Recent news reports say Shaq is liking the Cleveland roster (his new team). You know what roster we’re liking? Team Yoga that’s what! Remember when we told you about how awesome we thought Lebron James was for practicing yoga and teaching it to the kiddies, even though we don’t even watch basketball? Really, we thought we couldn’t love the guy any more than we already did, until now. We’re pretty sure he’s the reason Mr. Shaquille O’Neal did his first downward dog on Wednesday night! Or at least was a happy influence. Yessir the basketball legend, sometimes rapper (bless his heart), blossoming reality TV star and all around jolly dude can add yoga to his resume. And it wasn’t for some extra effort. The man is 7-foot-1! So he needed two mats to span his extra long limbs.
Tami Schneider, owner of Cleveland Yoga in Beachwood, OH where Shaq took his “hot power vinyasa” class in the helped the b-baller modify to stretch his massive limbs. It was a tall order:
“His thighs are gigantic and so strong, they’re as big as my whole body,” Schneider said. “So he was able to cross his ankles and that was just fine.”
And he used blocks for uttanasana. Something about this just screams… Adorable! We love that a millionaire basketball superstar falls in line and practices yoga just like anyone else. Shaquille O’Neal, just like us! And why shouldn’t he be? That is yoga. Shaq apparently says he’ll be returning to class, so the teach has been nice enough to put in an order for an extra long mat. Anyone make an 85″+? And can he get his name on it like pal Lebron? (see photo)
You know, on a side note, this completely boggles our mind that pro athletes, especially outrageously successful ones like Shaquille O’Neal, admit they “don’t stretch very often.” What? That’s like saying we’re the world’s greatest cookies-in-milk dunking champions and then forget to eat them! We digress.
So everyone’s reporting this as Shaq’s first class, but we have insider knowledge his foray into occurred a little while back. In March it was noted that Mr. O’Neal found yoga to help stretch his legs. In any case, we’re super psyched… P-S-Y-C-H-E-D we’re all psyched for Shaq the yogi! OK, we’ll stop.
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, even if we don’t entirely know what we’re saying, Go Cavaliers!
Earlier…LeBron James: Basketball’s Yoga LeBrogi FTW!
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I teach yoga in a jr. college. yesterday one of the b ball players said he knows LeBron James does yoga so he wants to check it out. He said he knows Alonzo Morning meditates.
I was impressed.
Cleveland Yoga is one of the places I practice… Just think what could happen if Shaq rolled those 300 plus pounds on me in pigeon…
Are you and YogaBuzz in cahoots? You’ve been matching each other topic for topic the last few days.
I’ve been writing comments over there with links to YogaDork for more information and discussion.
Bob Weisenberg
http://YogaDemystified.com
That’s so great!
I am worried about his neck in that headstand, though! Ouch!!!
This is awesome. As a yoga instructor for children and teens, I can tell that there is no better incentive for kids to try out yoga than to tell them their heroes yoga stories. As more and more sports stars are experiencing the beneficial effects of yoga, and sharing their stories, the more kids and teens are going to be willing to try it out. Thank you!
Yes, Lisa. Just another great example of what I keep saying like a broken record in the blogosphere–commercial, celebrity, and workout yoga are like a feeder system for those people who, like myself, move on to Yoga’s more meditative and spiritual side.
Bob Weisenberg
http://YogaDemystified.com
@ Rock… I’m afraid you would need some stadium seating for those hips!
seriously though, if you run into Shaq, uh, tell him we all say hi.