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Clippers’ Matt Barnes lost 20 pounds during offseason, got into yoga

Matt Barnes signs basketballs during Clippers' media day on Monday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Matt Barnes the tough guy?

Not so fast.

During the offseason, the tattooed enforcer opted for a more spiritual route. He started practicing yoga.

“I wish it could have been filmed,” he said during Clippers’ media day Monday. “I went to a weird yoga class. It was all ladies that were 45 to 60 and I’m in there with a wife beater on and tattoos and my shorts, and these ladies were like, ‘Are you lost?’”

Quite the contrary.

Barnes said yoga helped him take off 20 pounds.

“Right now I weigh 210 pounds,” he said. “I haven’t weighed 210 pounds since 10th grade or 11th grade.”

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Barnes, who struggled with injuries the first half of last season, went on to average 9.9 points and 4.6 rebounds in 63 games. He said this time around he’s 100% healthy.

Perhaps a lot more flexible too, thanks to his new yoga practice.

“At first we meditated and I could barely fold my legs and I’m getting coached up, and I’m just thinking, ‘What the hell am I doing here?’” he said.

“But I kept going and the ladies kept giving me tips and were helping me stretch, and it was a surreal experience to have women that I don’t even know, that don’t even know me be there and kind of coach me through it. I wish I could have filmed the looks on their faces when they saw me in there not being able to do anything and where I ended up.”

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