Teaching Yoga for Round Bodies

Introduction

1. Adho Mukha Shvasana
2. Ardha Matsyendrasana
3. Balasana
4. Bhujangasana
5. Chandrasana
6. Dandasana
7. Garudasana
8. Janushirasana
9. Jathara Parivartanasana
10. Matsyasana
11. Padahastasana
12. Parvatasana
13. Paschimotanasana
14. Salabhasana
15. Sarvangasana
16. Sasamgasana
17. Savasana
18. Setu Banghasana
19. Siddhasana
20. Standing Backward Bend
21. Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation)
22. Tadasana
23. Trikonasana
24. Ustrasana
25. Utkatasana
26. Vajrasana
27. Viparita Karani
28. Virabhadrasana
29. Vrikasana

Chandrasana
The Crescent Moon Pose

The only real problem here for some fat people is the need to keep the legs together. I don’t think the student risks injury if s/he has a slightly wider stance, but it does tend to decrease the feeling of the body being in a smooth, compact crescent-moon arc — an important part of the “energy” of the asana.

I don’t have a solution to this, but I do think that if keeping the legs together causes pain or creates added balance problems, then widening the stance is justified.

Anyone, fat or thin, may have a swayback, and it’s important to protect the lumbar area by tucking the pelvis. For a fat person with a very large belly, the lumbar area may be vulnerable even without a clinical lordosis, and in my experience it is safest to teach this asana assuming the need for extra lumbar protection for most fat people.

Also, the additional weight in a fat person’s arms may make it difficult to hold the pose very long.