Parmalee’s Barry Knox finds his peace in Hot Yoga!

Barry Knox is one of the members of the platinum-selling American country band Parmalee. The band just released their latest single at the start of 2020 entitled, Just The Way, with rapper Blanco Brown, which has been hitting #1 on various music charts worldwide. Beyond music though, Barry finds time whenever he can and back at home in Nashville, Tennessee to do hot yoga, which helps him to find his peace and quiet away from life on the road music touring on a hectic schedule.

We here at Asana Journal sat down quickly and spoke exclusively to Barry to find out more about his love of yoga, listening to his body, advice for others and how it all began!

1. How were you first introduced to yoga and what were your original thoughts?

My girlfriend (now wife) introduced me to yoga about ten years ago. My original thoughts were only girls and wimps do yoga. That has obviously since changed A LOT!

2. What is the biggest misperception about yoga (and hot yoga) you find, now that you are an active participant?

The biggest misperception I think is that its just a bunch of stretching, its easy, and its not a workout.

3. What about Hot Yoga attracted you to initially give it a shot?

Honestly it was the hype. I kept seeing it everywhere so I thought if everybody’s doing it it must be great.

4. How important is an active, healthy lifestyle to you?

Very important! I’ve always been an active person. I played sports when I was younger and was in the gym a lot. Being a middle aged man now its important that I continue to stay active; I want to live a long healthy life!

5. Does participating in hot yoga and other forms help you maintain a healthy balance in life with your very active lifestyle as a touring musician?

It definitely does. I’m normally in a different town everyday. Its tough to find good food sometimes and finding a yoga class is quite the challenge. Even if I can find a class making it fit into my show day schedule is hard. While I’m home (in Nashville, TN) I try to get to yoga as much as possible to balance out not being able to do it on the road. The benefits from yoga really help with the everyday activities of being on the road. It’s hard to imagine what that life is without living it. I’m constantly on the move and usually have my hands full. There’s no telling how many stair cases I’ll climb on any given day or what weird route I’ll have to take to dodge the crowd so having the strength that yoga provides really helps. Then theres the show. I like to move around and jump on things during our set. Yoga helps me stay balanced.

6. Is it hard to find time to do yoga with your busy schedule, or you make sure to find time?

It’s not so much about finding the time. It’s more about finding a place to do it. When I’m touring on the bus theres 10-12 people traveling in that thing so doing yoga in such a cramped place is impossible. Most hotel gyms are really small so doing yoga there is difficult too. That’s why I try to get as much in as possible while I’m home

7. What advice would you like to share with other practitioners (in yoga) based on your personal experience or others looking at getting into the same things you do?

For those who haven’t started yet but are thinking about it I say QUIT PROCRASTINATING and get to it. It’s awesome!! Your body will thank you! For those already practicing I’d say try to push the limit but don’t go overboard. When I feel real good I will try to go a little further but I have gone to far and injured myself. Since then I’ve really gotten good at listening to my body.

8. What other forms of yoga would you like to eventually try?

I’m not sure yet. At this point I’m just trying to listen to my body. Im working on my balance now which still needs lots of practice so I’m just concentrating on that. I plan on doing yoga for many years to come so who knows what my body may allow in the future!