About Rad Fat Yoga · About Rad Fat Yoga Teacher Ani Janzen · Frequently Asked Questions

Rad Fat Yoga will be back in 2022!

We’ll be back in 2022 - feel free to sign up for our emails below to be sure you hear about upcoming classes. See you on the mat!

Rad Fat Yoga classes center people in larger bodies and offer yoga grounded in a body positive and Health at Every Size™ principles. Rad Fat Yoga classes are often offered as 5-week series, each series has a different focus, such as our flagship Rad Fat Yoga series that breaks down the most common yoga poses for larger people and offers an overview of the Yoga philosophy.

Some classes are for larger people only, and some are open to all sizes. Class length also varies, usually our classes are 60- or 90-minute classes. All of our classes are designed to meet people where they are. We offer seated and standing options for all poses, as well as offer many variations of each pose throughout class, in addition to working with individuals on finding what works for their body.

Hi! I’m Ani, Radical Health Alliance founder and executive director and certified yoga teacher. I created and currently lead all of the Rad Fat Yoga classes and series. In addition to completing a 200-hour yoga teacher training through Blue Box Counseling & Wellness / YogaQuest in 2017, I completed the Yoga for All certification.

I chose to end my registration with the Yoga Alliance due to their history of ignoring the historical and cultural roots of yoga and ignoring serious sexual abuse allegations of their members. However, I do take my ongoing education in yoga seriously and participate in continuing education. I believe in transparency around why I feel qualified to lead yoga classes and I believe anyone interested in attending my classes should have access to this information. Here are some of the ways I’m continuing my yoga education.

• 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training by ERYT-200 Justine Mastin / Blue Box Counseling & Wellness

• Yoga for All Certified

• Attended Honor, Don’t Appropriate, Yoga Conference seasons 1 & 2

• Listened to the Yoga is Dead Podcast

My teachers include Dianne Bondy, Amber Karnes of Body Positive Yoga, Susanna Barkataki, Dana Falsetti, Michael Hayes of Buddha Body Yoga, and Tejal Patel & Jesal Parikh of Yoga is Dead Podcast.

What does flow and restorative mean?
Flow (aka vinyasa) is a type of yoga that moves through poses to create a 'flow.' It's kind of like a dance, but using yoga poses instead. It will be designed for all levels of fitness, though you can expect a bit faster pace.

Restorative is designed to calm, bring peace and awareness to your practice. For some poses, you will get into a seated or reclined pose and relax there for several minutes.

I've never done yoga before, are these good classes for me?
Most of our classes are accessible to folks without any prior knowledge of yoga! Class descriptions will indicated how accessible to beginners each class is, however, I offer fairly thorough explanations of each pose plus variations regardless of class level. Every body is different, so there are many ways to do the same pose.

Can I do the entire class seated in a chair?
Yes! You can do most of our classes seated in a chair for all or some (or none) of the class. The description for each class series will specify if seated chair yoga will not be available for the entirety of the class.

What should I bring?
While classes are virtual, we can loan folks a basic yoga kit that includes a mat, block and strap through contactless pick up in south Minneapolis. You are also welcome to purchase your own mat and props or use household items. Straps and blocks are the most common props used in flow classes. For restorative classes, we recommend bolsters or pillows and a blanket in addition to a block and strap. A water bottle is also recommended.

What should I wear?
Whatever you are comfortable in and can move around freely in! Leggings, sweatpants, tank tops, t-shirts are typical items people wear for yoga. You can practice barefoot or in socks.

Is Rad Fat Yoga classes for all genders?
Yes! We welcome people of all genders to practice with us.

How much are the classes?
Class series are priced as a package and depend on the length of the class and how many dates in the series. Our prices are set low, to cover the basic costs of operation and in line with our mission of being financially accessible. In addition, no one is turned away for inability to pay. To apply for a scholarship or reduced rate, fill out this form.

Are your virtual classes recorded?
Yes! All virtual classes are recorded and the link is emailed out to class participants after class. You must be registered for class to get the recording. Class recordings expire one week after class. Only the instructor’s camera is captured on the recording.

Why are some Rad Fat Yoga classes only for people in larger bodies? Doesn't that mean you're *excluding* people?
Traditional fitness and yoga spaces often stigmatize, shame and flat-out exclude larger bodies. This has created trauma for many larger people. This space is designed to allow larger people to begin feeling comfortable moving in their bodies without fear of judgement. Since many body positive classes already exist in the area for all body sizes to experience yoga, I believe making this space only for larger people is necessary for healing. This means this isn't the right class for everyone, and that's ok! I encourage you to check out some of the other classes in the area that might better meet your needs.