Waxing, Tampons and the power of ideas

Yes, Yes.. it is one of those posts that is Kryptonite for some of my friends.. brings all those taboo blog topics into one single post! 

Most of you saw my recent rant on Facebook about switching to Nike swimwear instead of my tried and trusted Dolphin shorts, for Bikram Yoga class and the disastrous side effects of ripping hair off.  Given that I was one step shy of becoming Sanjay Ramaswami, and gave valuable feedback to the shorts industry, there are still not that many good options for Men's yoga shorts.

Earlier this week, my classmate suggested : Why not wear a "komanam" and do yoga?

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the concept, a "komanam" or "langot" is just the way people in India used to wear a cloth folded into a string around the waist. It is probably the oldest known design for an underwear that was also the "only wear", and fit a multi purpose design and functionality for

- poor men who could not afford anything more

- saints and monks who have given up everything and wanted to show they "minimized" on material comforts

- default clothing for kids 

- athletic wear for wrestlers, fighters and Yoga practitioners

While searching for why my grandfather was the last one in our family to wear this, and how the VIP Frenchie/ Jockey has dinosaured the Komanam in South India, came across many interesting links. Some of these links while educational, may not be considered safe for work.

Also learned that this was the best way to protect wrestlers from "rupturing their groins". Why would anyone indulge in an activity that would potentially rupture their groins? is beyond me.  Anyway, lets move on..

If you look at Yogis whose name has made it to the western world, you can see that the lowest common denominator for apparel from Thirumalai Krishnamacharya, BKS Iyengar (man had same style from his 30's to 90's) , Pattabhi Jois, Baba Ramdev, Bishnu Ghosh, and my favorite , or a group of Yogis (this one is from 2013), the choice seems to be either a "Komanam" aka "Langot" or a speedo! 

In order of preference for a hot yoga class, suggest men go as close to the right as possible. Refer picture below that shows three things I have worn to class with the first two making it very difficult.

Now what does my friends suggestion have to do with tampons and the power of ideas?

There is a back story from 2009. It started with an India trip and accupuncture. Hindsight being 20/20 or better, that might not have been required if I had found hot yoga earlier! Two classes would have fixed it. Think the hot lamp did as much work as the needles and the voltages.  

The accupuncture only fixed it temporarily. Within a few months, my feet started hurting. So off I went to the hospital and they said my foot was flat and the "arch" was disappearing. Then we had to go measure the flatness of the foot and get new customized inserts for the shoes, socks with elastic in them, etc.. None of that was helping anyone except the hospital and the shoe store. Part of the problem was that I could not wear these sneakers at work, especially given the formal wear didn't go with the sneakers!

Then a colleague saw me limping and said "why don't you take a tampon and put it in your shoes?".

Came home and thought about it. Hmm.. tampons in your shoes? Why not? Then I realized that Sanitary napkins would be a better bet, given they have a sticker which can be used to stick it to the sole and I can custom cut them to any shape!

When San came home that evening, I asked her "Can you give me a sanitary napkin?"

Her reaction was a kodak moment. It is not everyday that your hubby asks you for a sanitary napkin. Being lost for words, she pointed me to a cabinet.

Took a napkin, cut it in two pieces to match what would have been my arch and nicely stuck the two pieces into the shoes after peeling off the sticker. The next day I went to work with my napkin fixed formal shoes and was walking comfortably. Why not? It was like walking on a cotton cloud! Guess the added benefit to doing this was that any extra moisture inside the shoes is absorbed by the napkin and it makes for a more comfortable walking experience. 

This went on for two days and I told my colleage "By the way, thanks for your idea! It has changed my life" .. He spit out his coffee. Apparently he was being sarcastic and was joking. I told him that he has no idea, how good his ideas are, because he doesn't take them seriously. 

There is also a lesson in this for inventors. Patent the idea, even if you never plan to put it in practice or implement it. Some other guy like me, who is not afraid to try those ideas, might come along and actually put it in practice and it might work, very well! 

Well, now you know the back story of why giving me ideas comes with its pros and cons.. 

Might actually try them!

Difference in Yoga, a shorts does make!

Two weeks ago, just before walking into Bikram Yoga class, was offered a free Yoga shorts, in return for a review of the shorts! 

First off, when you walk into Bikram Yoga class the one obvious disparity anyone can see is in the clothes (or what is left of it) that the women and men wear. The women have perfect fitting, nicely stretching, colorful clothes thanks to an entire industry that caters to the Yoga clothes for the ladies. In spite of this, the women are not necessarily happy.. No matter what their size I do see that the women have much better apparel! 

The men on the other hand come in their underwear for crying out loud, which you cannot even do in the silence of the Yoga room! The options are horrible.

When I first knew that Yoga was going to be a big part of my life (read third yoga class.. I kind of make up my mind fast on these things and they somehow work, like I married Sangeetha 7 days after seeing her and... okay off topic already.. Take 2)

When I first knew that Yoga was going to be a big part of my life, went to the local stores to find suitable shorts. To my dismay there were no "active Yogawear" for men at any of the stores. Only for the ladies! So when an old colleague jokingly asked me "so what do you wear to the yoga class? pink panties?!", I didn't even have a sarcastic answer ready! Then after much searching, found that Dolfin brand swimming shorts did the trick. Over time have bought 5 of the same shorts with reducing waist sizes with blue, green or red bands on the side (the shiny band has earned the name Jigna Jetty from the Little one). To Dolfin's credit, they make swimwear. When you are swimming, there is no squeezing between your legs at any time! So this review does not to say Dolfin is bad. Those shorts are very durable and have gone to hundreds of wash cycles and are still intact!

After all that, I now had a "sample" in my hands!

Was so glad for two reasons. 

1. Someone made an effort to create a yoga shorts for men

2. Someone thought my opinon was worth it! They dared ask for feedback.

Promptly wore it for that class and the first thing that hit me was the fabric. So soft! The next thing that hit me was the way it looked in the mirror! Remember the blouse that old Tamil movie heroines used to wear? There would be a pocket for their nipples?! Think same thing except for the privates. They had created a webbed pocket so the dudes cohones are free and not squeezed.  I got some funny looks from the folks on either side of me, but I told them "I am trying out a free sample for a review".. In short, I had transformed into an underwear model! 

The class was amazing for many reasons. For the first time I was able to move "freely" on the big backbends and the deep forward bends. After 2 1/2 years, locked me knee for the first time doing Padahasthasana.

You are supposed to have "no gap" between your chest and your thighs on this one. The photos here were taken after a yoga class by the budding Yogagrapher aka Little One. Was not warmed up and went into the pose to the best of my ability with two different shorts and asked her to click. I did lock my knee in that class (you can see me almost get there in the new shorts) and it was only because there was no pressure on my privates from the shorts stretching over. No wonder then that the ladies always ace this pose!

Old (above) vs. new (below)! Touching the floor with your head directly at the center of the line between your feet? Easy, when your shorts is not inducing excruciating pain in certain parts! 

I also did not keep fidgeting and pulling my shorts down after every pose. This one did not ride up and down and that made the class more enjoyable.  The shorts also did not feel heavy after being fully soaked in sweat. 

Also saw a marked difference in doing the Eagle pose which is the worst when it comes to pressurizing your groins. 

The funny part was when I came back home and the little one saw me walk in. She kept laughing at my new shorts because of the protuding front pocket! 

All said and done, these folks are on to something. If they can make this pocket "not so obvious" by connecting this to the thigh area, this is the perfect shorts for men! 

Given that

- it is not my problem that my shorts look funny

- that everyone is there in Yoga class for themselves

- other folks are not supposed to distract you (in theory),

wearing this to class every now and then! 

There, my first review of something I never would have dreamt of reviewing! 

Was told that the maker of the shorts is called Indra Wear! 

Watch out, Lulu Lemon!