Author: elizabeth.vesto
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Urdhva Dhanurasana (Wheel pose) Full backbend with a chair
Urdhva Dhanurasana is a very challenging pose. I start students with a backless chair and legs up the wall on a block. Bolsters support the upper body and head to make the backbend more accessible. More experienced, injury free students can bring their hands and feet to the floor and push up to full wheel. …
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Seated Meditation, building a strong support. Great for plus size or older students.
A chair can provide a very supportive seat for meditation. Put a mat over the chair if it is backless and slippery, then rest a bolster to lean the shoulders against. Put half or quarter blocks under the feet so that the student has 90 degree angles at the knee and ankle. Put a block…
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Supported Sukhasana (easy seated pose) aka criss-cross-applesauce
To sit in these poses, students need plenty of height, and the height needs to be wide enough to provide stability. Bolsters may compress under the student’s weight, so I use blocks. Blocks need to be side by side wide enough to support the student, and stacked high enough so that the knees are lower…
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Virasana (Hero’s Pose) aka torture for us stiff students.
Plus size students are just like everyone else in virasana—some are very tight and others can just sit down with no support. Yogis with large pelvises will be much more supported if they have a wider seat to sit on—I use two blocks side by side instead of one. When I only use one, I…
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Tadasana (Mountain Pose) and foot alignment, learning posture for a good foundation
Learning to stand properly is very beneficial, it redistributes the forces of weight to allow better, stronger posture. Middle of feet point forward. Many people stand so that feet are angled out to the sides. This causes compression in the lower back. Be careful that the de-rotation is from the hip and not just from…
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What if you don’t fit in the chair?
If two chairs fit a student better (or if you want to do a supported backbend but don’t have backless chairs), put out two mats criss-cross. Put the two chairs on the cross-wise mat with the edges of the seats touching. Put another folded mat on top of the chair seats. You can sit on…
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Ayurvedic Doshas, what does this mean for the plus size student?
In Ayurveda, the sister science to yoga focused on health, there are three doshas which are energies or life force. The doshas move in and out of balance with the seasons and what we eat and do. Kapha have strong frames and tend to gain weight. They are stable, compassionate and loyal. Pittas are strong,…
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Dandasana (Staff Pose), a seated pose with support
Sitting without collapsing the lumbar arch can be difficult for many students. Use height to help maintain the natural arches of the spine. I like folded blankets where the hands can fit on the blanket too. If you use bolsters or blocks for support, provide a similar height for the hands. Sit straight with spine…
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Namaste, I share my light with you!
My name is Elizabeth Vesto, but you probably already know that because you found my page. I’ve been practicing yoga since 2012 and have studied more than 500 hours to become RYT 500. My passion is using props to bring yoga to people of any size, shape, or ability.