YogaRoss?

With Diamond Dallas Page

By Ross Forman

I’ve never been a fan of yoga and truly don’t understand the yoga craze; it just doesn’t do anything for me.  In fact, I’m not sure what I’m supposed to get out of yoga, or how I’m supposed to feel, but yoga does absolutely nothing for me.

I’ve done yoga workouts five times, give or take, mostly the 90-minute, once-a-week session in the P90X workout.  I also once did yoga with Diamond Dallas Page, a former World Heavyweight Championship known as DDP of pro wrestling fame and fortune.  Now retired from wrestling, DDP is now a yoga master, or a yogi, though he hates when I call him that; he prefers to just be called a Fitness Guru.

Thing is, I’ve been good friends with DDP (or, BRO, as I call him) for 15-plus years.  We’ve had countless memorable moments side by side while running in World Championship Wrestling (WCW).  Times with Jay Leno, Muhammad Ali and Karl Malone to Hollywood Squares and private charter jets for cross-country flights.  So many amazing moments with DDP.

Yoga is not amazing to me – and that’s where DDP and I really differ, and have for years.

When DDP was wrestling, he was a stretch-a-holic.  He’d stretch before and after every match, probably more than any other wrestler, and that’s one of the reasons he was able to remain a main event performer and beat up his body day in and day out in incredibly physical matches at an age older than most.  I’m guessing it was DDP’s stretching/yoga that kept him in the game for so long.

I’m not really sure when DDP jumped full steam into the yoga world, probably 10 years ago, maybe more.  He’s suggested it to me countless times over the years, yet each time I politely rejected DDPYoga – his multi-DVD, at-home workout program.  (Truth be told, I laughed at DDP for his yoga, and even for suggesting it to me.)



In Omaha, home of the
College World Series

Still, other pro wrestlers also have endorsed DDPYoga as a Godsend of sorts.  Chris Jericho, Ryback, Zack Ryder and even my good friend Lodi have each endorsed DDPYoga.  I laughed at Lodi, too.  So many others from all walks of life also have praised DDPYoga, but I still was not sold.

In fact, I have talked about DDPYoga with Kevin Nash every few months and, well, let’s just say, Nash and I agree: DDPYoga is not for either of us.

But DDP got me one late-September morning at a weak moment; that’s the only thing I can say, or explain.  We were talking on the phone and he asked about my marathon running.  I have now completed 20 marathons and my 21^st is Dec. 8, when I run the Honolulu Marathon.  He told me about a friend of his who has used DDPYoga to improve her marathon times – and he even showed me an email she sent him, offering her endorsement for DDPYoga, which has helped her running.  DDP even said that he was so convinced DDPYoga would help my marathon running, done in addition to my normal training, that he’d put his money where his mouth is – so, yes, we have a $1 bet on whether or not DDPYoga works for me.

As strange as this is for me to say, yes, I committed to DDP that I would do a full 13-week session of DDPYoga – the at-home, four-day-a-week workout, starting immediately.

What have I gotten myself into?  Especially since this DDPYoga journey will, at times, includes photos and video of me doing it?  And DDP will be sharing my journey with his faithful followers.

I’m staying positive about DDPYoga.  Heck, I have to – I’ve committed to it and truly want to see what about the fuss is all about.  I’m not sure if DDPYoga will help me with marathon running, or in my battle to fend off Father Time, but as DDP knows, I’ll give it my best and be completely honest in my assessment.

Namaste, which I believe is a traditional yoga term … though I have no clue what it means,

Ross.