Posts Tagged ‘teach yoga classes’

Teach Yoga Students to Manage Back Pain

Wednesday, May 9th, 2012

yoga certificationBy Faye Martins

When you teach yoga classes, how often do students ask about techniques to reduce back pain?  Study after study shows that yogic exercise helps significantly with managing back pain in conjunction with medical treatment. Yoga strengthens and balances the body while it grants students more control of their minds. Each of these factors alone become huge benefits, when dealing with back pain, but together, they feel like a miracle. Participants of one study reported a decrease in pain,  functional disability, and depression. Sixty-eight percent of the participants of that study assigned to practice yoga training also continued to practice the art after the study concluded. Even though chronic back pain can be one of the hardest common conditions to live with and treat, yogic exercise can significantly improve the quality of life of back pain sufferers.

One form of yoga commonly practiced to deal with back pain is Restorative yoga; it has specifically been shown to improve mood as well as lessen the pain. Restorative is a therapeutic form of yoga. It strengthens muscles and brings the body into alignment. It is exercise, and like any exercise, it releases dopamine, which vastly improves the mood of the person exercising. This effect is so strong that exercise has been found in scientific studies to be a more effective treatment for depression than drugs in all but the most extreme cases. It is the ultimate mood-booster and promoter of well-being.

Restorative is a contemporary form of yoga specifically developed for therapeutic purposes and many studies have reported excellent results with its use. Viniyoga and Iyengar yoga, are also used to treat back pain, these methods place emphasis on proper technique and form in order to bring the body into alignment. By bringing the spine specifically into proper alignment, many symptoms of back pain can be relieved. Certain branches of chiropractic medicine also believe that bringing the spine into alignment can solve other health problems. According to these philosophies, because there are energy meridians or channels running along the spine, proper alignment allows for optimal flow — and therefore, ideal health — in all areas of life and the body.

Yogic methodology’s strong emphasis on not just the body, but the mind, is also theorized to be a huge help in the treatment of back pain. By quieting and controlling the mind, many things are possible. First, relaxation is widely known to have an impact on pain. Anxiety causes tension, and tension causes pain. Secondly, a conscious control of the mind can help greatly in managing pain by directing attention elsewhere. The pain may still be there, but you don’t necessarily have to focus on it. Some have even claimed greater control of the mind has helped them consciously harness the placebo effect to help alleviate their pain.

Continuing education courses for yoga teachers have many directions to venture into.  When considering the direction of one’s education, it might be worth considering your student’s needs.  When we encounter so many people with back pain, it might be prudent to learn more yoga techniques that can help them.

© 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/

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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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Teaching Yoga for the Quality of Life

Thursday, May 3rd, 2012

teach yoga classesBy Faye Martins

When we teach yoga classes, what are our students taking home with them?  Do some students see it only as an exercise?  Yoga has exploded into a popular fitness trend, around the world, for the past two decades. Well known for its relaxation and breathing techniques, yoga as a way of life has spread like fire through studios across the world and into gyms, fitness clubs, senior centers and even public schools. There are many different styles and techniques, with each style focusing on a specific emphasis that tends to characterize it. Ashtanga vinyasa yoga, for example, is a practice that highlights the physical challenges of yoga whereas Iyengar is a slower version of Hatha that allows practitioners to concentrate on pose mastery and yogic philosophy.

Pranayama for Quality of Life

Pranyama is an aspect of yoga that emphasizes breathing techniques as they relate to one’s lifestyle. Pranayama is an in-depth yogic practice of breath control. Many practitioners consider it an art form, one that requires full attention and concentrated internal exploration. Practicing pranayama requires knowledge of various breathing techniques, stages and even patterns.

Practitioners use their breath control for a variety of purposes. One reason is that focused breathing helps to access internal energy channels as well as manipulate those energies. Pranayama practice also allows students greater focus and concentration, as controlled breathing works to rid the mind of stress and clutter.

The advantages that students derive from their practice include increased relaxation, greater control over their emotions, a greater awareness of their physical body, and improved lung capacity. For patients suffering side effects or prohibitive symptoms of illnesses like cancer, these benefits can have a much more noticeable effect on the way they experience their day to day lives.

Yoga as an Adjunct Form of Medicine

Recently, the advantages of strong bodies and minds that yoga offers to its practitioners has generated buzz within the western medical community. Scientists and doctors wondered whether the more positive outlook that regular yoga practitioners generally experience could be replicated in patients suffering from illnesses like cancer.  Wake Forest University School of Medicine and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte are just two of the many places where studies are taking a closer look at yoga being medically tested as an adjunct therapy for cancer.

What some studies concluded is not surprising to those who consistently practice yoga. For example, one study surveyed women with breast cancer in various stages who were undergoing treatments like chemotherapy, while trying to maintain regular yoga practice. These women, though a small sample, reported higher quality of life outlooks the day after yoga practice, including increased relaxation, more energy and less pain and fatigue related to their illness or medications. Researchers concluded that as an alternative treatment, regular yoga practice can actually help improve quality of life in women with breast cancer.

While some doctors have been slow to acknowledge yoga as an alternative treatment, individuals struggling with low quality of life should consider pranayama as one path that has been proven to lead to its improvement.  For those seeking restorative yoga for chemotherapy and cancer recovery, the trend is catching on in oncology centers.  Ground based relaxation postures are a good start.  Pranayama, relaxation techniques, and meditation also help to improve ones mindset during an extremely trying time.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

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

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

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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!

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Questions about Yoga Teacher Training Online

Tuesday, October 26th, 2010

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

There are many Yoga certification courses available for those who seek to teach. Among the programs, for someone who seeks to become a Yoga instructor, are online, home study, and correspondence programs. We could easily classify all of the above-mentioned programs as Yoga teacher distance learning courses. Below are some of the most common questions about correspondence courses, for students who wish to become a Yoga teacher.

Q: I found a Yoga course that will make me a teacher over a weekend. How many training hours do I really need for it to be acceptable for potential employers?

A: The most common International standard for Yoga instructors is the 200 hour minimum. Almost every potential employer will want to know how many hours were devoted to your training.

There are many different courses, with training from 200 to 750 hours, of study. When you look at the variety of training available, to those who aspire to teach, two hundred hours is the absolute minimum. Anything less is not enough to establish a foundation of knowledge.

Q: Why are practical exams necessary? Can’t I just send a stack of photos of me doing poses?

A: Think about it. Your practical exam is designed to demonstrate your teaching skills. Still pictures cannot demonstrate your cueing, observation, or assisting skills. How you teach your own self-created lesson plan tells volumes about your ability to teach Yoga classes.

With technology as it is today, a video of you teaching a 60 to 90 minute Yoga class is not a tough requirement. Many people have video cameras in their laptops and have access to a separate camera. An examiner cannot determine your level of teaching skills from a still photo. In addition to this – Hatha Yoga is not just asana practice.

Q: Why should Yoga teachers have to be concerned with continuing education?

A: Yoga and sports liability insurance companies like the idea of continuing education and the re-certification process. The reputable Yoga organizations, which determine the licensing of Yoga instructors, believe in continuing education courses and the re-certification process to enhance teacher competence and experience.

Therapeutic Yoga, Medical, Physical Therapy, and Sports Medical knowledge is moving forward at a rapid pace. All of these fields pertain to you as a Yoga teacher, if you want to design safe classes and prevent potential student injuries.

© Copyright 2010 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

To see our complete selection of Yoga teacher certification courses, please feel free to visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/Teacher-Courses/

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

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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How to Pass Your Yoga Teacher Training Exams

Friday, July 30th, 2010

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

The following is a brief compilation of tips that will help anyone taking Yoga certification exams. Generally speaking, Yoga teacher courses are composed of three basic parts. These parts may be your written exams, essays, and practical exams. There may be one, or more, of these parts involved during the examination process.

Written Exams: Usually, written exams are based upon foundational Yogic knowledge. The points, that the examiners may be drawing you to, are valuable for anyone, who will be teaching Yoga classes. In other words, this is knowledge that you should have been mastered, before you began teaching a class.

Written Exams may be based upon one, or more, books which are part of the curriculum. When referencing books, it is always best to reference the book, author, and page number of the information you are presenting. In this way, you support your answer with concrete evidence.

At the same time, there is nothing wrong with having a personal opinion that agrees, or disagrees, with the author’s point. In this way, you also show evidence that you are able to think for yourself. The exception to this is if the examiner requires you to give an answer that is based only upon the author’s opinion.

Essays: One of the biggest mistakes to make on an essay is to cut-and-paste writings by various authors, and then try passing it off as your own work. If you quote an author, you should also give credit to that author by stating the author’s name, the book or website, and include the page number or URL.

When using any quotes by authors to support your essay, you would want to provide a page of references – whether a separate “References” page or Footnotes at the bottom of each page where the quote is included within the text of the page. Also related to this: Limit the number of supporting quotes, to about 20 percent, of your work. The examiner is looking for your thoughts, not a complete compilation of another author’s thoughts.

Practical Exams: This is usually considered the hardest part of the testing. However, preparation is going to help you pass this hurdle. Interns, who spend time teaching mock classes, recording their classes on video, and practicing teaching techniques, will pass much easier than someone who puts little thought into how to conduct a class.

Teaching a Yoga class is composed of cueing skills, observation skills, showing modifications, and assisting when needed. You never want to turn your back on your students and “do your own Yoga practice.” It is a wonderful thing when one can perform a technique, but a teacher is being tested for his or her ability to lead a class.

One last point about the Practical Exam – if you find yourself facing away from your students, it is probably a good time to get off your mat and walk around the room. It always seems to be that, when you turn your back to your students, there is a mental disconnect between you and your students.

© Copyright 2010 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

To join our free online Yoga community of practitioners and teachers, or to learn more about our online or on-site Yoga teacher training courses, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/

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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!

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Two Tips for Teaching Yoga through Challenges

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

When you think about teaching Yoga classes, you always see the positive side of your life experiences. Every Yoga instructor realizes that the act of organizing, and teaching classes, becomes a life mission. Yet, life has “ups and downs” for all of us. There are days when students are seriously ill, you feel ill, or worse.

What is one to do? There is a belief that Yoga teachers, gurus, and swamis, should be in good health at all times. If we deeply believe that we are something beyond mere mortals, we are in for a “reality check.” Life has good and bad times. No matter who you are, you have feelings; and you can become ill. The best we can do is prepare for life’s many challenges.

There are Yoga teachers who are blind, deaf, have ailments, are in a wheelchair, or are experiencing grief. The following is a strategy for the obstacles we might encounter in life. No matter what we encounter, please remember that a positive mindset, and the power of prayer, can help in the worst of times.

Accept and Plan for Life’s Challenges

Each one of us looks at life from a different angle, but we cannot deny that life is full of challenges. Worrying or complaining about an obstacle will not make it go away. Look at challenges as a learning experience – to solve problems based upon your personal practice.

If we regularly practice pranayama, asana, meditation, and teach Yoga classes every day, but fail to handle our emotions during a crisis, is it a sin? No, but it does indicate that our Yoga practice did not prepare us for the emotional challenge we encountered. Life is the area where we apply the Yogic knowledge we learn and practice. If something needs to be improved, life and reality will let us know.

Have a Game Plan

Some people say life is not a game. Please explain that to my cats. To them, life itself is complete entertainment. They are mindful of every little thing, but not too serious about anything. Children also have this quality, and each of us does, as well. We all have an “inner child,” starving for a game, a laugh, and the desire to have fun.

When we become adults, we suppress the inner child and start to become rigid in our thinking. The mind is just like the body. So many people focus on training the body, but how many focus on training the mind? The key is to be flexible in the mind and prepare yourself for the twists and turns on this journey of life.

© Copyright 2010 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

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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The Purpose of Becoming a Hatha Yoga Teacher

Sunday, November 22nd, 2009

Teaching YogaBy Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Why would someone choose to teach Yoga classes? There are many events in life, which just seem to happen, but deciding to go through Yoga teacher training is not one of them. Whether you choose to teach, or your teacher suggests it, there are many different factors to consider if one decides to become a Yoga teacher. The following are thoughts to consider when Yoga students become teachers.

Teaching others to improve their lives is sharing the gift of Yogic knowledge. All practitioners reap the reward of steady practice. Imparting this knowledge, to a group of students, improves their lives and the lives of everyone they know. Inner peace is like a candle in the darkness. Each candle lights up a corner of the earth. Yoga enlightens humanity in the same way.

Showing people of all ages, to have fun and enjoy their lives, is part of teaching any form of Yoga. Through Yoga practice, children learn skills that will last a lifetime. Teens build self-esteem and learn how to prioritize peer pressure. Adults learn to relax and practice Yogic stress management techniques during their working years. Seniors socialize with their peers in chair Yoga classes, and learn how to maintain health on all levels.

There are many choices for becoming a Yoga specialist. Some instructors prefer to teach prenatal, mommy and me, or chair Yoga classes. It’s really a matter of where each of us feels we are needed. Some of us may only be interested in training athletes, while some of us may choose to help students who seek Yoga to reduce pain. When you consider the needs of groups, within your area, there are unlimited possibilities.

Teaching Yoga allows each of us to make a positive difference in our communities. How many people do you know who are making a difference in your community? There are always a few, but most people are struggling financially in a good economy or a bad one. Their life priorities are to pay the bills and put food on the table.

There is nothing wrong with surviving for a better day. Many of us have some experience at surviving a few storms. Yoga is valuable for the survivalist, and it gives us direction in the worst of times. To maintain one’s sanity, during life’s ups and downs, is no accident. Counselors of all kinds know the value of applying Yoga, relaxation, and meditation, to daily life. Our sanity is a priceless gift, and Yoga allows us to keep it at all times.

© Copyright 2009 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

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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