Busty Yoga or How to Practice With Big Boobs
Recently, in my yoga practice at a local studio, the instructor suggested we work on side crow. As he demonstrated it, I thought, OK, that seems simple enough. However, once I tried it on my mat, my big boobs got in the way.
Yes, that is the curse of practicing yoga when you’re a busty person. Your girls are always getting in the way.
For those of you without ample cup size, you may be playing the world’s smallest violin and say, “Oh, poor you.” But unless you’ve been walking on this earth with extra baggage on top, you have no idea what this so-called god-given gift can prevent you from doing in the fitness realm.
HIIT workouts? Traditional aerobics? Better get two sports bras. Working on a rower or ergometer? Better pray your chest doesn’t get in the way. Want to wear those cute little Lululemon or Fabletics strappy yoga tops? Forget about it.
Busty Yoga or How to Practice With Big Boobs
It wasn’t until my side crow dilemma that I realized that one of the things — OK, two things — holding me back were attached to my body. Sure, I don’t have the upper arm strength of a more experienced yogi. But I’m flexible and should be able to attain the peak poses we shoot for in each practice.
Yes, I’m still doing Peloton yoga at home. However, I’m finding real joy with practicing in person in a community as well.
However, being busty is preventing me from advancing in my practice. And I’m not alone.
Yoga poses that are difficult when you’re busty
After deciding to write this article, I did some research and found out that many women with ample bosoms have a hard time getting into common yoga poses or asanas. Many have found modifications that I’ve tried and guess what? They work.
So, let me outline some of those common asanas that women like me simply can’t do — not because of skill or experience but because of our anatomy. Note: in some instances, if you are a man or woman with a bit of a belly, you may have trouble, too. And these modifications can help you as well.
Revolved chair
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Chair pose or utkatasana is a fairly simple pose. From a standing or tall mountain pose, you bring your feet together and move your body as if you were sitting into an imaginary chair.
Revolved chair or twisted chair or parivrtta utkatasana is when, while in a chair pose, you twist to one side. Typically, you’ll bring your hands into prayer in front of your chest and keep them there as you twist, from your lower abs, to get your left elbow outside your right knee — if twisting to the right — or your right elbow outside of your left knee if you’re revolving your chair to the left.
Modification for revolved chair for big boobs
Now, when you’ve got big boobs, guess what? I can get my hands into prayer, no problem. However, as I start to turn, my chest simply gets in the way. I didn’t think there was any way around it, until I learned about a revolved chair modification. This works great for those of us living a busty life.
Instead of keeping your hands in prayer, at your chest, as you twist, you open your arms into a T. Then, when you turn to either side, your arms end up like they would be in a triangle pose. Sure, your chest might still be in the way but at least your elbows aren’t crashing into them as you attempt to revolve your chair. Also, if you can’t quite reach the floor with your lower arm, you can always put a block underneath it to keep your balance.
Side note: I know this article is about the challenges of doing yoga when you’re busty. However, when you have thick thighs like I do, doing chair with your feet together is also difficult to do. That’s why my feet are always apart when I do chair, revolved or not.
Eagle arms pose
Eagle arms is another yoga pose that requires your arms to be close to your chest. And when you have a big bosom, that simply is not going to happen.
In case you’re not familiar with eagle arms pose, it is when you cross your arms vertically. The bottom of one elbow crosses over the crook of the other elbow. Then, ideally, you can make it so that the backs of your hands meet.
This is the top half, if you will, of eagle pose also called garudasana. In the whole pose, your bottom half is pretty much mirroring your upper body.
Modification of eagle arms pose for the busty yogi
Now try it when you have a double-digit (or double letter) cup size. It just can’t happen. Once again, all of that breast tissue is in the way. Even if you can raise your elbow up to almost shoulder height, your chest is created a shelf that prevents you from attaining this pose as prescribed.
The only eagle pose modification I could find was grabbing opposite shoulders instead. This makes it easier to get the upper back and shoulder stretch you’re trying to attain in eagle pose. However, there is a chance that your chest may still get in your way, albeit not as severely as with the original pose.
Any inverted pose
As I’ve gotten older, my chest has gotten bigger. So, the girls have become ladies, if you will. Anyway, here’s something I’ve discovered. When I’m lying in any supine yoga position, my breast tissue tends to flatten. No big deal. I’m sure everyone does that.
However, if I go into an inverted pose, that breast tissue tends to slip towards my neck. If I stay inverted for long enough, it starts to feel like a noose. Even in bridge pose I’ll get that sensation.
So, I tend to do two things to avoid this feeling of being strangled by my own body. One, I won’t take the inversions that are offered or I won’t stay in them very long. Or I’ll just do a waterfall pose.
Or, two, in the case of a hip bridge, I won’t walk my shoulder blades behind my back. You’re supposed to do this in this pose if you want to clasp your hands underneath and behind your back. So, I’ll just lift my hips and not over-involve my upper body. This way the ladies don’t slip down towards my shoulders and start to strangle me.
Child’s pose
You take a child’s pose as a restorative pose during your practice. If you’re not familiar with a child’s pose or balasana, you start by sitting on your shins. Then you’re supposed to bend forward with your arms extended and your forehead resting on the floor.
Well, try that with a bigger bosom. Your upper torso is never getting past your thighs let alone your forehead on the ground. So, do what I do.
Whenever I want to take a child’s pose, I modify it and do a wide-legged one. This gives me plenty of room to get my upper body to the floor. It’s a modification those with bigger bellies may want to try, too.
Best yoga clothing for busty yogis
I’m still trying to find some favorite pieces to wear to practice yoga. My biggest challenge is finding sports bras. I want ones that will provide enough support but also will offer a racerback so I can wear tank tops.
I have one such Zella sports bra, purchased at Nordstrom years ago. However, because it is the only one I own and I wash it after every sweaty yoga session, it’s starting to wear out. So, I need to shop for more.
Fabletics offers plus-size leggings and more through its partnership with Lizzo and Yitty. Plus, Fabletics fits bigger bodies overall. I’m thinking about signing up for the Fabletics VIP membership so I’ll never be without a sports bra again.
