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If yoga isn’t for everyone, then doing it in the nude is certainly a niche interest. But one company, Naked in Motion, hosts stripped-down yoga and pilates classes across New York City, giving attendees a way to exercise and meditate in a body-positive space. It’s certainly one of the more unique fitness classes in New York.
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“We're trying to create space for self compassion,” says founder Willow Merveille. “It's a busy world. There are a lot of messages that we're not good enough. So we're literally shedding all of the stuff, going inward together.”
Merveille also points out that the classes aren’t intended to be sexual.
“When I tell people that I teach naked yoga, people want to talk about erections and touching,” she says. “We've got such massive anxiety about the body and how it relates to sex. It's important to sort of diffuse that in this space.”
Nudity is mandatory at these classes, though women and transgender participants have the option to wear bottoms. The location of the classes vary, and tickets go for anywhere from $15 to $25.
Time Out met up with Merveille at a studio space to see exactly what naked yoga entails, and it contained all of the Eagle and Chair poses that you’d expect to find at a more conventional yoga class, with the added touch of empowerment and body positivity (just make sure to keep your head lowered for Downward Dog).
“It’s just yoga, but naked,” Merveille says.
Take a look at what naked yoga actually looks like in our video above, and consider signing up for a class right here. It's certainly less boring than another day on the treadmill at gyms and health clubs in New York.
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