Unfortunately, the public image of yoga doesn’t necessarily reflect what it’s all about. Instead of promoting the foundational ideas of yoga, it’s about the looks way too often. Because of that people, especially beginners, wonder if you have to be skinny to do Yoga.
The answer is a resounding no! Plus size people can absolutely do yoga!
Still, if you’re larger-bodied, you’ll need to modify some yoga poses for your own body. (By the way, everyone needs to do that. It’s not about the looks of the pose, it’s about where you feel it! And all our bodies are different.)
Because this is such a commonly asked question, I want to share a few plus size yoga tips here!
Disclosure: Some of the links below are so-called provision links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I can earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
If you’re interested in doing some plus size yoga online, check out this body positivity yoga package!* This 5-class program takes beginners and advanced students both through a loving yoga practice for every body type.
Yoga modifications for big bellies
I’ve often heard someone say “My belly gets in the way of Yoga”. Many poses like, for example, forward fold, don’t really work the same if you have a big belly.
Modified forward fold for bigger bellies
Luckily, the goal isn’t actually to bend forward as far as possible. The goal in the forward bend is actually to stretch your hamstrings. So you can easily modify the pose by taking your legs further apart.
This way, you have space for your upper body, and you can still feel that delicious stretch on the back of your legs!
Make sure to rotate your leg muscles slightly inward while keeping your ties in line with your knees.
Want to get more flexible for yoga the easy way? Check out the 14-day Toe touching challenge! It helps you touch your toes in 10 minutes a day or less.
Modified “belly down” poses
Another time you might need to modify your yoga poses for your belly is when you’re belly down on the mat. Asanas like Cobra pose can be a challenge because you want your pelvic bones to come into contact with the floor.
Here, the best method is to get “hands-on”. Simply move your belly tissue upwards towards your chest, making space for those hip bones to move towards the floor.
By simply following this tip, your yoga for larger bodies is already much easier!
Bigger belly yoga modifications in standing poses
Another time your belly might get in the way of your yoga pose is when you’re doing lunging poses.
Here, again, you want to move your belly around, until you can do the lunging movement. Make sure to stay balanced though, you don’t want to move all your weight to one side!
Avoid heavy load on your joints!
Another super important tip for plus size yogis is to be really mindful of their joints. Poses that put lots of strain on the wrists, for example, might need to be modified or practiced less often.
One way to help with painful joints is to use extra padding. Pad cushions like these* can help to protect your knees, wrists, and elbows in a variety of plus size yoga poses.
Use props whenever needed
This plus size yoga tip goes right along with the one above: to avoid overstraining your joints and muscles, definitely use all the props you have.
Instead of doing downward-dog on the floor, why not use the wall for an L-stretch? You’ll get a nice stretch in your back and your legs just as well!
Again, it is not about what the pose looks like, but where you want to feel the stretch!
A chair, a yoga strap, yoga blocks (or some yoga block substitutes)… The list of possible helpers is long. Use them!
Want a more in-depth guide to starting your yoga journey as a completely inflexible beginner? Read this!
Related: How to use a yoga strap to improve your practice (+free PDF)
Related: Everything you need to know about Yoga blocks
Did you like these plus size yoga tips?
I hope these tips on how to modify yoga poses for larger bodies were helpful to you. If they were, please share them, to help another person as well!
*These links are so-called provision links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I can earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Hi, I’m Leo, the Yogi behind Yogabullet. I’ve been practicing Yoga for over 10 years now.
My goal with this blog is to show people how Yoga can help anyone, no matter how fit they are, to love their body and their life more.
I’ve experienced the life-changing power of Yoga myself and made it my mission to share this with as many people as possible.
I am a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) with Yoga Alliance, which acknowledges the completion of a yoga teacher training with a Registered Yoga School (RYS).