Overweight Yoga?

This is Ashtanga Yoga Tech Support. Real questions from the yoga community, answered.

The Question

I’m 50yo and overweight. I am working on eating healthy and exercise. I am interested in starting some yoga, but honestly, don’t know where to start. I have the Nike fitness app and YouTube, of course. Any solid recommendations? I know I won’t be able to do as much as I want to in the beginning. Thank you! UPDATE: wow! Thank you everyone for the rapid responses! I’m checking out YouTube and the apps right now! I appreciate you! submitted by /u/jackssweetheart [link] [commen…

— via r/yoga

Our Response

Okay. First thing: don't start with Ashtanga.

I teach Ashtanga. I love Ashtanga. But it's not a beginner practice. It's fast. It's hot. It's sequential. You need to know what a vinyasa is before you're doing seventy of them.

Start with a basic Hatha or slow flow class. Something where the teacher explains things. YouTube's fine — look for "yoga for beginners" or "gentle yoga." Thirty minutes. Do that three times a week for a month.

You're building a vocabulary. Down dog. Cobra. How to breathe. What your body does under load.

After a month, if you're curious about Ashtanga, find a Mysore room. Not a led class. Mysore. You go at your own pace. The teacher gives you one pose at a time. You're not keeping up with anyone.

That's the entry point.

And here's the thing: you're fifty and you're starting. That's not a limitation. That's just the truth. Build from there.