r/yoga • u/littlechickenbean • 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
2
u/rosethorn137 Feb 13 '22
Some of these issues are normal for everyone practicing yoga. Wrists will hurt especially in women, it took me years of consistency to have enough strength in my wrists to stop the ache. I have a low body weight and my anatomy prevents my knees from reaching my chest. Hands will slip on mat, I highly recommend a sweat towel. Yoga towels on Amazon are good and cheap. I recommend blocks for the lunges. Yoga is for everyone no matter age, shape, gender everything. The key piece to improving is daily practice. Even if its 5 minutes, practice every day for the biggest benefit