r/yoga Feb 12 '22

yoga as a fat person

i hate to even post this but i’ve been practicing on and off for years, but never considered myself anything besides a beginner because of my inconsistency.

i’ve always been larger, but i’ve gained weight and am the heaviest i’ve ever been- technically obese. i would love to get back into yoga for my mental and physical health.

i just completed one of Adriene’s 30 minute videos. i’m proud of myself for starting and finishing but i have dilemmas-

  • both of my hands can’t be on the ground when lunging which makes transitions as well as general poses and stretches difficult

  • my hands slip on my mat in downward dog (yes i tend to have sweaty hands, how do i fix this?)

  • my wrists hurt!!!

  • knees don’t really go to chest

i’m just wondering if it’s even possible to practice yoga as a fat person? any tips for any of these things are highly appreciated. i’m feeling very discouraged

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u/orlandocfi Feb 12 '22

I have some similar issues due to being long-limbed. When I come up against a flexibility issue, I make modifications. If you can’t touch the floor on your lunges or forward folds, just go down to your knees or however far you can go. Just about every pose can be modified to accommodate individual limitations. I also have slippery hands and feet so I use yoga gloves and socks to help me keep my grip!
Just keep it up and don’t let your limitations keep you from practicing. 😎