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Can I Do Yoga Even Though I'm Not Flexible?

By Ann Pizer, About.com

Updated: June 02, 2008

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

Question: Can I Do Yoga Even Though I'm Not Flexible?
Answer: Don't avoid yoga just because you think you aren't flexible. In fact, if you have tight muscles, yoga is just the thing to loosen you up. The point of yoga is not to show off how flexible you are, but rather to become more flexible over time while enjoying yoga's health benefits. Yoga is not like gymnastics, in which the most flexible person gets a medal. It is a personal practice, infinitely adaptable to fit your needs. One style of yoga that is well-suited to the nonflexible is Iyengar yoga, because it emphasizes using props to help you get the full benefit of a pose without compromising your alignment.
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