Tummy is Getting in the Way!

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Bickitori
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May 25, 2011 at 8:35 pm

Post count: 3

#2134

When I started hot yoga two years ago, I was around 145 lbs. Not ideal for my 5’4″ body but not the worst shape I’ve been in either. In the past 6 months I’ve crept up to 157. That’s pretty close to the heaviest I’ve been. I’m practicing less, not doing any other exercising, eating too much… Excuses/reasons for the weight gain are being corrected, but until it starts going away, the extra weight is all in my tummy and it’s creating a bit of a problem.

Any pose that it’s intended for my chest and thighs to meet (child’s pose, tortoise, rabbit, hands to feet from behind) I’m finding it hard to breathe. My back line is open enough to make the connection, but because my belly fat is getting pushed up into my diaphragm, the breathing is more labored than it was 12-15 pounds ago.

What can I do to keep the breath even in the poses without sacrificing the pose itself in the interim of losing the extra mass in the stomach region?

Thanks!

Andrea.*F.
Participant

June 4, 2011 at 10:23 pm

Post count: 78

#8638

Hey There,

We are hot yoga teacher trainees from Gabrielle’s Teacher Training program!!!

Because we keep her very busy she gave us permission to reply some of the inquiries.

One suggestion for poses that maybe difficult with extra mass around the mid section is to separate the legs to allow more space. For example in Pada Hastasana (hands to feet from behind) and Paschimottanasana bring the feet apart so that the tummy can rest comfortably between the thighs.
In kneeling poses you can separate the knees but keep the feet together (child’s pose, half tortoise) to achieve the same effect.
In rabbit try giving yourself more space by not curling so tightly, try to get the top of the head on the floor though instead(avoiding to rest the body weight on it).
You can also enter the pose, sitting palms up underneath the bottom and waiting to grip the heels until your head touches the ground.

We hope you find this helpful.

Namaste,

Kiki and Andrea

jacky0403
Participant

June 13, 2011 at 8:32 am

Post count: 10

#8645

Practicing flappimg fish pose helps a lot in flattening the tummy.
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