Yoga in a curvy Body: What Coming Back to My Mat Taught Me

Twelve or thirteen years ago, I did yoga casually. I stopped after being made to feel my body wasn't right for it, and I didn't pick it back up for another decade.

When I finally did, something clicked: my body was never the problem. I could adapt poses in a way that actually felt good for me, and yoga turned out to be about so much more than the physical shape of it, my mental health, my clarity, my sense of calm all shifted alongside it. I didn't just continue practicing, I became a little obsessed, trained as a teacher, and now my whole goal is to share that feeling with as many people as I can.

Is yoga still yours after a break?

This summer, I practised a little differently. I went on a yoga retreat where I practised twice a day, kept up my own practice at home and while travelling, and caught the odd class here and there, of varying quality if I'm being honest. But it wasn't my usual rhythm; normally I'm on my mat somewhere between six and ten times a week.

When I came back after summer, I felt it in my body. Flexibility is something you have to keep practising to hold onto, and I could tell my movement had slowed down a bit, my knees a little creakier than before, and that's all okay.

What surprised me more was how coming back to my studio, back to my own mat, felt like coming home. It's my place of comfort and joy, where I get to move in ways that feel good, where my people are.

Two things can be true at the same time. My body felt rusty and out of practice, because that's simply what happens when you step away. And this still felt like exactly the right place for me to be - this is how my body wants to move, and these are the people I'm meant to be moving alongside.

Why consistency matters more than intensity in a yoga practice

It's okay to step away sometimes: yoga doesn't need to be an obsession to matter, because it will always be there waiting for you. But you do need to come back to it, because that's where the real benefit lives. Consistency is what makes the difference, in yoga and in almost everything good in life. You can't become fluent in a language by speaking it once a week, you can't undo wrinkles with an eye cream you use occasionally. The good stuff, the real change, sits in the showing up again and again.

For me right now, that looks like practising most days of the week. For you, it might look like once a week every week, and that's enough to start building muscle memory, to grow familiar with the poses and their names, to bring real calm into your nervous system over time. It's also enough to start building relationships with the other people who show up on that same day, week after week.

Looking for yoga for curvy bodies in Madrid?

I stayed away from yoga for a decade because I was told, directly, that my body wasn't right for it. I know I'm far from the only person who has felt that. If you've got a curvy body, or bigger boobs (I like to say that I am blessed with a lot of “front body”) that make certain poses feel awkward, uncomfortable, or just plain impossible the way they're usually taught, that feeling of not belonging on the mat is real, and it keeps a lot of people from ever giving yoga a proper chance.

That's exactly why I’m teaming with Teresa of Corseterí Coco to offer a workshop dedicated to practicing yoga in a bigger body, with modifications that actually work, taught by someone who has lived this exact struggle rather than just read about it. If this speaks to you, join us on November 14 from 1 - 3pm, and come find your way back to the mat with us.

FAQ: Yoga for bigger bodies and returning to practice

Can you do yoga with a bigger body or bigger boobs? Yes. Yoga is for every body. Any pose can be modified to work for the body doing it. Poses can all be adapted with the right cues and props, and a good teacher should know how to offer those modifications without singling anyone out.

Is it normal to feel stiff or less flexible after a break from yoga? Yes. Flexibility and ease in a pose come from consistent practice, so it's completely normal to feel rustier after time away. This doesn't mean you've lost your practice, it just means your body needs a little time to rebuild familiarity.

How often do I need to practise yoga to see benefits? Once a week is enough to start building muscle memory, familiarity with poses, and a calmer nervous system over time. Consistency matters more than frequency, so a realistic, repeatable routine will serve you better than an intense but occasional one.

Is there a yoga class or workshop in Madrid for bigger bodies? Madrid Yoga Collective is developing a dedicated workshop on practising yoga in a bigger body, with modifications that actually work, taught by an instructor with lived experience of this exact challenge. Saturday November 14, 1 - 3pm.