Yoga Teacher Training Blog

Chair Yoga Precautions

admin — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:38:18 +0000

By Faye Martins

For those with knee or hip problems, or decreased mobility, Chair Yoga can be a great modification, allowing practice to continue. Chair Yoga consists of poses and breathing exercises performed in a seated position or with the use of a chair, allowing it to be performed even in hospitals or nursing homes. Through Chair Yoga, the physical and spiritual benefits of a healthy practice are available to everyone.

Although the practice is very accessible, basic precautions must be taken in Chair Yoga, as in every practice. Falls are the leading cause of injury-related deaths in older people and practitioners should be urged to feel rooted in their chair, as they would on a mat.

Before beginning to teach or practice Chair Yoga, participants should evaluate their health. Some health issues, which may affect participation, include knee replacement surgery, osteoporosis, degenerative disk disease or other spinal conditions, hip replacements, heart attacks or rotator cuff injuries. Inner-ear problems or vertigo may also prevent practitioners from enjoying traditional Yoga and the seated variety can be accessible to them. Chairs should be placed on a non-slip surface, such as a Yoga mat, and wheelchairs should be locked into position before beginning.

While traditional Yoga props, like blocks, are not generally used, straps may be utilized in some poses. A full warm-up is especially important, as practitioners may be using muscles that are not regularly exercised. Be prepared for multiple challenges in some cases, like a hearing or sight impairment in addition to mobility; the area nearest the Chair Yoga instructor should be reserved for those with such difficulties. Pay particular attention to Yogic breathing; those with mobility issues may not be accustomed to taking full, deep breaths and the increase in oxygen will be very beneficial. Breath retention is not recommended for cancer patients, as they need the maximum amount of oxygen.

Some participants in Chair Yoga prefer to wear regular street clothes, which is fine as long as they are not constricting. Shoes should be removed to allow the feet to flex if possible.

A California State University study found an increase in bone density to be a benefit of Chair Yoga, and the stress relief and increased flexibility enjoyed by standard Yoga practitioners are also experienced in Chair Yoga. Diabetics may have increased blood flow to extremities, and blood vessels in all participants will be strengthened with the aerobic exercise.

Chair Yoga can be a very positive addition to any Yogi’s repertoire, and the emphasis on ability, rather than disability, is a message to be taken to heart.

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Yoga Poses for Runners

admin — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 13:02:12 +0000

By Sangeetha Saran

If you are an avid runner, a regular practice of Hatha Yoga will help prevent many of the most common running injuries by keeping your muscles and ligaments flexible and strong. Running is also a great complement to a Yoga practice. Running is very aerobic by nature and will partner well with the quieter, restorative nature of many Yoga poses. It is quite difficult to practice Yoga asanas in a flowing sequence that is performed with optimal alignment and is at a quick enough pace to raise your heart rate up to an aerobic level like running can do for an extended period of time. On the other hand, running even a mile or two at a moderate pace will ensure that most of us will receive the cardiovascular conditioning benefits of sustained aerobic exercise.

However, there are common injuries suffered by runners from the repetitive nature of the movement, especially if you run on a hard surface regularly such as concrete or asphalt. Practicing Yoga asanas that help to correct any alignment issues and strengthen ligaments and muscles will help to prevent some of the most common running injuries such as torn Achilles’ tendons, calf muscles, pulled hamstrings and tight quadriceps. Downward Facing Dog is a great Yoga asana for stretching out the Achilles’ tendons and hamstrings. Dancer Pose is a wonderful pose for stretching out the entire front side of the body, including the quadricep muscles.

Preparation for Downward Facing Dog

Come to the front of your Yoga mat in Mountain Pose. Take a few deep breaths as you raise your arms over your head and back down to your sides. Raise your arms over your head as you inhale and lower your arms as you exhale. Repeat this movement two more times.

Downward Facing Dog

To practice Downward Facing Dog, place your hands on your Yoga mat shoulder distance apart from each other with your hands parallel to the sides of your mat and flat on the floor. Step your feet back three to four feet so that your body makes the shape of a triangle. Distribute your weight evenly between your hands and your feet.

If you are not feeling enough of a stretch, move your heels up and down. Peddle your feet slowly to warm-up and then hold the pose with your heels at their maximum depth for five full breaths. Be gentle, if your Achilles’ tendons are tight, you may not be able to put your feet flush against the mat. Move slowly and keep breathing. To come out of the pose, inhale and step your feet to the front of your Yoga mat. You may wish to raise your arms over your head and then come back into Mountain Pose or simply place your hands on your hips and come to the front of your mat. Repeat two more times.

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The Need for Yoga in Nursing Homes

admin — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:56:58 +0000

By Jenny Park

Our elders deserve love and respect during the golden years of their lives. When an individual reaches the point where common, everyday tasks are difficult or even hazardous, a nursing home is usually the solution. Nursing homes provide 24-hour care and supervision, but they can also speed age related decline dramatically. Yoga is needed in nursing homes to counteract this trend.

Most people fail to realize just how important the mundane, typical activities we do on a daily basis are. Even the most simple of household chores provides basic exercise that is essential for maintaining mobility and strength. Doing the laundry or standing for a prolonged period of time in the kitchen preparing a meal isn’t enough to stave off obesity, but it does help the body to maintain basic muscle mass. Taking away the need to move on a daily basis equals swift physical decline for anyone, but it’s especially rapid in seniors due to underlying age related muscle degeneration.

Offering daily yoga classes in nursing homes fills this physical void in a safe and effective manner. Seniors are able to maintain mobility, flexibility, and muscle mass in a controlled setting that eliminates the possibility of injury. Yoga can be modified to suit a wide variety of physical conditions, making it the exercise of choice for nursing homes.

Another beneficial aspect of yoga in nursing homes is the feeling of community it inspires. One of the primary ways that human beings bond with each other is through shared struggles and experiences. People from all different walks of life make up the population of a typical nursing home, and it can be difficult to create meaningful, lasting relationships in this setting. Participating in a yoga class with other residents of the nursing home provides common ground and a common goal, with the encouragement that only a group setting can provide. Studies have shown that individuals tend to be happier when they experience a sense of belonging in their lives, so strengthening the social bonds within the nursing home will provide lasting benefits for everyone involved.

Yoga addresses the needs of those who live in nursing homes in a simple and efficient manner. By offering yoga in nursing homes can improve the overall quality of life for their patients.

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The Optimum Yoga Teaching Style

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:19:35 +0000

By Faye Martins

Teaching Yoga requires knowledge and awareness about the practice, including the principles behind it and how it has evolved. Yoga is many things to many people. It is a form of exercise, a way of life and a way to help people enhance their lives and bodies. Yoga provides a sense of calm for some people and offers a way to stay in shape for others. The optimum Yoga teaching style is often a mixture of many different influences joining together in order to provide knowledge and awareness for both teacher and student.

Many practitioners of Yoga find their practice tends to change and grow over time. Some people that practice on a regular basis find themselves doing the same routine; others like to change it up. A Yoga teacher’s style must always seem natural and should be an extension of his or herself. If not, the teacher can risk alienating students. It is important to be able to dispense advice and lead the class without seeming condescending. If you are teaching a gentle flow class, care should be taken to make sure your instructions and guidance are strong yet relaxing.

Students that are taking a more physical type of Yoga class also seem to respond to strong yet encouraging guidance as you lead them through the poses. Many students like to be told the names of the poses and the areas of the body those poses affect. Of course, there is also plenty of time for silence as poses are being held. Your style should reflect your knowledge but at the same time must be flexible enough to handle the unique challenges that some students will represent. A Yoga teacher should be able to encourage his or her students to go places (mentally, physically or emotionally) that they might not otherwise get to – all without seeming harsh or over the top.

The practice of Yoga entails much more than knowing how to execute poses and direct students on proper breathing techniques and body placement. Knowledgeable yoga teachers are aware that learning is a journey that is truly never ending. Finding the optimum Yoga teaching style can be accomplished by gathering knowledge through practice and then sharing that knowledge and awareness with others around you in a relatable manner.

Over the years, I have met many different instructors who reflected nothing more than the initial indoctrination of their guru or a specific type of yoga teacher training. Some people call these teachers parrots or clones. They don’t do diligent independent research and they refuse to look outside the dogma of their leader. The optimum yoga teaching style is think and solve problems based on reliable research and common sense. There has to be a logical reason why one yoga technique works and another one doesn’t.

Food for Thought

If a guru taught you to lock the knee in a balancing pose, openly accept people on high blood pressure medication into a hot yoga class, and to ridicule students who have difficulty with learning yogic principles; you should do some research before teaching one more class. If a yoga teacher doesn’t see the dangers of the above-mentioned scenarios, he or she should enroll in a continuing education course for anatomy or common sense. All Yoga teachers are obligated to be kind, safe, and learn for life.

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The Need for Yoga in Hospitals

admin — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:47:04 +0000

By Sangeetha Saran

Hospitals are primarily concerned with providing medical care and support for their patients, but what about the mental and emotional aspects of their care? The medical community is now recognizing that the mind-body connection has a significant impact on an individual’s overall level of health. By offering yoga on site, hospitals can address these needs in a safe and controlled manner without sacrificing the quality of healthcare.

Individuals end up in hospitals for a wide variety of different reasons. Some patients suffer from chronic illnesses, while others are preparing for or recovering from surgery. Many patients are at the hospital temporarily, while others will be staying for an extended period of time. The common denominator between all patients in a hospital is the need for restoration and healing.

It can be hard for hospital patients to get the exercise they need on a daily basis. Yoga provides patients with gentle exercise that helps them maintain physical strength and muscular conditioning, which is essential for overall health. Unlike other forms of exercise, yoga is highly flexible and can be adjusted to fit the physical demands of a patient on a day-to-day basis. On stronger days, a patient may be able to do the majority of the exercise standing. However, on weaker days, seated yoga is the answer. Typically, patients deal with many ups and downs during the course of their treatment, and yoga meets them where they are. For them, yoga is a constant.

Yoga also gives patients a feeling of empowerment and control, since it’s something they choose to do for themselves on a daily basis. It’s not uncommon for hospital patients to feel detached and disempowered regarding their health and treatment, especially when suffering from a chronic illness. By making the choice to participate in yoga, patients shift from a passive role to an active role in regards to their health, and this staves off depression and apathy.

Yoga practice is a time for patients to think, reflect and simply be. By focusing solely on performing the asanas, patients stop worrying about the future or thinking back to the past because they are grounded in the present moment. Quieting the mind, if only for a short time, leads to reduced stress levels and a higher quality of life.

Yoga in hospitals fills the mental, physical, emotional and spiritual needs of patients in a simple and effective manner without taking away from the safety and control of a hospital setting. Hospitals can provide care that is more holistic and complete by offering yoga to their patients.

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Teaching Yoga: The Power of Observation

admin — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:42:02 +0000

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Although a Hatha Yoga teacher must be able to teach a variety of poses (asanas), practice many forms of meditation, and understand the inner workings of Yogic breathing techniques (pranayama), one of the most difficult parts of the job description is observing the class.

It takes a combination of experience, knowledge, and intuition to share concise instructions and ensure each Yoga practitioners’ safety. Good Yoga teachers spend as much, or more, time watching their students as they do demonstrating techniques and postures.

While observation looks simple, it requires a fine balance of attention to individual needs, execution of postures, classroom atmosphere, and safety precautions. In order to have a well-rounded class curriculum, Yoga instructors must simultaneously consider all of these.

Why Observation Is Important in Yoga Classes

• Successful Yoga teachers share information with the entire class while meeting each student on a personal level. Ideally, every person should leave the Yoga studio feeling the lesson targeted his or her specific needs.

• Yoga instructors have a tremendous responsibility to see that every student is safe. This requires knowledge of personal health histories, the risks and cautions related to each activity, and an understanding of the capability of everyone in the class.

• Yoga teachers who are sensitive to students’ learning styles, personalities, and skill levels instinctively know which ones are hesitant to try new techniques and poses or take on new challenges. Some people like risks while others mentally and physically freeze if they feel rushed; some learn best by listening, and others are more adept at listening or observing.

• Yoga incorporates physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health, which can be a huge amount of information. Often, teachers are stronger in one of these areas than they are in others. A Yoga teacher who recognizes a student’s strengths is better prepared to offer encouragement and praise.

• Observation is the only way for teachers to monitor students’ progress, correct alignment, minimize the chance of injury, and establish a practice of good habits. Learning the proper techniques for Yogic breathing, meditating, and practicing asanas is a basic foundation of student growth and success.

Conclusion

For Yoga instructors, observation is much like mindfulness. When teachers pay attention and let go of the need to control or judge, the studio transforms into a place where students gain confidence, poise, and serenity. As a result, every person leaves thinking he or she was in a class designed just for him or her.

As teachers, we must strive for a balance between the controlling instructor, who has to assist everyone in the class, and the teacher who has a fear of leaving his or her mat. Observation by “walking the room” at times when you cannot see all of your students is the answer.

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Kinesiology Education for Yoga Teachers

admin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:59:36 +0000

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Kinesiology is the study of movement. It includes the study of all of the physiological mechanisms of the body. The study of kinetics is important in educational disciplines such as rehabilitation therapy, sports medicine, exercise, biomechanics, and orthopedics. Since Hatha Yoga is based on movement, it makes perfect sense that someone specializing in teaching a physical form of Yoga would be knowledgeable about the kinetics of the body.

More specifically, kinesiology is the scientific study of the body’s bones, joints, tissues, nerves, and muscles. The practice of Yoga focuses largely on moving the body into positions, which will strengthen and lengthen the joints and muscles. It seems that kinetics and Yoga go hand in hand. When you are teaching Yoga, you are teaching your students how to safely move the body into specific postures for specific results. A Yoga teacher must be knowledgeable about the way the different parts of the body work in conjunction with each other.

Imagine a scenario where you are teaching a class full of beginners how to perform Triangle pose for the first time. You will make sure that students get into a wide stance with proper alignment, and then turn the toes out to the proper degrees. Then students must focus on their hips, keeping them squared forward, and practice moving from the hips as opposed to leading with the shoulders or another body part. Once the hips are in place, students must reach with top arm upward, shoulders down and back. Finally, the Yoga instructor must convey how to reach out and down toward the front foot, while reaching up to the ceiling, opening up the chest, and cast the gaze upward.

That one pose covered nearly the whole body, from toes to head. As students learn to go into the pose, the Yoga instructor needs to be able to understand student limitations and adjust bodies accordingly. This not only requires knowledge of the pose itself, but knowledge of how the body works. If a student experiences pain or discomfort due to a pose, it is the Yoga instructor’s job to tweak the body to alleviate the discomfort. This requires knowledge of body kinetics.

Kinetic knowledge is crucial background information for Yoga instructors. Although you might not always teach your students about specific tissues or joints, it is important in forming a general understanding of how human bodies work. One of the aspects of Hatha Yoga is to become more in touch with our bodies, so it just makes sense that a Yoga teacher should know the scientific ins and outs of the body.

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Yoga Teacher Training and Internet Technology

admin — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:28:44 +0000

By Bhavan Kumar

Internet technology has made it possible for many more Yoga practitioners to participate in a Yoga teacher training program in their own homes, at their own pace and in an affordable fashion. Traditionally, Yoga teacher training programs required the dedication of a substantial amount of time and money. An aspiring Yoga teacher may even have traveled to India to study with a Yogacharya such as B.K.S. Iyengar or Patti Jois, one of the founders of Ashtanga Yoga, for a substantial length of time.

With the advent of Internet technology, a Yoga practitioner may engage in learning the art of teaching Yoga in their own home. With all of the obligations and commitments we all juggle on a daily basis, it may not be possible for an individual to take time out of his or her life to participate in a residential Yoga teacher training program of thirty days or longer. It may be even less possible to travel outside the country for an extended stay in an ashram or monastery to learn the finer points of Yogic philosophy. Internet technology, including video and audio classes and conferences, makes it possible to engage in the study and practice of Yoga teaching from any location throughout the world with Internet access.

The utilization of Internet technology in venue of online Yoga teacher training programs also makes it possible for a Yoga practitioner to study the art and science of teaching Yoga at his or her own pace. Every individual who is aspiring to become a Yoga instructor has a unique story. This story may be one of great physical training and prowess or profound physical challenge. Regardless of an individual’s level of physical mastery of the asanas, studying to become a Yoga instructor through an online program will allow that individual to perfect the asanas within the context of his or her own life and physical ability.

Residential Yoga teacher training programs can also be quite costly. The tuition alone may be several thousand dollars. When the tuition and the fees for room and board are combined, the cost of a residential program may be beyond the means of many aspiring Yoga teachers. The use of Internet technology to disseminate ancient Yogic teachings to aspiring Yoga teachers allows many more individuals to pursue a Yoga teacher certification. In combination with some weekend workshops at a local Yoga studio and student teaching hours, an online Yoga teacher training program will give you a firm foundation to begin a career as a teacher.

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Therapeutic Aspects of Chandra Namaskar

admin — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 11:06:12 +0000

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Chandra Namaskar, or the Moon Salutation, is a series of flowing Yoga poses used to unwind and refocus. It often begins in Mountain pose, then flows through a series of lunges and other poses. Afterward, the order is reversed, for a symmetrical set of postures. Chandra Namaskar works to bring peace and calm to the body and mind. It is often practiced at the end of a Yoga session, or at the end of a busy day. It is said to be especially powerful, when performed in conjunction with the phases of the moon. There is a belief among some practitioners that performing Chandra Namaskar, under a full moon, will help draw from the energies of the moon, making the benefits of the sequence more powerful.

Breathing is also an important part of Chandra Namaskar. As you move throughout the postures, you are either inhaling or exhaling. This helps to stimulate blood flow throughout the body, which brings blood to the organs, the brain, and other body systems. Proper breathing helps lower stress levels, relaxes the body, and results in overall positive effects on the mind. As we move through our daily lives, we often forget about the importance and benefits of proper breathing, which is deep and slow. Chandra Namaskar helps bring that awareness of natural breath back, so we can begin to realize the benefits of an essential life element.

Chandra Namaskar promotes a sense of mental, emotional, and physical balance. There are many different variations in the series, but some of the forms of Chandra Namaskar include Half Moon or Triangle pose, which offset the body’s center of gravity, improving balance. It also promotes digestion, by opening up the chest cavity, expanding the lungs, and exposing the heart. Other poses, within the series, help tone the spine and improve the strength of the arm and shoulder muscles.

The purpose of Chandra Namaskar is to quiet the mind as well. It encourages Yoga practitioners to draw the focus inward and release the mind of stress and anxiety. It cools the entire body down, for a relaxing end of a Yoga session or the day. It can aid in sleep maladies, such as insomnia. Chandra Namaskar seeks to honor the feminine side of the body, restoring balance to the mind and body. The benefits of Chandra Namaskar are many. It is a simple series of poses that most beginners can practice without too much difficulty. If there is any difficulty, a competent Yoga teacher should know how to assist, modify, and help any student to use the appropriate props, if they are required. Finally, Chandra Namaskar’s positive effects will stay with students until their next Moon Salutation practice.

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Anatomy Education for Yoga Teachers

admin — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:09:36 +0000

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

The study of Hatha Yoga involves many different aspects. Yoga teacher interns should study the history and philosophies of Yoga, the poses (asanas), breathing exercises (pranayama), meditation techniques, teaching methods, ethics, and guidelines for student safety. Anatomy and Kinesiology are also important areas of study for Yoga instructors. The study of human anatomy encompasses the placement of the body’s bones, and the specific systems within the body. Since every aspect of Hatha Yoga involves the mind and body, the study of anatomy makes sense for a well-rounded Yoga education.

When you are teaching a Yoga class, you must be able to help your students safely adjust into, or out of, poses, as necessary. Many of your students will come into class with prior injuries, health concerns, or other health issues. It is the Yoga instructor’s responsibility to ensure the safety of each student, as he or she learns the most about each technique. A competent Yoga teacher will need to accommodate the student by offering advice on modifications for a multitude of techniques. Therefore, a Yoga instructor will need to be extremely knowledgeable about each area of the body and how it will be affected by each technique.

Yoga teachers are often faced with a diverse class full of students. Some people are beginners, attending their first Yoga class ever, while some are quite experienced and quite comfortable in class. A teacher must be familiar with the limitations of every body type, ailment, and experience level. A study of Yoga, for human anatomy, will help the instructor understand how our muscles, joints, bones, and body systems work at all levels of physical fitness.

An understanding of human anatomy is a crucial piece of the puzzle of Hatha Yoga. Physical forms of Yoga involve moving and stretching the body, as well as increasing blood flow within the body. A study of Yoga anatomy covers the study of the body’s muscles, joints, tissues, membranes, cells, and more. It is important for all Yoga instructors to understand what is occurring within the body to increase the blood flow to each muscle, and how this will affect the body.

Many Yoga students like the way they feel after a good session of practice. They often feel light, loose, and invigorated. It is probably enough for the student to feel that way without knowing why, but a Yoga instructor must know what is causing these feelings within the body and mind. Many students have questions, and it is the instructor’s responsibility to answer those questions knowledgeably. In order to gain the respect of students, the teacher must present himself, or herself, as an informed source on the aspects of the human body related to Yoga.

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