After years of stress, injury, and burnout had taken a toll on his physical and mental health, Nikhil Dhawan came to yoga in search of a practice that could support him long-term. Now a yoga instructor and the owner of Sweat Yoga in Los Angeles, he relies on his practice to navigate entrepreneurship, fatherhood, and life. His path reflects a broader conversation around men’s wellness, and the many forms strength can take.
Below, Nikhil shares how yoga continues to shape his perspective—on health, masculinity, and showing up for what matters.
Tell us about your journey and how yoga became part of your life.
I grew up just outside Los Angeles, where my parents, who immigrated from India in the ‘80s, ran 7-Eleven stores. I spent my childhood helping them, while dreaming of becoming either a Lakers announcer or a Bollywood actor. I studied Broadcast Journalism, then took a detour to acting school in Mumbai after graduation.
Eventually, I came back to LA, took out a loan, and bought my own 7-Eleven franchise. That chapter gave me financial stability and independence, but also led to long hours, burnout, and a hunger for something more. As I approached 30, I felt something had to shift. I booked a one-way ticket to Nepal to trek to Everest Base Camp and spend time alone in a completely different environment. After the 10-day trek, I volunteered at a village school near Kathmandu for two months. The experience shifted my perspective.
When I returned to LA, my mantra became focusing on my health and letting the rest unfold. Yoga started to become a real part of my life.
I had taken yoga classes at different points in life just for stretching purposes, but never really paid much attention to it. I started doing yoga more consistently due to my injuries, but I was still intimidated and didn’t love being so exposed in the bright rooms with mirrors and the most flexible people ever. It wasn’t until I discovered Sweat Yoga that I was pulled in. The dark rooms, no mirrors, and upbeat music made the practice an enjoyable experience. I learned about myself and my body and slowly built strength in multiple aspects of my being.
You completed your teacher training in 2020. Can you share your biggest takeaway from this experience?
My single biggest takeaway no longer refer to it as a "Teacher Training". There is so much profound knowledge about the human body and mind; learning about the science behind the anatomical body, the philosophical mind, and the connection between how they impact one another is so much more meaningful than becoming a yoga teacher. Doing a yoga deep dive should be made more accessible and relatable to the general public, rather than just those who want to teach. Even now, the more I learn, the more I realize how little I know.
How has yoga supported your health through different life chapters—entrepreneurship, marriage, fatherhood?
Yoga (and any form of intentional movement and breathing) has impacted all aspects of my life positively. I'm in my late 30's and have a 1-year-old who is already super active. For me to keep up with him and be able to do all the things I want to, I have to remain mobile and nimble. I want to lead by example as long as I'm around; I don't want him to look at old age as a time where we're completely defeated and immobile and dependent. I want him to be inspired and excited to live his journey on earth as healthfully and joyfully as possible. The practice of yoga keeps my body and mind right to show up for myself and everyone around me.
As someone who’s navigated burnout, what role does yoga play in your relationship with stress and recovery?
Ongoing stress is so real, no matter how much work we put in. Stress shouldn't necessarily be looked at as a bad thing. If we never stress our muscles, they never grow. In the same way, we grow from stress.
For me, I've reached a point where my body always tells me when it's gone too far. I can feel it in the tension in my neck, or the weight on my shoulders, or the stiffness in my back, or the stickiness of my hips, or the heaviness in my legs. The body indeed keeps score. Specifically, Yin yoga helps me ground, relax, breathe and slow it all down.
What has yoga taught you about the concept of masculinity and how it can evolve?
Like anything else, masculinity is not one size fits all. It looks different on everyone. Yoga has taught me about the macro cycles we live in—how the seasons change, and how our ancestors moved with that rhythm. I think about how ancestral men worked together for the good of their community. What if we brought that back into modern life? What if we saw masculinity as cooperation, not just independence or dominance? Yoga has helped me live that out—for myself, my family, and the people around me.
For men who feel intimidated walking into a yoga studio, what would you tell them?
Great question! I was SO intimidated the first several times I walked into a yoga studio. I'd honestly say, lean into that feeling of being intimidated; be a blank slate, a sponge. Walk in with no ego and no preconceived notions and just be ready to learn. Be curious, listen to the cues, and feel the sensations in your body. There are no two journeys that are identical; don't try to model yours after anyone else’s. Just go in for your Self and trust the process.
Follow Nikhil’s journey @studentsofliving, or take a class with him at Sweat Yoga.
