Good News! You don't need to be able to wrap into a pretzel to do yoga. Or to put feet behind your neck. Or to do full splits. Or to possess any abracadabra skills like this baby down here.
In fact, you don't even need to touch your toes to get into some pretty challenging poses.
The secret?
Well, for starters, stop giving a hoot about how you look in the pose and what others may think of you.
Then, get your yoga strap.
A yoga strap gives your limbs extra length, which helps avoid slumping shoulders or hunchback and encourages spinal lengthening when required.
Staying open through the chest when needed will, first of all, make breathing easier and less constricted, and eventually help you hold the asana for more extended periods of time. Secondly, it will reduce the risk of overstretching and injury.