Practicing yoga isn't just for physically fit people anymore. Plus size yoga allows everyone, no matter what their size is, to enjoy the benefits yoga provides.
Anyone can perform yoga poses by modifying a traditional yoga routine. The growing popularity of plus size yoga proves that people of size can do anything they put their minds to.
What is Plus Size Yoga?
Plus size women shouldn’t be prevented from doing anything they want to do. Sitting on the sidelines will never help anyone achieve their goals. There is hope for those who are overweight but want to experience the mind-body connection that yoga provides.
Many yoga poses can be done by people of any size, though there are some poses that may require some modification. Plus size yoga involves adapting traditional yoga poses and modifying the environment to allow for a wider range of flexibility.
How to Modify Yoga Poses
- Add a block under your hands if you aren’t flexible enough to touch your toes.
- Sit on a phone book to boost your bottom off the floor and allow a greater range of motion.
- Place a folded towel under your lower back while holding poses lying on the floor.
- Stretch only to the point of tightening muscles.
- Omit any yoga poses that cause pain.
- Wear plus size yoga clothing so you feel comfortable and the clothes aren’t getting in the way of the stretches.
- Use yoga DVDs taught by plus size instructors.
Where to Find Plus Size Yoga Clothes
Wearing the right clothes while performing yoga poses is just as important as making other modifications for plus size women. Yoga clothing should be free of buttons and zippers, should move with you, and should be comfortable without being too tight or overly baggy.
Finding the right clothes with the perfect fit can be tricky, but there are some Web sites that sell plus size yoga clothes:
- Junonia
- Gaiam
- Lane Bryant
- Always for Me
- Net Sweat
- Just My Size
Plus Size Yoga Workouts
While yoga is in a category of its own, and can’t be counted as either cardio or resistance training, it offers a mind-body connection that that strengthens the body, lengthens the muscles for a leaner effect and increases flexibility.
Though plus size yoga classes are gaining popularity, your best bet for getting started is to follow a plus size yoga DVD workout. The instructors offer tips for getting the most out of the workout and modifying moves that are challenging.
The Best Plus Size DVD Workouts:
- Just My Size – Megan Garcia
- Big Yoga – Meera Patricia Kerr
- Yoga for the Rest of Us – Peggy Cappy
- Yoga for Every Body – Nancy Sherer
- Power Yoga for Every Body – Jason Gordon
- Yoga for Inflexible People – Judi Rice
Weight loss is a side benefit from yoga exercises, but it can help plus size women accept their bodies, improve their flexibility, increase their self-esteem and achieve their goals.
