A new fad is taking hold in some yoga studios that allows for those who practice the ancient Indian art of yoga to throw away their sleek and stretchy attire to go fully nude. One of the instructors believes naked yoga allows students to “liberate themselves from negative body image.” She also calls the practice empowering because students can see their muscles at work.
TORONTO – Studies have shown the many health benefits of yoga, from stronger muscles to lower blood pressure and a calmer state of mind. Now devotees are touting a new kind of yoga class to boost body acceptance: naked yoga.
Nude yoga classes have been sprouting up at yoga studios across the United States and Canada, including at Follow Your Bliss in Toronto, CTV news’s Medical Specialist Avis Favaro reports.
Instructor Dee Dussault, who leads an all-female class as well as a session for couples, said the concept allows students who are embarrassed to be undressed in front of others face their fears, and then let them go.
“I have some people who have never done yoga before and feel safer taking it in this environment because they are afraid of the standard studio culture,” Dussault told CTV News.
Dussault said she makes the setting comfortable for her students by dimming the lights and encouraging them to close their eyes and focus on their own experience, rather than their classmates.
One of her students, Tanya Dunn, said when she told her friends about the class, the response was: “I want to try it.”
For those who may be shy but are keen to get buff in the buff, there are always DVDs they can follow in the privacy of their own home.
Jennifer Kries is the creator of Yoga Undressed. She advises students to “suspend judgement and give it a try.”
“To those people, those folks who start off by saying ‘eww’ or ‘yuck,’ you know I meet them with great compassion,” Kries told CTV. “I say ‘it is important for you to suspend judgement and give it a try.'”
Kries said she believes naked yoga allows students to “liberate themselves from negative body image.” She also calls the practice empowering because students can see their muscles at work.
