Psst, tough guy time to hit the mat. Really. Yoga for men is in the big leagues now.

Dont believe me? Just ask former Blue Jay slugger Joe Carter, who is starring in a DVD with Trish Stratus, pro wrestler-turned-yoga instructor, and has been doing yoga for years.

Called Stratusphere Yoga for Men, the 25 minute workout incorporates moves you wouldnt expect in a traditional class, including lunges, squats and push-ups.

I used to shy away from yoga because I thought it was for sissies, says the 52-year-old-old Carter. I was wrong its a great workout that every man needs to do on a regular basis.

It doesnt hurt that major sports teams, including the Maple Leafs and the Argonauts, use yoga in their training. Guys are clueing in, Stratus says. Athletes are discovering that it helps their injuries and even extends their careers.

Men are a growing market for yoga, says Michael DeCorte, who teaches Jock Yoga and says his classes are about 40 per cent men.

This is a generalization, but when the average male hears the word yoga, they think of spiritualism and things like that, he says. But if you want a good workout, Ill give you one no chanting, no incense, and youll be doing a lot more than touching your toes.

He says far from lying on a mat, a lot of repetition and stretches work the major muscles.

Stratus, who was a seven time World Wrestling Entertainment champion, befriended Carter a few years back at charity golf tournament.

He talked to her about his injuries from playing pro ball for decades, saying hed give anything to get rid of the pain. Stratus gave him the beginnings of a routine that quickly made him one of the converted.

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Joe Carter’s yoga routine