overweight doing yoga

There are a lot of poses that are hard for people to get into, due to size or lack of flexibility or both. Are you taking a class? The instructor should be able to give you modifications so you can find a variation that you can do. Also, some poses are easier with blocks or other props. Don't worry - you are not alone. Hang in there!

You are NOT alone. If your instructor is any good, s/he should be able to give you variations, but bottom line: if it hurts, DON'T DO IT! And for some inspiration, google "Any BODY can do yoga" or "overweight yoga" for some awesomely inspirational pics that prove that yoga IS for ANY body!

Don't feel bad or alone! There were many poses I couldn't do when overweight and there are still many poses I can't do now that I'm not overweight. Just challenge yourself but don't compare yourself to anyone else in class. The instructor should be showing you modifications if you can't do certain poses.

YES! Even just the corpse pose, I can't get my spine to lay flat because my butt makes it curve My stomach & boobs make child's pose really hard and it's supposed to be a rest pose lol!! I always get a facefull of boob during downward dog. I figure as long as I'm doing my best, it's okay. My butt might be waaay up in the air during child's pose, but I'm working on it! I'm really good at the butterfly for some reason, so that makes up for it maybe make sure to find a yoga class that gives alternative moves for when you can't get to a move. It's not fun to just sit around doing nothing while people do complicated things around you. I have teeerrribbleee balance, so the instructor gives an alternate against the wall, etc. I usually go where there's a lot of older people, so they're closer to my level than say a hot yoga class downtown with people my own age.

Right, I can't do some poses. Downward Dog, my upper body strength can't hold my weight...but I keep at it.

Big guy chiming in with another hell yes. My belly gets in the way quite often. Look up, if you're on ig, @biggalyoga @ambitiousphoenix @ambivalentmind @currentlyunderrepresented and @nolatrees. all bigger yogis and inspirational ladies!

mochapygmy wrote: »

In case people don't know (I didn't know for years) when you do child's pose you can modify it so your knees spread out to the edge of the mat or wider or narrower. Now my belly and breasts sink to the mat and my back is flat.

Finding an instructor that discusses modifications is such a huge help. It's why I occasionally take beginner's classes to brush up on form and/or ask about a mod.

That's how I do child's pose. Otherwise my boobs are crushed and it's not very restful. Depending on how my neck and shoulders are feeling i also don't tuck my arms to my sides but have them relaxed near my head. There heaps of modifications out there - yoga for everyone! I've been practicing for a while and comfortably 'intermediate' rather than beginner (so chuffed when my instructor said that) and I still don't look like the videos/Instagram people. Yoga is a practice not perfection.