YOGA | flexiblefitness

Kripalu Yoga

There's a reason most yoga classes feel unwelcoming and unsafe for fat people: they are!

The truth is that American yoga is dominated by thin, able bodies, despite the fact that America itself is dominated by fat, often disabled bodies. That's fucked up, as is the fact that the average yoga instructor, for all their advanced knowledge of physiology, has no idea how to modify and instruct for fat bodies.

Enough of that!

My version of Kripalu yoga is about slowing down, breathing deeply, and truly getting in touch with your fat body. It's about using whatever props make the most sense for your body at any given time, and it's about holding each pose longer, to really allow your muscles to relax into it and provide as much relief as possible.

What it is specifically not about is competing with the body on the next mat over, or trying to contort yourself until you look ready for your Cirque du Soleil audition!

I have spent over 15 years learning how yoga works for people in fat bodies (even teaching fat-friendly techniques to certified yoga instructors through Living Yoga), and can teach standard, chair, and even bed yoga!

"At first I wasn't sure yoga was right for me. But Lily-Rygh's gentle methods really put me at ease and made me realize that it doesn't really matter how the pose looks as long as it feels good. I am so much more relaxed and able to handle stress these days, and I think that's because of what I have learned from my yogi, Lily-Rygh!"

-Julian, 50, Entrepreneur