By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Once in awhile, I get a great phone call. So, here is something to share with all of you. The following is a question and answer session between a potential applicant and me, which never came to fruition. Sometimes, Yoga is a little different from other activities.

Q: I am a former Silver Medalist figure skater and the years of competition have beaten my body up, but I would like to become a Yoga instructor and coach of ice skating. Does this seem like a viable option? I have a lot of back problems because of the pounding on the ice, but I will be able to do all the required poses.

A: Yes, being a Yoga teacher and a coach of ice skating would be a nice compliment toward the benefit of the young skaters you train, and you could teach them a lot about injury prevention and recovery from injuries. How long have you been practicing Yoga?

Q: Actually I never took a Yoga class, but I figured that it would be an easy transition and I could just jump into it. After all, I am very flexible and should be able to do all of the poses.

I’ve seen those Yoga pose charts and most of the postures seem like a “piece of cake.” I can do splits in every direction and put my feet on my head backwards. How many days do you think it will take me before I can get certified?

A: Those are amazing feats of flexibility. I hate to answer a question with a question, but I have a question for you. How many days do you think it will take me before I can become a competitive silver medalist in figure skating?

Q: What are you trying to say? You know competitive skating is very tough. Not everyone can do it. You must be young and have the right kind of body. It takes years of practice, and you have to learn all of the precise techniques.

A: I agree that figure skating requires all that you say, but Yoga also has its own set of prerequisites. Most of the people who come into a yoga teacher training program have, at least, two years of experience, and many of our graduates have a decade, or more, of training.

Yoga has 5,000 years worth of precision techniques. There is terminology in Yoga that will cause your learning curve to be a bit more difficult than the average intern. You should consider some foundational training before applying to be a Yoga teacher.

Q: Do you mean you won’t sell me a course? I just want to get certified. I don’t need the “third degree” from you. You know, I can get certified somewhere else. I didn’t like the idea of a 240 hour course anyway.

A: Yes, you can become a certified instructor elsewhere, but for the sake of any future students, please take Yoga classes for a year or two and find a compassionate Yoga teacher, who cares about your safety.

Well, that’s all folks. That would have made a great podcast, but I would have needed permission, and I do not have the precise technical expertise. Come to think of it, that’s why I have technical help.

© Copyright 2008 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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