Life / Sep. 07, 2020
Hey man, have you tried all-men naked yoga? Do you feel comfortable and confident when stretching your body without clothes on?
Today we would like to introduce a very unique exercise - All-Men Naked Yoga. You not only need to be "flexible" but also be nude! (Seriously?)
The following article is an interview GagaTai had with Dan Carter, a yoga instructor S&^1eHBnCsJPL*i0D!p$M!8*ARr(w5@tfsJNw^)uSwPOjqbC!Jfrom DC Naked Yoga.
（Image/ Dan Carter）
Q: Would you please introduce your all-male naked yoga to GagaTai?
A: DC Naked Yoga is a community of men primarily in Washington D.C. but also spread out over the US. While all of our group classes and workshops happening here in the DC Area we host quarterly retreats throughout the US and are looking to expand into the overseas market as well.
Q: What inspired you to start all-man naked yoga? What is the main concept?
A: I inherited DC Naked Yoga from my colleague and mentor, it was formerly known as DC Men's Yoga but when I took over I wanted to be a bit more clear with the title. The idea is to create a true community of men through the bonds of nudity and yoga.
（Image/DC Naked Yoga）
Q: Does naked yoga have differences from normal yoga except the nudity?
A: While the only external difference between clothed and naked yoga is the nudity, there is a very dramatic difference in the mentality of naked yoga. At DC Naked Yoga we believe there's an unshielding that happens when we take our clothes off. Guys tend to let their guard down and become less anxious. It's what allows us to create a community of men whereas other yoga groups are often just a collection of students and teachers.
Q: What would you do if you notice your students couldn’t resist the body’s reaction?
A: Sometimes our bodies are beyond our control, although yoga certainly helps with that. When someone gets aroused in class they have the option of coming down into a resting pose or continuing to practice as long as they’re not acting inappropriately. You'd be surprised how rarely this happens though, we work pretty hard in class.
（Image/ DC Naked Yoga）
Q: Do you teach naked yoga in natural surroundings, too?
A: I do teach naked yoga in the outdoors. In American English "naturism" is a common expression used to imply nudity and we firmly believe that being naked in nature is the optimal experience. Almost all of our quarterly retreat classes are outdoors and this is what makes the retreats so popular.
Q: Without clothes, specifically underwear, wouldn’t it be more difficult since the private parts are hanging freely?
A: Every guy's anatomy is different so some find that moving without the support of underwear is a bit more challenging, but we tend to work hard and slow so it's pretty easy to adjust yourself as you flow. Yoga is probably the only exercise I would do nude as I prefer a little extra support myself.
（Image/ Dan Carter）
Q: Have you had someone got hard during the yoga lecture? What did you or he do to get calm?
A: We have had guys get hard during class before and it's really no big deal. Some guys keep practicing at full mast and usually get soft again as blood moves around the body for the practice. Other guys prefer to come into a resting pose until they're less aroused. The group is very body positive and we understand stuff pops up sometimes.
Q: Is there any pose considered slightly difficult for the “gifted” students?
A: Bow pose is a posture that all the guys in class take a few moments to adjust themselves before taking it. For most guys, the main challenge is adjusting their balls so they're not squished in any pose.
（Image/ DC Naked Yoga）
Q: Have you considered mixing genders in your class?
A: I have been asked about mixed-gender classes and I am totally into the idea. I do not however feel comfortable leading a group of all women which is what I think we need first before doing a mixed-gender class and I haven't been able to find a female teacher willing to teach it. If anyone out there is reading this and is open to leading the class please reach out to me!
Q: What would you suggest for people who want to start naked yoga?
A: I would recommend practicing at home a few times first. There's definitely a learning curve around adjusting your anatomy in different poses. Once you've gotten pretty comfortable with that dive in the deep end and take a class. You might be anxious at first but naked yoga groups tend to be some of the kindest yoga communities in the world.
（image/ DC Naked Yoga）
Q: Would you recommend couples participate in naked yoga?
A: We do a lot of partner exercises in my naked yoga community as does MMX (New York's biggest naked yoga community). We find that couples LOVE these exercises. And we've created a few couples over the years from teaching these postures.
Q: Any future plan for your naked yoga business?
A: We are looking forward to expanding overseas once the current travel bans are lifted. We are hoping to have retreats in Mexico and Southeast Asia.
（Image/DC Naked Yoga）
Wanna know more about naked Yoga? Visit DC Naked Yoga｜Dan Carter Instagram
