Yoga Specifically Designed for the Larger Body Student

Most of the components of Yoga can of course be practiced uniformly by students regardless of size and age. However many of the asanas (postures) and pranayama (breath work) need to be modified. It is important to find a qualified teacher. If you have departed from a yoga class and experienced nausea, vertigo, heart palpitations, or exhaustion, seek a teacher with proper training – as this should not occur.

Just a few of the physical concerns are as follows:

• Joints are more stressed in overweight students and weight bearing postures should be altered accordingly.
• The approach to the squeeze and soak (BKS Iyengar) of the organs
• Twists, Forward Folds, Laterals, Standing Postures /Strength postures and Inversions are performed but in a unique way.
Unfortunately, round bodied students attend classes that are not instructed properly and their chance of a regular practice becomes non-existent. They don’t keep a regular practice because they weren’t comfortable, they felt pain, became nauseous or perhaps they felt the postures were cumbersome for their body. With regular weekly practices, our brain’s impressions begin to transform, and in turn we make better decisions and choices; hence weight loss of that is a goal.
With the emergence of the internet, it’s sad to say some teachers use this as a source in their quest to learn to teach different demographics. This is a form of “spiritual bypass”. Any teacher, in my opinion, that prefers to be a student of a computer over a student of a trained mentor, guru or institute,
should not teach. The best information comes from human energy not a computer. Due your due diligence in choosing a facility to practice yoga: read bios, set up a consult, ask questions, request referrals to speak to.

At present, Friday evenings at 5pm in East Bloomfield is our class time for folks who feel they will benefit from a specially sequenced class with specific pranayama exercises and a overtone of mindfulness philosophy.
Sandy Hicks is a trained specialist though IAYT with 140 specific hours in Yoga for the Larger Body. Next session/series will begin July 10th 8-9pm. 10 consecutive classes for $95. Email her direct email at groundedbywellness@gmail.com and she can advise if there is space. This class is limited to 12 to better assist each and everyone exactly where they are.