Naked Exercise
The advantages of naked exercise are numerous from the ability to witness your muscle groups functioning to being free from sweaty workout clothes. The obvious disadvantage, however, is that exercising naked is restricted to the comfort of your own home to avoid offending others or subjecting yourself to embarassment.
Watch Your Body Work
Serious body builders know the benefit to scrutinizing every part of their body naked in front of a mirror since their bodies will undoubtedly be subject to close examination during competition by judges. Only by closely studying their bodies can these athletes hope to obtain a reliable view of what the judges and audience will see.
Other athletes can also benefit from this same periodic scrutiny to their bodies. What better way to watch the way your body functions during exercise than to work out naked in front of a mirror?
Increase Body Awareness
Some mental health experts suggest that a great way for people to get a realistic view of their bodies is to spend time naked in front of a mirror. This method is described as beneficial to people who need help with accepting their bodies as they are, and can teach people how to marvel at the body’s amazing capabilities.
It is a different matter when someone becomes so obsessed with their appearance that they spend a great deal of time naked in front of a mirror, exercising because they are desperate to change the image they see in the reflection. When exercising naked in front of a mirror becomes a compulsion, it may be time to seek help from a qualified therapist or other health professional.
Naked Exercise in Groups
Not all exercise enthusiasts engage in physical activity naked for the purpose of scrutinizing their physique. For some people, exercising nude is simply a choice they make because they prefer to do most activities without clothes on. The American Association for Nude Recreation is an organization that promotes and hosts recreational activities for nudists in group settings. Whether the participants want to work out at a gym unencumbered by clothing, or if they would prefer to join in a group swimming expedition sans bathing suits, this organization and other similar groups provide that opportunity within a safe environment.
Some gyms in Europe offer alternating workout days that are clothing optional, meaning the members can visit the gym and use the equipment with or without clothing. While some people may be offended by the sight of naked gym members - or, at least, concerned about hygiene matters when naked people use the workout machines - attendees prefer the freedom provided by naked exercise.
In the United States, a select few yoga studios offer “Naked Yoga,” which is a class led by a naked instructor who leads the naked attendees through a series of poses. Although some teachers and students sing praises about the free and natural feelings they experience during naked yoga, there are some yoga experts who make the claim that these classes are nothing more than naked stretching classes that merely mimic true yoga. Some experts go so far as to say that naked yoga is contradictory to the basic principals surrounding yoga.
In addition to group classes, enthusiasts can purchase naked yoga and naked pilates workout discs to practice at home
Protective Gear
For naked athletes who prefer to engage in sporting activities, the need for protective gear still remains despite the lack of clothing. A game of naked rugby or naked baseball could result in substantial injuries if the participants shun protective gear. In other words, while exercising without clothing may allow some participants to feel freer, they should still make an effort to wear the proper gear when engaging in exercise that involves a fair amount of risk.
Most nudist resorts provide the proper protective gear to exercise participants. If you find yourself involved in a naked sporting event outside the confines of a nudist resort, you should make sure you have protective gear. Remember, naked exercise should only be performed in the privacy of your own home or at a licensed facility that allows for the practice to avoid legal charges stemming from exhibitionism on public property.
Benefits of Naked Exercise:
