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Want to do yoga but I'm not bendy enough

34 replies

FairyAtTheBottomOfTheGarden · 15/07/2021 13:26

I'm 50, not overweight and do plenty of running / walking but would love to do a nice yoga flow, it looks so good for you physically and mentally.

Even the beginner you tube videos I've found aren't any good though. They all seem to think that it's 'simple' to go from downward dog and 'simply' step one foot forward between your hands - I just can't!

So does anyone know of any yoga workouts for real beginners who want to slowly improve flexibility and wellness? Thanks!

OP posts:
OverByYer · 15/07/2021 20:46

@Glitterspy thanks for the tip , will try next time

UnaOfStormhold · 15/07/2021 20:51

There's a phrase "You don't have to be bendy to do yoga any more than you have to be clean to have a bath." If you can fit in a few in person classes first I think you'll find it easier to understand what the videos are trying to get you to do.

EmmaStone · 16/07/2021 09:28

Love Yoga With Adriene, but love my live classes more (my yoga studio is now streaming their live classes as well, so you could do either, they also have a 'catch up' membership so you can do their filmed classes anytime). I think even one live class a week would help with position understanding, and acceptance. But yes, the swinging foot up from down dog to meet your hands doesn't happen immediately (and might never happen - we're all built differently). I find it helps to shift my weight forward, while swinging my knee up, and yes looking forward, not down. I find Yoga with Adrienne also useful for little tips and tricks (particularly if doing one of her 30 days of yoga courses).

Faultymain5 · 16/07/2021 09:36

Yoga is about flexibility of your mind, not your body. It is not important to be able to touch your toes. Or put your leg behind your head.

Yoga with an instructor will help you to accept your body for what it is rather than telling yourself a story about what you cannot do.

I became an instructor at 40. I can’t do all poses it’s still a work in progress. I would love for you to find an instructor who will be able to help. I think online live classes would be better for you initially. Yoga with anyone on YouTube is dangerous when you haven’t been exposed to it before. I too like Adrienne but at least knew what downward facing dog felt like in my body before working with her.

Echobelly · 16/07/2021 09:39

@FairyAtTheBottomOfTheGarden - I've been doing yoga on and off for years (I'm in early 40s) and am not at all bendy and never will be due to a congenital joint issue. I can't even sit cross legged, and no, I can't step one of my legs through my arms from downward dog. I can also barely bend my spine forward more than 90 degrees from sitting on the floor

You just find ways around all these things, instructors are used to this and will find ways around it. Blocks and straps are your friend! I still get a lot out of yoga without even a hope of getting more flexible.

Downward Dog yoga app is good, have been using every other day for the last year and goes at your own pace.

MissyB1 · 16/07/2021 09:46

I'm about to start Pilates and have the same issue. I'm not at all bendy, I'm quite stiff - which is one of the reasons I'm starting Pilates anyway. I've booked a one to one session with a highly recommended local teacher so she can assess my body and what I can and cant do.

There's no way I could do online classes as I just wouldn't keep up and would probably be doing it all wrong.

BarkingUpTheWrongRoseBush · 16/07/2021 09:48

I've been doing yoga on and off for years - and I still can't place my foot straight away like that...I shuffle or hop forward.

The more I do it the better I get!

ShortBacknSides · 16/07/2021 10:00

Even the beginner you tube videos I've found aren't any good though. They all seem to think that it's 'simple' to go from downward dog and 'simply' step one foot forward between your hands - I just can't!

Can you go to an in-person class? A good yoga teacher will offer all sorts of adaptations you can make. I can step from down dog to one foot forward with my right leg, but I find it harder with my left , so I do two steps. I can do some binds on one side, but not the other.

But in answer to your title, no-one is naturally bendy. It's gentle persistent practice, and stretching a little bit (to a point of mild discomfort if you want to) at specific moments in each session.

And yoga is weird - I'm 'bendy' in a civilian sense, but as a dancer (now very old) I'm actually below par on flexibility - I can do front splits but not box splits (straddle) etc etc. But in yoga, I look as stiff as a board! I can balance well in a pirouette position on my toes, but I find all the yoga balances really hard. So it's not about bendiness, it's about persistent practice. And gradually, your muscles learn. For me, my body is used to working in turnout, with specific muscles fired up to hold my leg at wait height & turned out. But yoga doesn't use turn out, so my muscles have to work differently to hold me up. I find it both frustrating and fascinating!

You could start by doing a more extended stretching session after your runs. I aim to stretch for 20 minutes after an hour of metcon training (heavy weights, followed by cardio) - I do that twice a week, in addition to yoga Pilates, and ballet. Can you add in some stretching after your runs?

LunaTheCat · 16/07/2021 10:07

Just start - yoga is great.
Find somewhere with a good vibe - don’t go to a trendy gym with too much Lycra.
Nobody is bendy at beginning - going 🧘‍♀️ is the way to get bendy!😉

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