History of DDP Yoga
A lot of people get turned off when they hear about professional wrestling, thinking that the scripted sports entertainment is just a joke. If you ask anybody that has been through the gauntlet of being a pro wrestler, they will tell you that the toll taken on their bodies is definitely real. One professional wrestler named Page Falkinburg (better known as Diamond Dallas Page, or DDP, for short) knows that all too well.
Page said at one point that he would never be seen doing yoga, but wanted to stay fit after his wrestling career ended. Everything that Page had tried had been too high impact for his body that had been worn down by pro wrestling, so he swallowed his pride and got into yoga. Eventually, Page would start his own program called DDP Yoga (developed from the YRG Fitness System), a program that was designed to be low impact and help athletes recover while also promoting weight loss.
DDP Yoga Overview
While most forms of yoga focus on your flexibility and breathing, DDP Yoga goes even further than that. The tagline says that DDP’s version “Ain’t your mama’s yoga” and promotes strength training with a cardio workout that has a low impact on ailing joints. Fitness, sports therapy, resistance training and, of course, yoga, are the four aspects of the DDP Yoga training program.
There isn’t a lot of equipment that you need to buy, with the DVDs leading you through the workouts as instructed by Page himself and other certified trainers. They do suggest that you wear a heart monitor throughout your training so that you can chart your progress as time goes on. Just make sure that you have enough space in your living room, bedroom or gym so that you can stretch out.
Celebrity Testimonials
With Page being a celebrity athlete himself, he also has a lot of famous friends that were willing to try out his program. Actors, musicians and athletes alike have given it a shot and have found great success. Here is how a few celebrities felt about the DDP Yoga program.
Jake Roberts – When former professional wrestler Jake Roberts started DDP Yoga, he was over 300 pounds and was dealing with substance abuse issues. After staying at Page’s house and getting on the program, Jake “The Snake” was able to drop below 200 pounds while increasing his flexibility. Roberts also was able to walk normally for the first time in years.
Chris Jericho – Chris Jericho is a current professional wrestler and also the lead singer of the band Fozzy. While Jericho has always been in good shape, he is in better shape than ever after using DDP Yoga for the past four years. It has also relieved his injuries and given him more energy.
Mick Foley – Major injuries over the course of wrestler Mick Foley’s career had almost taken away his ability to walk and left him well over 300 pounds. Foley enlisted the help of Page and has had an incredible transformation. Foley has lost over 50 pounds, his injuries have become more manageable and getting around in the arena hasn’t been a problem.
Darius Rucker – Current country singer and former frontman for Hootie and the Blowfish Darius Rucker has been “hooked” on DDP Yoga for several years. Rucker doesn’t get a lot of time to workout since he is on the road so much, so DDP Yoga has been very beneficial for his energy. The 50 year old singer looks years younger, and is in the best shape of his life.
Gabriel Iglesias – Comedian Gabriel Iglesias has always had struggles with his weight, referring to himself as “fluffy” for years. Worrying for his health, Iglesias started the DDP Yoga program and has lost an incredible amount of weight in the past few years. All in all, Iglesias has lost more than 120 pounds thanks to DDP Yoga after getting up to nearly 450 pounds.
DDP Yoga Programs
DDP Yoga begins with a basic program that shows you the moves that you will need for the standard training, and then increases in difficulty once your cardio and flexibility improve. No matter what your fitness level, DDP Yoga promises a training program that fits right for you. From those that are barely able to stand on their own and weigh over 400 pounds to professional athletes, there have been plenty of people of both genders that have found success.
If you are looking to add a lot of muscle to your body and bulk up, then DDP Yoga isn’t likely the workout for you. The program focuses on building long and lean muscle that will get you through the longer cardio workouts compared to being able to lift hundreds of pounds. If you do want to bulk up, you can add weights to the workouts. There is a 13 week grid included with the program that has three different levels of intensity, so bulkers might want to skip to the advanced level.
Here are the five levels involved in DDP Yoga:
- Combo (All Levels)
- Max (All Levels)
- DDP Yoga 1 (All Levels)
- DDP Yoga 2 (Medium to Advanced Difficulty)
- DDP Extreme (Advanced Difficulty)
What Do the Studies Say?
Of course there are always going to be skeptics when it comes to weight loss and exercise programs, and you can’t rely on success stories alone. Studies have shown that DDP Yoga is a good way of increasing your heart rate by around 30 percent above normal. That’s good cardio exercise, but not quite on the same level as running or cycling.
However, that should still be an encouraging number as you are engaging every part of your body, which will be instrumental in toning. Adding muscle will allow you to burn fat, in addition to a minor cardio exercise and proper diet. When you get into the more advance stages of DDP Yoga, you will find that the amount of cardio increases, which will promote weight loss even more.
Do You Have to Workout at Home?
While the focal point of DDP Yoga is the at-home instructional videos, the increase in popularity has allowed the program to find homes at gyms around the United States. Certified instructors lead classes of all levels in many major cities, including Nashville, Chicago, Detroit and many more. There are also workshops that are held at various locations (that can be outside of the United States) if you are in the mood for a health retreat. You don’t necessarily have to order any DVDs for your home either, as some of the basic workouts are available for free online.
The Greatest Success Story
You may have seen one of the most inspirational weight loss stories ever seen back in 2012 when disabled veteran Arthur Boorman lost 140 pounds and regained his mobility, even being able to do a headstand. The video of Boorman’s story was shared by millions of people, and it sparked the popularity of DDP Yoga.
It was a testimony that people of all levels would be able to participate yoga and even the intense version that is DDP Yoga. Boorman suffered from a broken back when he decided to take up yoga, and he would only weigh in once a month after communicating with Page himself. Now, Boorman is a certified yoga teacher that is teaching many how to change their lives the same way.
Final Word
There aren’t many exercise programs that you’re going to be able to find that don’t have a lot of detractors, but DDP Yoga seems to be one of them. Though the effectiveness of the workouts has been contested slightly (only when compared to other forms of cardio), it has been deemed completely safe as an exercise program. With no impact on your joints, even those that need to lose more than 100 pounds will be able to manage their way through DDP Yoga without wanting to give up.
As with any exercise program, there is a need for proper nutrition while on the program. The materials that come with DDP Yoga give you instructions on what to eat to make your weight loss more effective. If you’re a beginner that’s just looking to tone up and increase your flexibility or drop a large amount of weight, it should be effective either way. One aspect of the program is that it appeals to men, which is something that not a lot of yoga programs do. Another added benefit is that women and children also have plans in DDP Yoga, making it accessible to all.