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Diamond Dallas Page: Don’t Call It Yoga, Brother | Big Think

Big Think | January 10, 2026



Diamond Dallas Page: Don’t Call It Yoga, Brother
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Diamond Dallas Page explains how he hesitantly turned to yoga to overcome his wrestling injuries. Page went on to found DDP Yoga, a program that borrows heavily from yogic traditions while featuring his own innovations.
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DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE:

Diamond Dallas Page is an American retired professional wrestler, fitness instructor and actor, best known for his tenures with WCW. He is the founder of DDP Yoga.
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TRANSCRIPT:

Yo. It’s me. DDP, Diamond Dallas Page. I didn’t become a professional wrestler until I was 35 years old. My career did not take off until I was 40. That was in 1996 when wrestling blew through the rafters in the cable industry. Monday Night Wars were a huge part of that. Pro Wrestling Illustrated rated Stone Cold Steve Austin as number one and DDP as number four both years which was really crazy coming from obscurity like that. And then I blew my back out. And I blew my back out so badly that three different back specialists said my career was over. I’d actually ruptured my L4 and L5 and it was really bad. Just signed a multimillion dollar three year deal. I mean I finally got paid so, you know, this was the time I worked so hard to get to and now it was all gone. Around that time I was married and my wife at the time was like, why don’t you try doing yoga to heal your body. I was like, yoga. I wouldn’t be caught dead doing yoga. That was the way I felt about it. And long story short, it’s all I really could do.

I was still doing rehab because I had rehabbed back both shoulder surgeries, both knee surgeries and the ruptured L4 and L5, I was trying to nurse that back but it was just so tender and so immovable. I started to do the yoga and in the first three weeks I started to feel a significant difference. It was mind blowing to me. I was very frustrated though because the tapes I was watching, everybody was a stick figure. Everybody could twist themselves up into a pretzel. No one was modifying any position. So I had to figure that out. And then about three weeks in like I said I was feeling pretty good so before I crashed out I decided I want to do some of these yoga positions and I wouldn’t call them poses or postures because, you know, I’m a guy who wouldn’t be caught dead doing yoga. But I started to mix them with the rehabilitation moves and then I was like wow, this sort of flows pretty good. And then over a period of time, next couple of weeks I threw in old school calisthenics, you know, pushups, squats, crunches done with a slow burn movement. And what I figured out – like if you’re lifting weights you’re just jacking weight, you get your heart rate jacked up. But if you lift weights slow and control the weight you’re going to utilize more muscles. And every time you flex or engage a muscle like when you’re doing a slow burn push-up, your heart’s got to beat faster to get the blood to the muscle.

Again, I’m figuring this out because of boredom but again completely by accident. And over a period of three months what would become DDP yoga becomes a kick ass cardiovascular workout that could dramatically increase my flexibility and strengthen my core like never before. But here was the key. Minimal joint impact. In less than three months I was back in the ring. At 42 years old they said my wrestling career was over. At 43 I was the heavyweight champ of the world. So I decided I’m going to keep doing this what I used to call back then yoga for normal people. And then it just sort of took on a life of its own building its way up to DDP yoga.

I was on Shark Tank. They were like the big question is how have you succeeded in a world that is so competitive? How have you succeeded and made all this money in this business? How did you do that? Me and my business partner, Steve Yu, we just looked at them and said we inspire people. No, but really, how did you get the people to be brought in? I go we inspire people. They’re like no but – and you ever saw that – this stuff got cut from Shark Tank because they didn’t get it. I think the first person that had to be inspired was me. Again you’re talking about the guy, you know. Underneath DDP yoga this says it ain’t your mama’s yoga, you know. And I respect all types of yogis. I always say yogis – most yogis very Namaste. DDP yoga – we’re more T&A, you know. Tone and attitude. And we have fun with it.

The whole tone and attitude that makes DDP yoga its own animal has to do with dynamic resistance. All I want you to do is go back to this. Remember this from wresting? Now it’s in DDP yoga and I cannot believe it’s the centerpiece again. Completely by accident or by design, however you choose to look at it.

Read the full transcript on: https://bigthink.com/videos/why-diamond-dallas-page-does-yoga

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Comments

This post currently has 49 comments.

  3. @alisongreen7576

    January 10, 2026 at 5:19 pm

    Love this guy.
    And “how did you make money in this industry?”?
    The answer is authenticity. Open to new deals? That’s great. Knowing who you really are and not losing sight of that? Priceless.

  5. @Eliza-sx2qq

    January 10, 2026 at 5:19 pm

    The yoga is NO joke! I have been a wrestling fan for years and in the younger days tried some of the moves. Fast forward years and I found some poses I like and I have NOT gravitated from those. It's when I try new ones I end up sidelined. So now after my workouts I don't sweat, let the yoga stretching start and I'm drenched! I have had back issues for years so yoga and pilates have been working. Thank you SO much for standing strong against the nay sayers! You are partially responsible for me coming back to yoga. Thank you also for being such an inspiration!

  6. @eazyridin7283

    January 10, 2026 at 5:19 pm

    They want to do surgery on my ruptured L5 , they don’t want to at this time mess with bulging L4 L3 L2 . I think I need to dig deeper into this DDP method ( always been a fan of DDP n wrestlers before him )

  7. @christopherduncan6071

    January 10, 2026 at 5:19 pm

    I watched the documentary on A&E a few weeks ago about DDP and Jake the Snake. These 2 guys were my heroes as a kid. I never knew how intertwined their lives were. I cried often watching both because I saw so many echoes of my own struggles. Im 40 and a recovered meth addict. Today through martial arts, yoga, and a lot of God I am living my best life. DDP you are still my hero brother, always will be. Thank you for life. The difference between average and extraordinary is what we do.

  9. @Void616-i9d

    January 10, 2026 at 5:19 pm

    This is small potatoes compared to what this guy was dealing with. But i managed to fracture both of my arms in a 14 months apart. And decided to wing-it with the healing process. ( No rehab) needless to say, im paying for it now. Doing the yoga now. First week in. No lie. STRUGGLIN…

  12. @rosemarysimpson3542

    January 10, 2026 at 5:19 pm

    This was so inspirational. I also had an opportunity to BELIEVE in myself years ago.@ supposed nothing accident evolved into paralysis of my right leg, use of a wheelchair, then walker, spinal and a mild brain injury, fibromyalgia and years of horrible pain. I was told I would not be getting better.
    I am about to open my business coaching people to eliminate their limiting beliefs.I walk, no longer have fibro, pain is reduced to only something on occasion and is brought on when I have walked more than 2.5 kms and I will soon be 69 years old. The brain injury ? I returned to college at 40 and became a psychotherapist and will shortly graduate again with a ton more skills. Next …. get fit ! I am inspired and I believe I can shed the 60 pounds I have carried for years and once again be limber and fit. I believe in me. All I need to do is look at where self-belief has gotten me over these past 27 years. Love this video, it's so inspiring.

  19. @johnwolf1475

    January 10, 2026 at 5:19 pm

    but what makes one want to do yoga? i cant stand the term- and way too many skinny dudes running around with man buns and ddp is wearing lip gloss in this video

  21. @chrisbano9216

    January 10, 2026 at 5:19 pm

    I'm loving the workout, I lost 80 pounds from last year, I got addicted doing DDP Yoga I try to do it 5 or 6 times a week, I still do my 15k steps walking a day.

  22. @robbiejsemperfi1033

    January 10, 2026 at 5:19 pm

    I wish he called it something other than Yoga. I’m doing it and love it but have been made to feel guilty by well meaning friends for what they believe is worshiping pagan Gods. I tried to explain that DDP’s yoga has nothing spiritual it about it. Anyway other than that this is the real deal. Great workout, I’ve lost 6 lbs already in 2 weeks.

  27. @catherineshaw1122

    January 10, 2026 at 5:19 pm

    I've done yoga for 35 years (taught for almost 20 years now), everything from Ashtanga to Bikram/Ghosh to Kundalini and Yin, and I feel nothing but love and respect for this man. He helps so many people and he seems to genuinely care. That's about as yogic as it gets, and yoga means yoke, as in "to join or union." In that sense, it's yoga alright. He's joining many supportive, strengthening and empowering techniques. Namaste, brother.

  31. @neilking758

    January 10, 2026 at 5:19 pm

    You've inspired me. I'm ex boxer caught pneumonia and sepsis, heeded heart valve transplant after I spent a week in ICU. My life went down hill. I've put on about 10 stone, now I'm so fat I can't run and it has impacted my ability to exercise. I DON’T WANNA DIE

  39. @theb3654

    January 10, 2026 at 5:19 pm

    DDP Yoga cured my chronic fatigue, I was never overweight injured or depressed just exhausted 24/7 physically. Now i work out twice a day and im way more pleasant to live with according to my wife.

  43. @DonaBologna

    January 10, 2026 at 5:19 pm

    This video makes me happy and sad. Sad that some men refuse to try yoga unless an ex pro wrestler tells them it's cool, but also happy that some men are trying yoga because an ex pro wrestler told them it was cool. Lol

  44. @ccallahan2003

    January 10, 2026 at 5:19 pm

    My hubby and and I are 43 and had back injuries in the last 3 years. He had surgery and has been in so much pain that work is impossible. We have been doing DDP Rehab stand strong for 3 weeks. I feel so good after a video that I am going to do this before work (I have also practiced some of the moves at work when my back starts hurting!). I have tried other yoga tapes before but love this spin on it! My husband loves that sometimes I call this ddp yogurt on accident. Keep going. This is our time!

  46. @lovelyc1525

    January 10, 2026 at 5:19 pm

    Hello my name is Cristina. I am 46 years old i hurt my lower back. And i don't feel the same. I have given up. There are times i do not want to wake up anymore. My sister in law told me about you. I wanted to know, if you could help me? Please.

  48. @johnpalin7393

    January 10, 2026 at 5:19 pm

    I was in business for twenty five yes,man and boy I, would like to commend you and lady for showing how wonderful to see your open generosity towards other folk less fortunate ,I wish you and family all the best

Comments are closed.

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