Any tips on how you liked your fitness instructor when you were big and took part in the aerobics class, or what was ugly to you?
I started to teach new yoga class and 2 people in the class are very overweight (probably like 100 pounds overweight). I am very much afraid to offend them by remarks or that they will stop excercising due to the fact that everybody else int he group is within normal weight. How to encourage them?
Any input will be helpful...
Thanks, Sandy.

i would say to treat them like they ARE normal ppl. Just because they are overweight doesn't mean they necessarily need help. If they then appear to be struggling or arent getting the moves (im not too familiar with yoga) right then you can also take into consideration that they aren't yet as flexible as the smaller participants...other than that if need be you can offer maybe after class support?

Don't make an issue of it, other than to recognize that they have a limitation.
I teach yoga as well, and one of the things I recognize is that each person in the class will have some limitations in what they can do. It might be due to a physical condition (like an injury), a medical condition (like TMJ) or something else like age or weight.
The easiest way I have found to recognize these limitations is to show the entire class adaptations to the poses for limitations. Then you can quietly help each person with the adaptation they need. The trick may be to find other people in the class to show adaptations to so that the others don't feel like you are picking on them.
HTH

Speaking as a person who is still significantly overweight who takes yoga classes ... and as a person who used to be VERY overweight ... AND as a corporate trainer, who deals with mental and skill limitations rather than physical ...
You don't have to call attention to their limitations, but you MUST understand that everyone won't be able to do everything at the same level. This isn't always because of "fitness" but other issues. You don't have to dumb down the class, necessarily, but always provide alternatives. Encourage and challenge, but never ever make them feel as though they are failing in some way because they can't do everything you and the others do. As was said previously, I'm sure many of the people in your classes have other limitations that don't have anything to do with weight. How do you treat people with back problems, neck problems, knee problems, etc? Treat the overweight folks the same way. For each asana, talk about the ideal of the pose, the goal, then describe a modification. Again, you don't have to say, "For you fat people ..." just something like, "If you can't do this ... do that ..."
For example, with downward facing dog, talk about the fact that eventually you want your heels to the floor, and other ideals of the pose, but then say, "If you can't do that yet, that's OK, just stretch as far as you can, and work on gradually improving." Acknowledge limitations in a generic way, reassure them that they aren't losers because they can't do it perfectly, and offer an alternative. Also, remember that we may not only be less flexible, but having that extra flesh simply gets in the way sometimes. I have to use two of the fatter blocks to sit on for hero pose, because my calves and thighs are larger than average, and it really hurts my knees to try to bend them at an acute angle while my legs are bearing weight. Also, because we are HEAVIER, strength and stamina are more of an issue. I can DO downward facing dog pretty well, I just have a hard time HOLDING it as long as everybody else because I'm holding up a LOT more weight than the others. Let them know it's OK to come out of a pose for a second, regroup, then get into it again.
Also, as with any student, praise them when they make a significant improvement, or simply do something really well by any measure. Make it sincere, so that it's MEANINGFUL, but do it when appropriate. For example, in one class we were doing cobra pose and I was really stretched. The instructor said something like, "Make sure you're not just pushing yourself up with your hands; you should be able to lift your hands off the floor and stay in the pose." I knew she was talking to me. So, I lifted my hands off the floor to demonstrate I was doing it correctly. She said, "WOW! You're like the prow of a ship!" That made my day.
Finally, you might take a look at a book called Yoga for Wimps. This book shows lots of traditional poses done in untraditional ways, and it might give you some ideas for variations you can offer. There is also a fitness instructor named Kelly Bliss who specializes in fitness for large people, and she has a yoga tape. I've never seen it, but if you are really interested in the topic, you might see if you can get a copy (www.kellybliss.com).

Another idea is to contact a local rehabilitation centre and ask to speak to one of the Physical Therapist's who has any special training in the rehabilitation of the excessively overweight person, and what insight you could gain there. Also, call a family doctor and get help with these issues there as added support. You sound like a very compassionate person, and your sensitivity to this area of concern is truly refreshing. Best of luck. C.M.

Thanks a lot for your replies! I still remember myself overweight and taking my fist yoga class, I still remember myself pregnant and taking yoga class till the end of the pregnancy (delivered next day) and I remember what I did not like in my istructor during my "big body" classes. I try to be very careful now, and all your advises are very valuable to me.
Thanks a lot, Sandy.

Seek professional guidance on what to say--I might even spend a couple of hundred bucks for legal advice.
I have a relative who's suffered a severe spinal cord injury linked to the "shoulder stand" position, known to be a rather risky position. I've heard discussions, uncertain whether clinically verified, that overweight can add to the stress on joints and other parts of the body esp. during exercise.

You might want to watch the Gaiam Yoga for Weight Loss video -- I'm sure you know all of it but she presents the moves with three modifications for people with different body types. It might give you some ideas on how to present it without offending.
Bikini