

2. Diamond Pose

Have your legs as far away from you as possible whilst keeping the feet touching sole to sole. Knees softly bent. Inhale raise the arms exhale lower down towards the floor or as far as you feel comfortable. Hold for as long as possible. Great pose for men who need relief from their lower back and stretch out the hamstrings - a common area of tightness for men.

3. 8 Point Shoulder Pose

This is one of my absolute favourites!!!! It is a fantastic cervical spinal release - a HOTSPOT for everyone including men who work at a desk, cut down trees, plasterers, sportsmen, every kind of man will appreciate this posture! AMAZING! You will feel the world has lifted from your shoulders following this pose.

Seriously this is a top top top MUST pose for men to do :) And anyone can do it - any ability, any size, you can modify and use belts to help you bring your hands closer together, you can have only one leg bent rather than two....and you can practice, with time will be able to hold their hands in this pose and have both legs bent into tent pose. But you must be gentle getting in and out of this pose, it is a deep nourishing pose. Hold for as long as you feel comfortable and ensure deep belly breathing to encourage stimulation for the digestive organs also. This is also a great detoxing pose so for those men who like to enjoy a few pints and head bang to some cracking tunes this is the 'post' pose for you! :)

4. Handstand

Great fun! Youthful and a great endocrine balancer. Makes you feel empowered and alive.

A great pose to get the happy vibes in any man going :) There are an abundance of Hand Stands to choose from, I would recommend using the wall 1st to enable correct alignment. The 90 degree handstand facing the wall is a great 1st choice to start from. Remember to rest in childs pose following handstand or forward bend to allow your body to adjust to being upside down. LOVE LOVE LOVE handstands!

I have found from my teachings Men, especially to beginners... like to feel strong and capable, they often don't like yoga as they associate it to being too gentle and 'relaxing' but there are 2 sides to every coin, the restorative side to honour and nurture your body as and when you need to especially if you are feeling sore and out of balance and the other side the more physical stronger practice of yoga to bring the body feeling powerful, mind strong and heart clear.

When you are in need of some 'endorphins' , inversions are the way to go - Handstands, Headstands, Arm Balances, Elbow Balances. Fun times!

Dopamine Increase - i.e. self worth, self esteem - core work is fantastic - I do love the 'Eagle Crunch' Pose :) Lying onto your back with your arms & legs in 'Eagle' pose - you then draw your legs away from you and arms above towards your head keeping the back grounded and then return back to original position. Great workout for the core.

Also, just want to say as well....I would highly encourage Breathing Techniques to be included within your article as breath is so important within the practice of yoga as well as the power behind mudras 'hand gestures' as i use these both a lot within my teachings to men and women to enhance the power of the pose, often giving men a different mudra to the women to enhance their masculine energy, or they may often be given hand gestures to balance out their masculine energy with a 'feminine' energy mudra to suit.