How to Do Yoga if You Have Poor Flexibility
Find a beginner or gentle yoga class., Begin with the mountain pose., Do a standing side lean., Transition into chair pose., Move into downward-facing dog and plank poses., Go slow., Breathe deeply., Clear your mind., Relax into the pose., Stay...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Find a beginner or gentle yoga class.
The best way to begin a yoga practice is to take a beginner or gentle yoga class with a certified yoga instructor who can help ensure that you're doing the poses correctly and minimizing your risk for injury.Beginner classes often are offered at a relatively low cost at gyms and even some community centers.
If you have a chronic condition such as arthritis that limits your range of motion, you may be able to find a class that's specifically designed for people with your condition.
While you can find videos online to do yoga at home, it typically is better to start off in a class so the instructor can assist you, correct your form, and monitor your progress.
However, if you want to start on your own there are a few poses that you can do yourself to help acclimate you to yoga practice. -
Step 2: Begin with the mountain pose.
When you first see the mountain pose, you may think it doesn't look like a yoga pose at all.
But the mountain pose can strengthen your thighs and core, as well as helping lengthen your spine.To do the mountain pose, stand up straight with your legs and feet together.
Your arms should be at your side with your palms facing forward.
Keep your core and thighs engaged and active.
Spread your toes and focus on ensuring that all four corners of your feet are touching your yoga mat or the floor.
Keep your spine long, rolling your shoulders back and away from your ears.
Breathe deeply, close your eyes, and slowly move your hands in front of you, pressing them together at the center of your chest.
Maintain this position for three breaths before slowly moving your hands back to your sides. , It's simple to transition between the mountain pose and the standing side lean.
This pose stretches and lengthens the sides of your body as well as continuing to strengthen your core.From mountain pose, raise your arms over your head and lace your fingers, except your index finger and your thumb.
Squeeze your arms toward your ears.
As you inhale, press your feet into the floor and engage your thighs before stretching up to the right.
Then exhale and return to center.
From the center, repeat the same motion on the left side as you inhale.
Then exhale and move back to the center.
If you have trouble raising your arms completely over your head, raise them as much as you can and do the lean.
Make sure the movement comes from your core, not from your shoulders. , From standing poses, move on to the chair pose to strengthen your leg muscles, particularly your thighs and calves.
This pose also strengthens your core, lengthening your arms and torso.As you inhale, bring your arms up overhead until your biceps are next to your ears.
On exhale, lower your arms behind your body, bend your knees and lower your hips straight down.
The work should come from your core and thighs, not your knees.
You don't need to lower yourself very far.
Inhale and raise your arms overhead again.
Your pinkies should be turned towards each other.
Now you are in chair pose.
Exhale and return to the starting position.
Typically you want to complete this pose at least 10 times, but follow the direction of your instructor. , These two poses work hard to strengthen your back and core, as well as your arms and shoulders.
At the same time, both poses have simple form and are easy to do even if you have poor flexibility.Get on all fours on your yoga mat, with your knees about as far apart as your hips and your hands a little more than shoulder-width apart.
Inhale and curl your toes into the mat and push down into your hands and toes.
Pull your belly in as you exhale and lift your hips until your legs and arms are straight.
This is downward-facing dog.
Spread your toes and lift your heels until you are resting on the balls of your feet.
Hold the pose for five breaths, then slowly move back to your starting position.
From the downward-facing dog pose, if you pull your torso forward as you inhale you can move into plank pose.
Your body should be a straight line from your heels to your shoulders.
As you exhale, raise your hips again to move back into downward-facing dog.
Repeat this combination 5 to 10 times. , When starting yoga practice, move into poses with an abundance of caution.
Your pace should be focused and deliberate.
Don't worry if you fall behind the rest of the class or are unable to move into the poses as quickly as others, or hold them as long.Pay attention to yourself rather than other people in your class and what they're doing.
Don't worry if you get behind.
Maintain your own consistent pace rather than trying to rush through moves to catch up.
Especially if you're just starting out and you have poor flexibility, choose a beginner or gentle yoga class that has a slower pace. , Breath is fundamental to yoga practice, and has nothing to do with your flexibility or range of mobility.
As long as you are maintaining correct breathing, it doesn't matter how deeply you're able to go into the pose itself.Yoga poses and movements are all centered around your breath.
Resist the temptation to hold your breath, and try to keep focus on inhaling and exhaling above all else.
When you inhale, breathe in through your nose, expanding your belly and chest and filling your lungs.
As you exhale, press your belly in and breathe out forcefully through your mouth.
Think of making a whispered "ha" as you exhale.
Keep in mind that proper breathing, just like anything else in yoga, takes practice to do correctly and well.
Use your breath as your mental marker.
If you start thinking about something else, simply acknowledge the thought and return to your breath. , Meditation also is crucial to yoga practice, and most classes begin and end with a brief period of meditation designed to clear your mind and relax your body.
Meditation can reduce stress and enhance your yoga experience.Meditation in yoga often is done from the lotus position, with your legs intwined in front of you and your hands pressed together in front of the center of your chest.
If you have trouble getting into the lotus position, you typically can sit with one leg on top of the other, or with your legs extended in front of you.
If the lotus position is uncomfortable or painful, sit in a different position.
The meditation itself is far more important than what position your body is in.
Focus on your breath.
Many yoga classes also use the chanting of mantras to help you focus and breathe properly. , When you do yoga, you shouldn't be stiff or clinched.
Rather, keep your body controlled but loose.
Pay attention to your body and your breath and relax as you move into each pose.Particularly if you have poor flexibility or a limited range of motion, you may naturally tense up as you move your body.
With practice, you'll be able to overcome this.
It's also reflexive to tense up if you feel yourself out of balance.
Firm up your feet and hands and try to pull your weight up and into your core to find your balance again.
If you do feel your muscles tensing up, take a breath and move slowly into a lighter or more comfortable position.
It's also okay to shake out your legs or arms if you feel them getting tight. , Particularly if you have poor flexibility or limited range of motion, pay attention to how your body feels and when you're experiencing discomfort.
Your yoga practice should be mentally and physically energizing and calming, not painful.It can help improve your focus to move through the poses with your eyes closed.
Your instructor typically will tell your class members how to move, so you don't necessarily have to worry about watching your instructor.
If your instructor moves you or corrects your pose, recognize how it feels differently.
Focusing on your breath can help enforce the connection between your mind and your body. , Maintaining your breath and doing poses with correct form is important to avoid strain and decrease your risk of injury.
Don't push yourself too far or force your body into positions that cause you discomfort or pain.Especially if you're in a class with more flexible people, try not to pay attention to what they're doing.
Yoga is not a competition.
You can get just as much out of the practice even if you aren't able to fully execute all of the poses as long as you keep your mind focused on your breath and your body.
Find a resting pose, such as child's pose, that is safe and comfortable to you.
Move into that pose if you are unable to comfortably perform or need time to breathe and regain your focus. , If you're having a hard time with a pose, pinpoint exactly what portion of the pose causes you trouble so your instructor can help you find a way to modify the pose to eliminate that discomfort.There are different modifications available for yoga poses, but until you figure out why a pose is difficult or uncomfortable, you won't know which modification will be beneficial for you.
For example, if your legs and core aren't strong enough to hold your body weight in plank pose, you can rise to your knees rather than the balls of your feet.
However, if you have knee problems, this modification may hurt more than doing the original plank pose. , Yoga bricks can help you maintain correct form if you don't yet have the flexibility or range of motion necessary to go deeply into the pose.
Other props such as chairs and tables also can help you keep your balance.For example, if you are doing a forward bend and do not have the flexibility to reach all the way down and place your hands flat on the floor, you can use yoga bricks instead and rest your palms on that.
This may give you enough height to be able to complete the pose.
If you have problems with balance, you can lean on a chair, table, or even the wall for support.
This will enable you to complete the pose in a stable way.
Keep in mind that these props are not crutches.
As you continue your practice, strive to improve your flexibility and get rid of the props.
Just make sure you're progressing safely and not forcing yourself to move in ways that are difficult or painful. , Folding or rolling a blanket or towel and placing it behind your joints will decrease the required range of motion while still enabling you to maintain the correct form of the pose.For example, in child's pose you are on your knees with your body pressed forward over your legs to the floor.
This position requires an extreme degree of flexion that can cause pain if you have knee problems.
Placing a blanket behind your knees can relieve some of this pain and make the pose more comfortable.
A rolled blanket or towel on the inside of your knees will support your knee joints when doing squatting poses, keeping the joint from closing completely. -
Step 3: Do a standing side lean.
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Step 4: Transition into chair pose.
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Step 5: Move into downward-facing dog and plank poses.
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Step 6: Go slow.
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Step 7: Breathe deeply.
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Step 8: Clear your mind.
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Step 9: Relax into the pose.
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Step 10: Stay focused on your body.
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Step 11: Only go as far as you comfortably can.
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Step 12: Identify the causes of your difficulty.
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Step 13: Use props when necessary.
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Step 14: Fold or roll blankets to reduce joint pressure.
Detailed Guide
The best way to begin a yoga practice is to take a beginner or gentle yoga class with a certified yoga instructor who can help ensure that you're doing the poses correctly and minimizing your risk for injury.Beginner classes often are offered at a relatively low cost at gyms and even some community centers.
If you have a chronic condition such as arthritis that limits your range of motion, you may be able to find a class that's specifically designed for people with your condition.
While you can find videos online to do yoga at home, it typically is better to start off in a class so the instructor can assist you, correct your form, and monitor your progress.
However, if you want to start on your own there are a few poses that you can do yourself to help acclimate you to yoga practice.
When you first see the mountain pose, you may think it doesn't look like a yoga pose at all.
But the mountain pose can strengthen your thighs and core, as well as helping lengthen your spine.To do the mountain pose, stand up straight with your legs and feet together.
Your arms should be at your side with your palms facing forward.
Keep your core and thighs engaged and active.
Spread your toes and focus on ensuring that all four corners of your feet are touching your yoga mat or the floor.
Keep your spine long, rolling your shoulders back and away from your ears.
Breathe deeply, close your eyes, and slowly move your hands in front of you, pressing them together at the center of your chest.
Maintain this position for three breaths before slowly moving your hands back to your sides. , It's simple to transition between the mountain pose and the standing side lean.
This pose stretches and lengthens the sides of your body as well as continuing to strengthen your core.From mountain pose, raise your arms over your head and lace your fingers, except your index finger and your thumb.
Squeeze your arms toward your ears.
As you inhale, press your feet into the floor and engage your thighs before stretching up to the right.
Then exhale and return to center.
From the center, repeat the same motion on the left side as you inhale.
Then exhale and move back to the center.
If you have trouble raising your arms completely over your head, raise them as much as you can and do the lean.
Make sure the movement comes from your core, not from your shoulders. , From standing poses, move on to the chair pose to strengthen your leg muscles, particularly your thighs and calves.
This pose also strengthens your core, lengthening your arms and torso.As you inhale, bring your arms up overhead until your biceps are next to your ears.
On exhale, lower your arms behind your body, bend your knees and lower your hips straight down.
The work should come from your core and thighs, not your knees.
You don't need to lower yourself very far.
Inhale and raise your arms overhead again.
Your pinkies should be turned towards each other.
Now you are in chair pose.
Exhale and return to the starting position.
Typically you want to complete this pose at least 10 times, but follow the direction of your instructor. , These two poses work hard to strengthen your back and core, as well as your arms and shoulders.
At the same time, both poses have simple form and are easy to do even if you have poor flexibility.Get on all fours on your yoga mat, with your knees about as far apart as your hips and your hands a little more than shoulder-width apart.
Inhale and curl your toes into the mat and push down into your hands and toes.
Pull your belly in as you exhale and lift your hips until your legs and arms are straight.
This is downward-facing dog.
Spread your toes and lift your heels until you are resting on the balls of your feet.
Hold the pose for five breaths, then slowly move back to your starting position.
From the downward-facing dog pose, if you pull your torso forward as you inhale you can move into plank pose.
Your body should be a straight line from your heels to your shoulders.
As you exhale, raise your hips again to move back into downward-facing dog.
Repeat this combination 5 to 10 times. , When starting yoga practice, move into poses with an abundance of caution.
Your pace should be focused and deliberate.
Don't worry if you fall behind the rest of the class or are unable to move into the poses as quickly as others, or hold them as long.Pay attention to yourself rather than other people in your class and what they're doing.
Don't worry if you get behind.
Maintain your own consistent pace rather than trying to rush through moves to catch up.
Especially if you're just starting out and you have poor flexibility, choose a beginner or gentle yoga class that has a slower pace. , Breath is fundamental to yoga practice, and has nothing to do with your flexibility or range of mobility.
As long as you are maintaining correct breathing, it doesn't matter how deeply you're able to go into the pose itself.Yoga poses and movements are all centered around your breath.
Resist the temptation to hold your breath, and try to keep focus on inhaling and exhaling above all else.
When you inhale, breathe in through your nose, expanding your belly and chest and filling your lungs.
As you exhale, press your belly in and breathe out forcefully through your mouth.
Think of making a whispered "ha" as you exhale.
Keep in mind that proper breathing, just like anything else in yoga, takes practice to do correctly and well.
Use your breath as your mental marker.
If you start thinking about something else, simply acknowledge the thought and return to your breath. , Meditation also is crucial to yoga practice, and most classes begin and end with a brief period of meditation designed to clear your mind and relax your body.
Meditation can reduce stress and enhance your yoga experience.Meditation in yoga often is done from the lotus position, with your legs intwined in front of you and your hands pressed together in front of the center of your chest.
If you have trouble getting into the lotus position, you typically can sit with one leg on top of the other, or with your legs extended in front of you.
If the lotus position is uncomfortable or painful, sit in a different position.
The meditation itself is far more important than what position your body is in.
Focus on your breath.
Many yoga classes also use the chanting of mantras to help you focus and breathe properly. , When you do yoga, you shouldn't be stiff or clinched.
Rather, keep your body controlled but loose.
Pay attention to your body and your breath and relax as you move into each pose.Particularly if you have poor flexibility or a limited range of motion, you may naturally tense up as you move your body.
With practice, you'll be able to overcome this.
It's also reflexive to tense up if you feel yourself out of balance.
Firm up your feet and hands and try to pull your weight up and into your core to find your balance again.
If you do feel your muscles tensing up, take a breath and move slowly into a lighter or more comfortable position.
It's also okay to shake out your legs or arms if you feel them getting tight. , Particularly if you have poor flexibility or limited range of motion, pay attention to how your body feels and when you're experiencing discomfort.
Your yoga practice should be mentally and physically energizing and calming, not painful.It can help improve your focus to move through the poses with your eyes closed.
Your instructor typically will tell your class members how to move, so you don't necessarily have to worry about watching your instructor.
If your instructor moves you or corrects your pose, recognize how it feels differently.
Focusing on your breath can help enforce the connection between your mind and your body. , Maintaining your breath and doing poses with correct form is important to avoid strain and decrease your risk of injury.
Don't push yourself too far or force your body into positions that cause you discomfort or pain.Especially if you're in a class with more flexible people, try not to pay attention to what they're doing.
Yoga is not a competition.
You can get just as much out of the practice even if you aren't able to fully execute all of the poses as long as you keep your mind focused on your breath and your body.
Find a resting pose, such as child's pose, that is safe and comfortable to you.
Move into that pose if you are unable to comfortably perform or need time to breathe and regain your focus. , If you're having a hard time with a pose, pinpoint exactly what portion of the pose causes you trouble so your instructor can help you find a way to modify the pose to eliminate that discomfort.There are different modifications available for yoga poses, but until you figure out why a pose is difficult or uncomfortable, you won't know which modification will be beneficial for you.
For example, if your legs and core aren't strong enough to hold your body weight in plank pose, you can rise to your knees rather than the balls of your feet.
However, if you have knee problems, this modification may hurt more than doing the original plank pose. , Yoga bricks can help you maintain correct form if you don't yet have the flexibility or range of motion necessary to go deeply into the pose.
Other props such as chairs and tables also can help you keep your balance.For example, if you are doing a forward bend and do not have the flexibility to reach all the way down and place your hands flat on the floor, you can use yoga bricks instead and rest your palms on that.
This may give you enough height to be able to complete the pose.
If you have problems with balance, you can lean on a chair, table, or even the wall for support.
This will enable you to complete the pose in a stable way.
Keep in mind that these props are not crutches.
As you continue your practice, strive to improve your flexibility and get rid of the props.
Just make sure you're progressing safely and not forcing yourself to move in ways that are difficult or painful. , Folding or rolling a blanket or towel and placing it behind your joints will decrease the required range of motion while still enabling you to maintain the correct form of the pose.For example, in child's pose you are on your knees with your body pressed forward over your legs to the floor.
This position requires an extreme degree of flexion that can cause pain if you have knee problems.
Placing a blanket behind your knees can relieve some of this pain and make the pose more comfortable.
A rolled blanket or towel on the inside of your knees will support your knee joints when doing squatting poses, keeping the joint from closing completely.
About the Author
Laura Lopez
With a background in lifestyle and practical guides, Laura Lopez brings 4 years of hands-on experience to every article. Laura believes in making complex topics accessible to everyone.
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