Posts Tagged ‘How to Become a Yoga Instructor’

Teaching Postnatal Yoga Poses

Thursday, January 10th, 2013

become a yoga instructorBy Gopi Rao

For those of you who are considering teaching prenatal or postnatal classes take your time with your prenatal Yoga instructor training course. Do not be in a big rush to complete it without learning the details. Every prenatal and postnatal Yoga teacher certification requires you to have a 200-hour credential in foundational teacher training, but working with mothers and mothers to be is a special field with many precautions. Below this paragraph, I have prepared a handout for your postnatal class. Please feel free to add or modify it to meet your student’s needs.

Postnatal Yoga Care 

You have a beautiful new baby, and you’re ready to shed those maternity clothes and be your old self. Well, that probably won’t happen right away. Of course, you can be attractive and healthy, but your body is still going through a transition. Chances are you aren’t getting a lot of sleep, and taking care of a newborn can be tiring and stressful. Don’t panic. Just adapt your Yoga routine to fit your changing lifestyle.

Developing a Postnatal Yoga Practice

• Living a healthy lifestyle is as important now as it was when you were pregnant. A balanced diet, breathing exercises and meditation relieve tension and make it easier to maintain an exercise routine and get adequate rest.

• The baby doesn’t weigh a lot yet, but tasks like breastfeeding and changing diapers require bending forward for long stretches of time. Hunching causes tightness in the neck and shoulders. Shoulder rolls and side-bending neck stretches keep muscles relaxed, and poses like Dolphin Pose and Cow Face Pose open the shoulders and lengthen the neck.

• Pregnancy and labor can be hard on the pelvic floor, causing weak muscles that make it difficult to control the flow of urine when coughing or laughing. You’re probably already doing Kegel exercises; if not, it’s time to start. The good thing is that they’re easy and can be done almost anywhere at any time. Simply squeeze the muscles that stop the flow of urine and hold, repeating and lengthening with time.

• New mothers rarely have as much energy during the postnatal period as they did before their pregnancy. Postures like Warrior II and Mountain Pose strengthen the core align the spine and increase stamina.

• Nothing stretches the abdominal muscles quite like having a baby. Although you may want to work on the flabby tummy right away, wait until your doctor says it’s OK. The usual recommendation is four to six weeks. To avoid overexertion, start with gentle pelvic rocking before you move on to more strenuous poses.

• Fatigue is a common problem for all new moms, and it’s hard to take care of yourself when you’re not getting enough rest. Restorative poses; particularly Child’s Pose and Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose help you to breathe more slowly and deeply. They also improve circulation and slow down the release of harmful hormones into the bloodstream.

Most of all, don’t feel guilty about taking time to care for your body. When you are calm and relaxed, everyone benefits, especially your baby. 

© Copyright 2013 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

See videos, demonstrations, and lectures about how to become a yoga instructor and specialized continuing education courses.

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Posted in Prenatal Yoga, prenatal yoga articles | No Comments »

Teaching Yoga in a Senior Center

Monday, October 15th, 2012

yoga teacher trainingBy Sangeetha Saran

When you are discovering how to become a Yoga instructor, you begin to realize there are many options. You could teach in a hot room, in a pool, in the basement of a church or anywhere else. The possibilities are endless and there are demands for certified yoga teachers in senior centers too.

Many of the same adolescents who embraced the Beatles in the 1960s are now in their 60s and turning to Yoga as a means of staying healthy and fit. According to the website of Duke Integrative Medicine, there is a demand for well-trained instructors to meet the needs of this quickly growing segment of the population, especially at senior centers across the nation.

Because muscles become weaker and less flexible with age, older people are more likely to experience broken bones and other disabilities due to low bone density. While Yoga techniques can easily be adapted for seniors ranging from sedentary to active, the job requires instructors with special knowledge of both anatomy and geriatric issues.

Things to Know about Teaching Yoga Classes in Senior Centers

• How to teach poses, breathing techniques and meditation to help seniors maintain active lifestyles

• How to modify techniques for people with physical limitations or fears

• How to use asanas to increase bone density in healthy individuals

• How to avoid injuries and strengthen bones in people who already have low bone density

• How to teach asanas to help seniors maintain good posture or to correct structural defects or misalignments

The goal of Yoga, however, extends beyond the body to the spirit and mind. Older people often face challenges like illnesses, isolation or lack of access to transportation, and Yoga classes in senior centers have the ability to provide a sense of community and support. In addition to easing the discomforts of aging, it may also help seniors to cope more easily with the pain, depression and anxiety that accompany the aging process.

Yoga classes for seniors may include everything from gentle stretches and restorative poses to normal activities in regular Yoga classes. Institutions who train Yoga instructors provide specialized certifications in therapeutic or chair Yoga, and teachers sometimes work closely with medical professionals, such as physical therapists.

Yogic methodology, after all, is about awareness and balance. While research documents the efficacy of the ancient healing art in improving physical health and mental well-being, it also suggests that people who value spirituality and connections to others live longer, happier lives.

To pursue this field of study, a specialized chair Yoga teacher training intensive course is essential.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Yoga teacher training and continuing education courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

Free report, newsletter, videos, podcasts, and e-Book: “Yoga in Practice.”

If you are a Yoga Teacher, studio owner, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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Posted in teaching yoga, yoga teacher | 2 Comments »

How to Become a Yoga Instructor: Elbows

Thursday, September 20th, 2012

become a yoga teacherBy Faye Martins

Sometimes, students have joint problems and Yoga instructors find solutions to work around an injury.  The point is to take a whole body viewpoint, because Hatha Yoga works on the entire being.  Some of the asanas are for specific injuries, prevention, and different stages of recovery.  At the same time, modification and the use of props are extremely important.  

We hear a lot of talk about Yoga poses that focus on the neck and shoulders, but what about the elbows? Probably the most common ailment associated with this area of the body is tennis elbow, a condition that results from repetitive motion or a sudden injury. While tennis elbow affects the outside of the arm, a similar problem called golf elbow causes discomfort on the inside of the elbow. 

Symptoms of both include radiating pain that grows worse when lifting, bending the wrists, or repeating the action that caused the inflammation in the first place. Usually the first step is to keep the arm still until the pain subsides and then to gradually introduce exercises that encourage healing.

These ailments may be physical manifestations of a wider problem that affects us all – the need for balance in our lives – and nothing addresses the mind, body, and spirit quite like a regular Yoga training session.

Yoga for the Elbows

• Pawanmuktasana-1 is a series of 17 poses focusing on removing the inflammation from muscle groups and restoring the flow of energy. These simple poses include Base Position, Toe Bending, Ankle Bending, Ankle Crank, Kneecap Contraction, Knee Bending, Knee Crank, Half Butterfly Pose, Hip Rotation, Full Butterfly Pose, Hand Clenching, Wrist Bending, Wrist Joint Rotation, Elbow Bending, Elbow Rotation, Shoulder Socket Rotation and Neck Movement. This series is also known as the anti-rheumatic asana.

• Arm and wrist stretches, such as Extended Mountain Pose or Prayer Pose, increase circulation and restore energy to muscles and tendons in the wrists, fingers and elbows. They also stretch muscles in the neck and open the chest, helping to strengthen joints in the elbow. Seated poses that stretch the back with hands held beneath the soles of the feet also stretch elbow muscles and relieve symptoms of tendinitis. Triangle Pose, Half-Moon Pose, and Extended Side Angle Pose tone the arms and help to prevent injuries. Downward Facing Dog Pose may also be useful if supported by specific props (a chair or a stool) to avoid placing too much weight on the arms. Half Downward Facing Dog is also an option and feels great in the elbows, back and shoulders.

• Asanas that open the chest and shoulders also align the upper spine and stretch the arms and shoulders, easing discomfort in the elbows. These Yoga poses include Camel Pose, Bridge Pose, and Reclining Fixed Angle Pose. Supported Corpse Pose helps to keep chest and shoulders open at the end of your Yoga training session.

What Can We Do? 

Practicing modified asanas will not only relieve discomfort in the elbows; it will keep them strong, healthy and less prone to injury.  Advise your Yoga students to avoid locking the elbows at all times.  One example is Upward Facing Dog: Look around the class and make sure your students are not locking the elbows.  The muscles are supposed to do the work, but some people get lazy and let the elbows take a pounding.  As Yoga teachers we walk around the room and we must recognize that some students are better off in Cobra than Upward Facing Dog because the elbows are bent in Cobra.  Modification and props are the keys to longevity in physical forms of Yoga.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

Free Report, Newsletter, Videos, Podcasts, and e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

If you are a Yoga Teacher, studio manager, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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Yoga Teacher Training: Attention Deficit Disorders

Wednesday, July 25th, 2012

yoga trainingBy Faye Martins

There are many reasons why people attend a Yoga teacher training.  Some people obviously attend to learn how to become a Yoga instructor, but that’s not the same goal for every intern.  One of my classmates was there for a spiritual quest, while another wanted to learn how Yoga teachers master focusing mental energy.  In this world of texting while driving, some people forget the virtual world isn’t reality.  Multi-tasking has turned some of us into zombies.  At the same time, adults and children are having difficulty reading, because they scan words instead of reading them.  The reason: Too many messages enter the mind at one time and people don’t have the tools to mentally focus.

The Yogic Method for ADHD

Can Yoga training help with attention deficit disorder? Does the disorder really exist? One of the most controversial topics of the last decade has been the diagnosis and treatment of this condition. From one extreme decrying the use of any kind of drugs at all to the other belittling the use of any form of energy work, the discussion has often deteriorated into blame and criticism on both ends. Rarely is there one simple answer for any dilemma, and ADHD certainly falls into that category.

Expert, author and psychiatrist Dr. Ned Hallowell recommends a variety of approaches, including exercises that stimulate the cerebellum, and says that Kundalini Yoga helps with his own ADHD. For those who question the ADHD diagnosis, Dr. Hallowell uses the following analogy: “Sadness is to depression what wandering of attention is to ADD.”

Yoga and ADHD: Pranayama, Meditation, and Asana

• A study by Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York recently released data suggesting that asthma frequently accompanies attention deficit disorder. Regardless of whether breathing problems are associated with the condition, deep breathing techniques help to manage its symptoms. According to the department of psychiatry at Columbia University, breathing at a regular, rhythmic rate balances the autonomic nervous system. This improves attention and lessens anxiety.

• Meditation not only calms the mind; it also modifies brain cells so that they work more efficiently. Simple visualizations, when combined with deep breathing, can change attitudes and behavior. For some people with ADHD, active styles of meditation like Yoga or Qigong may be easier than passive, sitting meditations.

• Exercise elevates the levels of serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine, three neurotransmitters linked to ADHD, and boosts the supply of stress-reducing endorphins. Neuropsychiatrist Dr. Teresa Cirule says that the brains of people with attention deficit disorder are less active in the frontal lobe, interior gyrus and basal ganglia, areas of the brain used for self-control and executive planning. Simple asanas activate these areas, improving concentration and reducing impulsivity.

Three common restorative asanas are recommended for the relief of ADHD symptoms: Forward Bends for lengthening and deepening exhalations, Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose for slowing heart beat and calming the nervous system and Corpse Pose for total relaxation. A regular Yoga practice builds confidence, teaches skills for coping with stressful events and improves general well-being. It also encourages a healthy life style.

Side Notes for Yoga Instructors

It goes without saying: As a Yoga teacher or guru, you provide a safe haven for students to get away from multi-tasking.  Studio and ashram owners should consider specialized workshops for students or specialized masters classes (Yoga teacher training) for the purpose of helping adults and children to focus.  Sadly, technology is one of the culprits and there is no end to new gadgets being developed.  Children have no problems mastering a smartphone at an early age, but as they become multi-tasking teens learning Yoga training could save their sanity and their lives.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Yoga teacher training and continuing education courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

Free report, newsletter, videos, podcasts, and e-Book: “Yoga in Practice.”

If you are a Yoga Teacher, studio owner, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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Posted in Yoga for Mental Health, Yoga Teacher Issues, Yoga Teacher Training | No Comments »

Yoga Healing for Pre-Existing Injuries

Wednesday, August 10th, 2011

yoga certificationBy Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

As the benefits of practicing Yoga, to cope with chronic health concerns and pre-existing injuries, becomes more well known, the need to choose an experienced instructor and appropriate class is more important that ever. Yoga is more than a physical exercise; it is a healing art that is good for the mind, body, and spirit.

Nevertheless, there are a few precautions to consider before starting any new exercise, especially in the case of pre-existing health conditions. A Yoga teacher, who is well trained in therapeutic techniques, and familiar with contraindications, can establish an individual program that not only fits initial needs, but also evolves with progress and prevents further injuries.

Restorative poses or Chair Yoga are helpful in relaxing the body and creating optimal conditions for healing. Additionally, the use of props or adapted postures, allows movements that otherwise could not be attempted. Still, Yoga requires patience and proper training, if it is to be practiced safely and effectively.

The following conditions have an increased risk of injury if improper asana alignment is practiced, or postures, that are too challenging, are attempted.

• Weak muscles

• Pre-existing injuries within any joint of the entire body

• Pre-existing medical conditions

• Strained backs and hamstrings

• Muscle groups that are tight or out of balance

• Improper skeletal alignment

Yoga has proven to be helpful in healing injuries relating to the back, shoulders, knees, neck, and wrists. However, special considerations are needed, in some instances, to keep from aggravating pre-existing injuries. Examples are given below.

• Although Yoga is a popular means for dealing with lower back pain, these poses may reduce pain or actually worsen the condition: Backward Bends, Cobra Pose, Forward Bend, and Spinal Twists. Therefore, all back problems are unique, and one should proceed with caution.

• While carpal tunnel syndrome can be improved by Yoga therapy, the condition may also be worsened by putting excessive weight on the wrists. Downward Dog or Plank Pose should be practiced only with props and careful supervision.

• Exercise helps to keep the neck strong and flexible, but too much pressure on the cervical region is counterproductive. Postures, such as Plow, Shoulder Stand, and Headstand can be harmful in some cases.

• Pinched nerves in impinged shoulders, or pain caused by weak back muscles, may be exacerbated by poor alignment in Triangle Pose and other similar postures.

• Sitting in Lotus Pose can cause knee pain if the hips are tight, and special care should be taken to avoid hyper-extending the knees when doing any postures with straight legs.

Summary

Yoga should never be competitive or painful, and no one can personally monitor safety more closely than an aware and informed student. Patience, proper instruction, and personal knowledge are the keys to a successful and safe Yoga practice.

© Copyright 2011 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

See videos, demonstrations, and lectures related to how to become a yoga instructor online  and specialized continuing education courses.

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One Yoga Pranayama Technique for Anxiety

Thursday, July 28th, 2011

yoga teacher trainingBy Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Pranayama is the practice of breath control. Pranayama is an extremely important tool, when practiced in Yoga, which can harness one’s anxiety, reduce stress levels, and control energy flow. At the same time, controlling the flow of “prana” (vital energy), throughout one’s body, is important to maintain one’s emotional stability.

Each of us has been breathing since the day we were born. This practice is so basic, and natural, that we often overlook the power of a breath. Learning to practice pranayama cannot only help your emotions, but can also increase your mental strength and your decision-making process. However, when practicing pranayama, it is best to do so with caution. The more advanced and dynamic pranayama techniques should be practiced with the supervision of an experienced Yoga teacher.

Dirgha Pranayama

There are many different types of pranayama techniques. Each technique has its own set of benefits. One pranayama technique that helps relax the mind and body is known as Dirgha Pranayama (also known as: three part, sipping, or complete breath). To prepare for this exercise, sit with a straight back or lay down on your back.

Take long, slow, deep breaths, preferably through the nose, keeping them smooth and relaxed. With each breath – focus on relaxing your belly, with each inhale, and deflating a part of the trunk, with each exhale.

The reason English speaking Yoga practitioners commonly call Dirgha: “three part breath,” is the breathing emphasis on a specific area, which focuses on three compartments in the trunk of the body (the navel, solar plexus, and upper chest). When you inhale, you are prompted by your Yoga teacher to expand in one compartment at a time, starting with the navel, and finishing at the highest point in the lungs (upper chest).

If you are a Yoga instructor, it is easier to ask your new students to relax the stomach, than to expand it. Due to improper breathing, beginners have usually never worked on inhaling or exhaling from the bottom of the lungs, but they will have no difficulty expanding at the top, because they are accustomed to breathing only from the top of the lungs.

When students are prompted to exhale, the sequence of emphasis is in the reverse order (upper chest, solar plexus, and navel). The practitioner works on gently collapsing each compartment – one at a time. When emphasis is placed on the navel, it is drawn in toward the spine.

This completes one cycle of three parts inhale and three parts exhale. If you do not have the advice of a certified Yoga teacher, it would be wise to observe this technique in videos before attempting it. If you are new to Yoga and pranayama, it is advised that you practice this technique slowly and gently.

Dynamic Yoga techniques are often seen on the cover of a magazine, or in a video. Photographs of “circus tricks” have always impressed people. However, the purpose of Dirgha pranayama is medicinal.

© Copyright 2011 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

See our selection of certification programs if you are interested in how to become a Yoga instructor.

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How to Become a Yoga Instructor – Inner Vision

Tuesday, October 14th, 2008

By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

The call for us to teach Yoga often starts with a vision from within. This vision of becoming a Yoga teacher is not something that someone else told us to see. We have been systematically trained to ignore our intuition and trust outside resources. This makes focusing on what we internally visualize difficult.

As children, we are often taught to forget our dreams. As time passes, we are taught to be practical and logical. Sometimes, the result is a young adult who is cynical, at best, because of all the emphasis placed on past failures. Nothing will stifle innovation, and creativity, better than to focus on your past setbacks.

Internal focus on past failures becomes the mindset of pessimism. Luckily, you have control of your mind to influence it toward positive thoughts. If you know a group of people who exist in the “Dark Ages” of pessimism – you realize the difficulty in changing a collective mindset. You probably need a “breath of fresh air,” as well.

With that said, do you really want to ignore your intuition? Do you want to abandon your dreams? Do you want to live a life that someone else has demanded you live? There is a reasonable compromise between what is logical and what you envision.

If you want to become a Yoga teacher, it does not have to be difficult. You can be a provider at home and participate in a self-paced correspondence course at the same time. Some of these training programs are designed with unlimited Email and telephone support. In fact, you are not required to leave home with some online Yoga teacher training courses.

What about job changes? If you currently have a job that has great benefits and it pays well, you can stay with your employer while teaching Yoga as a part-time instructor. Life can be taken in gradual steps, with much less financial risk to you or your family.

As a part-time Yoga teacher, you can enjoy the best of life. You can see where this journey will guide you. At some point, in the future, you might decide to visit an on-site intensive, a seminar, teach full-time, or become a registered Yoga teacher. All of these goals are fine, but life does not happen in an instant.

It is true that we are programmed to think everything must take place in “the blink of an eye.” Yet, we have a life to live every day. Sometimes, our dreams are put on hold, but we can study, improve, and practice, each day. The journey to teach Yoga classes starts with study toward certification. The path of teaching Yoga has many steps. Remember: A teacher is a student for life.

© Copyright 2008 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles) – Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste, Paul
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