Posts Tagged ‘yoga students’

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When Yoga Students Need Private Lessons

Tuesday, October 9th, 2012

yoga teacher trainingBy Gopi Rao

When an intern is going through yoga teacher training, he or she might envision classes full of students. Long before yogic methodology became so popular; yoga training sessions were often private, semi-private or consisted of small groups.

Yoga is a broad term used to refer to anything from a spiritual practice in an isolated ashram to a therapeutic class for cancer survivors. This means the practice has something to offer everybody, but how does one find the right fit? In traditional Indian culture, students looked for teachers to teach them specific programs based on their individual needs.

Taking up Yogic practices as a lifestyle is far different from practicing asanas in a studio once or twice a week, and private classes can be geared to either. Not only do people have different goals, but they also have different degrees of health and motivation. Age is also a factor. Students often go to studios and leave thinking they don’t like Yoga because their experiences didn’t meet their expectations.

What many people fail to realize is that all styles of Yoga are based on someone’s attraction, interpretation and presentation of the ancient practice, and Yogic philosophy is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. No teacher is right for everybody, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a well-suited teacher for every person.

Because studios can be intimidating and competitive, many people are more comfortable choosing private instructors. While both options offer benefits, there are many reasons why one-to-one instruction may be a good idea, especially for beginners.

Six Reasons to Why Students Take Private Lessons

• To learn more about the different styles

• To practice in a relaxed, non-competitive environment

• To explore personal emotional, physical, or spiritual issues

• To delve more deeply into meditation or pranayama practices

• To get immediate feedback and encouragement

• To develop a personal routine for home practice

Although classes known as hot, power, gentle or restorative Yoga are becoming increasingly more popular, large groups limit the amount of attention instructors can provide to any one student. Even when they face the same challenges, such as breast cancer or arthritis, varying ages and physical conditions mean that not all of them can do the same exercises.

Private instruction allows instructors and students to figure out the best poses and the most effective ways of doing them. This not only maximizes benefits and reduces the risk of injuries, but it means students are more likely to reap the rewards of the mind, body and spirit connection for which Yoga science is intended.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Yoga teacher training and continuing education courses for specialized Yoga certification, 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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Yoga Teacher Training: Neck Pain

Saturday, July 28th, 2012

yoga trainingBy Faye Martins

Anatomy is such an important part of hatha yoga instructor training.  As you learn in Yoga teacher training, the neck is the most fragile part of the spine.  The neck supports the weight of the head during the hours we are awake.  When you consider our skeletal structure, it’s a wonder that many of us are lucky enough to have pain free days.  Luckily, you have learned enough about Yoga to help others have many more pain free days.

Causes of Pain

If you’ve ever slept in an awkward position, craned your neck to view a show or experienced trauma to the neck, you know how debilitating neck pain can be. Chronic pain can take over every aspect of your life, making daily routines and responsibilities difficult. When the pain takes over, it can be hard to focus on anything else. There are a number of therapeutic yoga poses that can relieve neck pain or even prevent it from coming back.

Neck pain can also be the result of poor posture. As people spend increasing amounts of time in front of computers, sitting at desks or driving, the head and shoulders tend to fall forward and the shoulders become rounded, causing strain in the back and cervical spine. When we sit with a straight spine and aligned hips and shoulders, the body distributes the weight evenly and none of the muscles become strained. Yoga helps to improve posture and alignment, which can then eliminate or lessen neck pain.

Deep Breathing Pranayama

Many of us forget how important breathing is to the body because it happens naturally. However, when we don’t put any conscious effort into our breath, the result can be quick, shallow breaths that contract the neck muscles instead of the diaphragm. To release neck tension, sit in a comfortable position and take a deep breath through the nose. Allow the entire abdomen and chest cavity to balloon out with air. Keep the shoulders down and the spine straight. Exhale slowly through the mouth by pulling the belly button in toward the spine.

Arms Overhead with Strap

Stand tall with your feet hip width apart. Raise your arms above your head, holding a strap between both hands. Make sure your palms are facing out. Keep your arms about shoulder width apart or wider if your elbows are not straight. Pull the chin toward the chest and hold for six deep breaths.

Controlled Neck Rolls

Slowly work the tension out of the cervical spine by dropping one ear to the shoulder. Inhale deeply, then exhale as you roll the head down and up again to the opposite side. Continue by slowly rolling the head forward and over to the side you started on. Continue in the same direction for several slow rolls, and then change direction like a pendulum. Create a rhythm with your breath by exhaling when the chin is pointing toward the chest and inhaling when the chin points up on the left or right side.

Neck Roll Precaution

Never practice neck rolls with the head tilted backward.  This puts vertebrae in a compressed position, which locks them in place and grinds them back and forth.  Needless to say, this can cause premature wear of your cervical spine.

Notes for Yoga Teachers

As many of you learned in yoga teacher training – do not physically adjust the neck.  Chiropractors physically adjust necks, but a yoga instructor can give verbal correction.  Help Yoga students warm up or extend the cervical spine, but do not speculate as to the cause of discomfort.  Always advise Yoga students to see a physician.

© 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 Pain Management, Yoga Teacher Issues, Yoga Teacher Training | 1 Comment »

Yoga Teacher Training: Addiction

Thursday, July 26th, 2012

yoga teacherBy Faye Martins

Imagine my surprise when one of my first teaching assignments was at a drug rehabilitation clinic.  Yoga teacher training hadn’t prepared me for this one and I had no idea which drug did what!  I contacted Paul for some advice, which was very encouraging.  Although we learned many pranayama techniques during yoga instructor training, I hadn’t considered the state of euphoria we take for granted could be so effective in drug rehabilitation.  Additionally, there is much more of this experience for me to share with you.

Anyone Can Become an Addict 

Addiction can happen to anyone. They may not even realize they have what is classified as an addiction. It can be to drugs, alcohol and cigarettes. These are the first things that come to mind when someone says addiction. However, people are also addicted to food, hoarding, shopping, gambling and many other similar things. Addiction is extremely hard to overcome and it’s true that traditional therapy methods can work; but many are discovering that implementing yoga into their schedule plays a major role in helping them overcome their addictions. It is the mind-body approach that helps people who are suffering from addiction realize how strong their body really is. Replacing their addiction with yoga can be extremely difficult, but in turn it helps them kick the addiction, and begin a path to recovery.

How it Works

Addiction is a lifestyle that is run on complete impulse. The impulse to grab some fast food, or smoke a cigarette, or do whatever it takes that provides immediate satisfaction and calms the desire that created that impulse. Yoga students who are trying to overcome addiction realize that through a bit of strain and discomfort their mind and body are focused on something else, and the impulse is controlled. The satisfaction that is achieved through yoga training and using the mind as well as the body is equal to or greater than the satisfaction they would have gained from giving into their addiction. Yogic methods can prevent addiction by switching a good habit for a bad one and the impulse is controlled, because yoga causes euphoria with no bad side effects.

Kundalini and Hatha are two yoga styles that are perfect for those struggling with addiction. They both practice slow movements and controlled breathing (pranayama) along with engaging the mind to achieve a peaceful state of being. Kundalini incorporates more meditation and chanting of mantras to build spiritual awareness. Certain breathing patterns have proven to release endorphins. Endorphins create feelings of pleasure, which help replace those that were brought on by the addiction.

In addition to the practice of yoga training, the sense of community and togetherness can create a safe haven for those who are recovering from addiction. They may feel they are not alone, and feel like their yoga instructor and classmates are there for them, and know where they are coming from. That combined with the peacefulness that yoga training methods bring about can become the perfect marriage of elements on the journey to complete well-being.

Side Notes for Yoga Teachers

If you’ve never been addicted to anything – good for you.  However, your strength is what addicts need to learn to master.  There is no better role model for an addict than someone who has recovered or someone who has a gateway to an alternative lifestyle.  It’s easy enough to find a local counselor who can point out  rehabilitation centers and clinics.

© 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 Poses for Surfers: Improving Balance

Friday, June 15th, 2012

yoga certificationBy: Virginia Iversen 

The summertime is upon us and many active Yoga students may be cross training on the waves. Whether your students are avid board surfers or wind surfers, the inclusion of balancing Yoga asanas into your classes will help your students to improve their balance tremendously. Balancing Yoga asanas may not feel as vigorous as a series of Sun Salutations, but these postures are very challenging and rewarding in their own right. If you are teaching intermediate Yoga students, you may wish to seamlessly link the practice of balancing asanas together with Sun Salutations and Ujjayi pranayama.

* Warrior Three 

Warrior Three is a wonderful Yoga pose to include in your class in order to enhance your students’ sense of balance on the water. It will also strengthen your students’ legs and buttock muscles. Before practicing Warrior Three pose, have your students warm up with a series of Sun Salutations and Warrior One and Two poses. When they are ready, have your students come to Tadasana at the front of their Yoga mats.

Guide your students to feel the solidity of the earth beneath them. You may want to ask them to become aware of the distribution of weight between their feet. If the amount of weight is unequal, have them equalize the distribution of weight between both feet. You may wish to ask them to take a few deep, Yogic breaths in order to enhance their sense of presence and grounding. With their next exhale, guide your students to come forward and balance on their right foot as they raise their left leg to hip height with their left toes facing the floor.

Instruct your students to extend their arms in front of them and parallel to the mat with their palms pressed together in prayer position. Encourage them to hold this pose for five full breaths while maintaining their gaze or drishti on one spot in front of them on the floor. Maintaining a steady gaze will further develop their abilities to focus and concentrate. After five complete breaths, guide them to come out of the pose with their next exhale and back to Tadasana at the front of their Yoga mats. Repeat on the left hand side.

© Copyright 2012 – Virginia Iversen / Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Yoga instructor 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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Teaching Yoga to Students with Parkinson’s Disease

Monday, June 4th, 2012

yoga teacher trainingBy Faye Martins

Among our Yoga certification requirements should be and ethics agreement that should contain a message about ahimsa (non-harming). I’m sure most Yoga teacher training courses have a form similar to the ethics agreement that interns in my class signed. Ahimsa is so important that you can’t have compassion for others without it. When teaching Yoga students who have any neurological disorder, the instructor must show compassion.

We all know that Yoga helps to prevent disease and maintain agility, but anecdotal evidence shows that it may be useful in treating Parkinson’s disease, too. A brain disorder that causes tremors and makes walking difficult, Parkinson’s usually strikes people over 50. Although common among senior citizens, it can also affect younger adults.

Common Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease

• Problems with balance

• Stooped posture

• Lack of facial expression or excessive blinking

• Muscular pain and rigidity

• Difficulty with walking or other forms of movement

• Changes in handwriting

• Shaking, or tremors

• Speaking slowly or in monotones

• Autonomic dysfunction, such as low blood pressure or sweating

• Emotional and mental problems, such as depression, anxiety and dementia

Early treatment helps to control the severity of symptoms and the progression of the disease, but there is no cure. Paul Zeiger, Yoga instructor, retired engineer and Parkinson’s sufferer, says that Yoga is one of the best ways to fight the disorder’s neurological damage.

Benefits of Yogic Exercise in the Fight against Parkinson’s

• Addresses physical symptoms, such as stiffness, balance and movement

• Works with the mind-body connection to improve overall well-being

• Reduces muscle atrophy caused by lack of use

• Helps to restore deep breathing and reduce panic caused by physical symptoms

• Strengthens mental alertness, increases circulation and augments flexibility

• Uses meditation to improve mood and autonomic nervous system function

• Provides supportive environment for patients to share information

To avoid fatigue and injury, people with Parkinson’s disease should practice Yogic exercise regularly but with moderation. Using chairs for support makes it possible for almost anyone to participate, and twist-like poses increase range-of-motion and ease daily tasks. Restorative Yoga, in general, renews energy, decreases insomnia and enhances the quality of life.

In 2002, clinical studies in Denmark indicated a 65 percent temporary increase in dopamine levels of Parkinson’s participants during meditation and Restorative Yoga. More recently, researchers at the University of Virginia, Stanford University and Kansas State University are conducting trials to support its use in the management of Parkinson’s symptoms and the possible delay of its debilitating onslaught.

Once again, the healing arts of the ancient eastern world are proving useful in the technical world of western medicine.

© 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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Teaching Yoga to Students with Emotional Stress

Friday, June 1st, 2012

how to become a yoga instructorBy Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 

Many Yoga teacher training interns envision classes with fit students, who want physical challenges. Hatha Yoga training is well known as a form of exercise designed to build flexibility, strength, and general fitness. What is less well known is that practicing Yoga can improve your ability to deal with stress. As many of us realize, stress is a very corrosive aspect of our modern society, and it takes an especially heavy toll on our children. Students often find themselves under severe emotional stress and have a difficult time coping with the feelings and problems this can create. Yoga training is an excellent tool to teach students how to integrate all aspects of their lives.

These days, students experience the burden of a great deal of pressure from a very early age. For many people, the day starts early with long hours of school, followed by homework, extracurricular activities, and other obligations. Frequently, older students also have jobs they try to fit in around their other responsibilities. There is little time for students to catch their breath, much less to relax and integrate their life experiences in a positive way. Adolescence is a difficult time for most students, even at the best of times, and frequently it is a time of deep emotional uproar. When you add all of this up, it is no surprise that the level of emotional stress in the life of many young people can reach nearly intolerable levels.

Yoga class is a wonderful place for students to relax and unwind. Unlike most traditional academic classes, there are no tests or exams; everyone comes to class as they are, and there is not a required level of fitness necessary. There is no competition in class, but there is endless potential for improvement and accomplishment. Yoga students progress at their own pace, and often have fun, too. In Yoga class, students learn that every day is a different challenge, and there is no failure for anyone who tries. These are important life lessons that academic schools often neglect to teach students.

Yoga teaches students to connect their breath with the asana, or poses. This connection helps students integrate their minds and bodies in a balanced state, which is especially helpful for those trying to cope with emotional stress. Pranayama, or controlled breathing, is a very important tool to relax the mind and body during an emotionally or mentally stressful situation. Once a student learns some of these skills, he or she can use them in all aspects of their life, helping them to deal more effectively with difficult people and stressful situations.

© 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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What Should a Yoga Teacher Know About Anatomy?

Tuesday, May 8th, 2012

yoga certificationBy Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

There are a few Yoga teacher training programs that do not view anatomy as a priority. This may be true if the Yoga teacher certification is based upon teaching a style without movement. For example: The practice of Bhakti, Karma, or Jnana has little to do with asana (posture). Our view of what Yogic methodology is can be very different from our colleagues.

Movement

The essence of Hatha and many contemporary styles of Yoga is movement, with each part of the body moving in relation to a counterpart for optimum “body balance.” Yoga instructors need to know how body parts are connected, in order to be able to help students adjust, when they feel discomfort. Anatomy is defined as the study of the structure of the body. When you study anatomy you learn the names of all the bones and how they are connected, as well as how the joints, ligaments, muscles, and organs, work within the body. All of these concepts are crucial to an understanding of how the body moves, the benefits of proper movement, and the dangers of incorrect movement. Yoga teachers do not need to be experts of human anatomy to be good instructors, but basic understandings of alignment, skeletal compression, and tension, are helpful.

Human Skeletal Structure

Understanding Yoga anatomy, in the most basic sense, means knowing the names, location, and purpose of the bones within the human body. Yoga instructors should know the difference between the femur and the fibula. You do not have to use those terms with your students, but they should be a part of your knowledge base. When students ask questions about specific poses, you will be prepared to answer them intelligently. Keep in mind that most students are out to achieve an overall sense of the mind-body connection and total relaxation. They do not necessarily desire to be confused by scientific information during class.

The Relationship Between the Human Body and Asana

Perhaps the most important anatomical information Yoga teachers need to understand is the relationship between the body and the poses.  Instructors must be aware of which parts of the body are affected by each asana, and how certain parts of the body work together while a student is holding a posture. You must always provide guidance, safety information, and cues for your students in order to protect themselves from injury. A Yoga teacher without any knowledge of anatomy might not fully understand the dangers of improper alignment.

Dangers of Speculation

Since most Yoga teachers are not anatomy experts, make sure you do not act like one. If a student asks a question that you do not know the answer to, advise him or her to seek help from someone who knows. Give advice only about matters, which you are familiar with. Many students come to our classes for relief of back pain, neck pain, headaches, or other chronic issues. Instead of speculating about what could possibly be going on within the body, offer advice only about techniques that should relieve the issue. Always advise a student to consult with his or her physician.

© 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 Anatomy, Yoga Teacher Issues, Yoga Teacher Training | 2 Comments »

Guidelines to Protect Yoga Students

Wednesday, February 29th, 2012

yoga teacher trainingBy Bhavan Kumar

As a yoga instructor, your primary duty is to ensure the continuing safety of your students. One of the easiest ways to do this is through the use of safety guidelines. These guidelines transfer the burden of student safety from being the sole responsibility of the yoga teacher to the students themselves. A well-written set of guidelines helps students ensure their own safety, which in turn gives teachers peace of mind.

Most yoga studios have their own unique set of safety guidelines that have evolved over the course of time. Despite this, they all share some similarities that may serve as a template for those looking to craft their own set of safety guidelines.

1. Proper Attire

It’s amazing what people will show up to class in if there is no dress code in place. Yoga can be challenging enough without tight jeans, excessively baggy clothes and hair getting in the way. Insisting on proper attire in the Yoga studio goes a long way in preventing senseless injury. Clothing should be stretchy, sporty and close fitting without being tight. If a student has long hair, it should be pulled back and secured to protect the student during asanas. Shoes should not be worn during yoga practice.

2. Foods and Drink

Students should always arrive at class well hydrated, and bring water with them as well. Heavy meals before class should be avoided to prevent stomach upset and pain.

3. Backpacks, Bags and Other Personal Items

Belongings should not be allowed on the studio floor unless they are necessary for yoga practice. Having clutter in the classroom presents a tripping hazard for your students. Consider providing a waiting or storage area for bags, coats and other personal items.  Some yoga studios have a specific area to hang up coats and put away personal items.

4. Honor the Body and Use Good Sense

If it feels unnatural, a student shouldn’t do it. Students should be encouraged to use their yoga class as a time to listen intently to their bodies. If it doesn’t feel like it should bend that way, it probably shouldn’t.

5. No Competition in Yoga

Students should never turn yoga into a contest between individuals. Yoga is intensely personal, and everyone must learn at his or her own pace. Yoga is not about besting another student by going deeper into an asana; yoga is about being present and honoring your body.

6. Always Have Proper Alignment

No pose should be done without proper alignment, even if it means not doing the pose at all. The presence of an intense sharp, shooting pain is a sign that an asana was forced or done without proper alignment. Students should discuss any such instances with the teacher at the end of class.

7. Notify the Yoga Instructor of Medical Conditions

Any medical condition, new or old, must be reported to the yoga instructor immediately for the student’s safety.

These are basic safety guidelines that will protect students from the most common problems during yoga class.

© 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/

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!

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Yoga for the Infrequent Practitioner

Thursday, February 9th, 2012

yoga certificationBy Jenny Park

According to US News & World Report, baby boomers with sports injuries, mostly “weekend warriors,” or those who exercise only once a week, are now the number two group coming into doctor’s offices, behind only those with colds. Their injuries, caused by taking any exercise too far when practicing infrequently, can also be problem in Hatha Yoga classes.

Injuries caused by pushing the muscles too hard, such as tears or over extension, are more common with infrequent exercisers. Only familiarity with the muscle range allows yoga students to know how far they should push; the temptation to “take it to its limits” should be avoided. Regular practice also builds muscle memory and allows practitioners to assume the correct posture and position naturally.

Mentally, infrequent practice makes concentration more difficult. Only when the mind is focused does Yoga provide full benefits. “Yoga in the Workplace,” a book by Shameem Akhtar, stresses that regularity is more important than lengthy, infrequent practices. Yoga fights stress and muscle aches accumulated over hundreds of hours during the week- expecting a one-hour class attended irregularly to be up to the task of counteracting these issues is not reasonable.

Yoga Teachers Can Make a Difference

As an instructor, infrequent practitioners should be carefully observed and reminded to make sure appropriate modifications are made when needed. Tight hamstrings are a very common problem and affect poses like Downward-facing Dog or Adho Mukha Svanasana, Triangle pose or Trikonasana, Reverse Triangle or Parivritta Trikonasana, and even seated poses like Staff pose or Dandasana. Office workers in particular carry a lot of tension in their neck and shoulders, which may translate into lack of flexibility in those areas.

Moving at one’s own pace should be emphasized, and the misconception that Hatha Yoga is an easy form of exercise should be dispelled. Pre-existing repetitive motion injuries may be more common in our Yoga classes, simply because people without much experience expect anything good to hurt a little. They come to classes thinking it’s easy and push past injuries without thinking. In fact, we know that Yoga should not hurt at all.

Don’t allow classes to become too crowded, as this prevents direct observation and correction of alignment if needed. There have even been cases of students in crowded classes injuring other nearby practitioners by falling over in a pose.

Encourage infrequent practitioners to spend time on restorative poses, as well as those that challenge their bodies. Yoga is not a competition, and he who forces himself into a pose or finishes first is not the winner.

© 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/

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!

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Anatomy Education for Yoga Teachers

Saturday, January 28th, 2012

yoga certificationBy 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.

© 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/

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!

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