Yoga for short people?

[karenisraw]

Hi,

I am so not happy with this yoga stuff going on all around me. I want to do it so bad, but when I tried it I could not do it because I am short and my legs and arms are short and my back especially is short so I can not bend into a pretzle like all you long limbed flexi-willows. What can I do? I want to be peaceful and flexible and limber but I feel like a little baked potato.

Any suggestions from the pro's? Will it get better when I lose weight? I am 185.5 lbs and 5"2'. I have a short back and my arms don't reach anywhere.

k
:) :)

[Revvell]

Ummm Karen, it's not your height and no one actually "bends into pretzels". It's more about weight, flexibilty and time. I use to hang out w/ someone who was 4'11" and she was quite flexibile naturally. I'm almost 5'6" and not even close to where she was in flexibilty.

Please start with loving your body. I don't know what you mean about "my arms don't reach anywhere". Of course they do ~ unless you don't have any? :eek:

You can only start where you are and personally, I'd start with what I have and where I am... which is all anyone can do. BTW yoga is one of the best ways to enjoy transforming your weight. Stay with it or.... give qigong a try. No pretzel bending necessary. One elderly gent I trained twice a week lost 10# in 6 months w/ no diet change and only one hour twice a week. He had diabetes and couldn't hardly stand for the first 3 weeks. After that he'd regained balance, the problems in his feet eased up...Imagine what you could do w/ 3-5 times a week and a 100% raw food program. Yipppppeeee!!!

Revvell

[elian]

Hi there,
I'm short too. 4' 10" and currently 164 lb. Don't give up with the yoga. I'm not an expert, but I've taken classes. First there are several different styles of yoga. The class that I took didn't focus on bending into complicated positions. So much of it was just bending at the waist, lying on the back, etc. It was very beneficial and I loved it. As we continue to loose the weight it will get easier.

Blessings,
Elian

[karenisraw]

Thank you elian,

I am looking forward to losing more weight to really be able to do more with yoga. I am 5"2' and 184 lb's.

Revell, maybe I am reading my roomates yoga magazine too much, because they are always in all these bendy balancing twisted up positions. I realize there are much simpler poses. I just find it hard even to do the twisting one where you put your arms on the floor on one side because my arms are so short and my boobs are in the way. I think it would help if I lost weight.

k

[Beanie]

I do yoga and I'm only 5'1". And very good at it! Some of it is heredity though. I have always had flexible joints. But I'm also very thin and thats probably to my advantage. Especially with the inversions. But it doesn't matter if you are good at it or not! You can benefit greatly. Stick with it!! I think its actually easier to be short, the ground is not that far away, lol!

[Revvell]

Revvell, maybe I am reading my roomates yoga magazine too much, because they are always in all these bendy balancing twisted up positions.

Well of course because they are showing advanced poses. No one starts out doing those karen. When I see those (or when people in my classes were more flexible than I) I just look at them and marvel at how flexible the human body "can" be. They were good examples of possibilities.



I think it would help if I lost weight.


Nod,nod,nod ~ and you are doing it well. :) Keep up the practice and you will be amazed at how good you'll be in a years time.

Revvell

[Sharon in Colorado]

I agree it has little to do with height. I am 6'0 and average weight, I am not nearly as flexible as my 6'1 husband.

My arms are as long as an orangatun and I feel like they are always getting in the way - lol.

[misslinda]

My arms are as long as an orangatun and I feel like they are always getting in the way - lol.


* chuckles * the infamous Sharon humor.


Karen, need not feel frustrted with not being able to do some of those "formations" right now......there are so many moves you CAN do in the beauty of your body NOW.

ps I'm really sorry to hear about you bf...... :( love to you dear friend.

;)

[asil]

I feel your pain! When I started yoga I weighed 50 pounds more than I do now. I had a hard time getting my arms around my chunky little body. But I'm of average height, so I'm pretty sure it was about the weight.

But so what! Yoga does a body (and mind and spirit) good! It's a great way to get stronger, leaner, more flexible, and happier. It'll help you love your body before, during and after weight loss.

Have fun!