Teaching Yoga for Round Bodies

Introduction

1. Adho Mukha Shvasana
2. Ardha Matsyendrasana
3. Balasana
4. Bhujangasana
5. Chandrasana
6. Dandasana
7. Dhanurasana
8. Garudasana
9. Janushirasana
10. Jathara Parivartanasana
11. Matsyasana
12. Padahastasana
13. Parvatasana
14. Paschimotanasana
15. Salabhasana
16. Sarvangasana
17. Sasamgasana
18. Savasana
19. Setu Banghasana
20. Siddhasana
21. Standing Backward Bend
22. Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation)
23. Tadasana
24. Trikonasana
25. Ustrasana
26. Utkatasana
27. Vajrasana
28. Viparita Karani
29. Virabhadrasana
30. 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.