The world of yoga can be a beautiful place that makes you stronger inside and out. But not all bodies are always welcomed into yoga communities and practices. Finding inclusive and body-positive yoga YouTube videos can be a challenge, but using them to start or enhance your practice is well worth it.
Body-shaming fitness culture is often a barrier to to developing an affirming and consistent yoga practice, but explicitly body-positive routines can help. For people who might be triggered by yoga’s emphasis on body awareness, seeking out trauma-informed yoga can be a way to find the practice helpful and healing. For trans and genderqueer people in yoga classes, experiencing gender dysphoria in certain poses can also keep people from fully participating.
Finding classes that are sensitive to these needs, in person or online, can be, uh, challenging. But as a transmasculine personal trainer with anxiety who squirms at the very suggestion of an IRL yoga class (other people? the horror!), I know firsthand how important it is to have affirming YouTube options for your yoga needs. Sifting through videos that would reflect various body types and identities without any mentions of "fat burning," or the assumption that you could definitely do all the poses, was a journey. But hopefully, it was worth it.
Whatever your reasons are for seeking body-affirming yoga instruction, you’re not alone in your quest and in your needs (even if you’re alone in your apartment). These nine yoga YouTube videos can be a great way to get started on your journey.