By Gopi Rao
It is very important for every graduate of Yoga teacher training to have a thorough understanding of human anatomy, so that he or she can adjust the asana of a student properly and safely during a class. There are many amazing health benefits offered by a regular practice.
However, if a practitioner engages in a series of asanas without practicing proper alignment, the practice itself may become dangerous to the individual by causing discomfort and even injury. Therefore, it is of paramount importance for a beginning student to find a professional studio where the instructors are certified and experienced in proper asana sequencing and adjustments.
Depending upon the style, professional Yoga teachers should be familiar with thirty to over one hundred different asanas. The more postures an instructor is comfortable teaching, the more creative and versatile the instructor can be in creating a variety of sequences for the class to follow.
A competent teacher will also be able to tailor a class designed for the appropriate skill, flexibility, and strength level of the students that are participating in the class on a particular day. As the asanas are held by the students, a competent Yoga instructor will move around the class and correct student’s alignments in the poses.
This is a critical function of the instructor. In this way, students who participate in supervised Yoga training sessions will begin to learn correct alignment principals through the somatic experience of holding the postures, while in optimal alignment for their own bodies.
The correct alignment of the joints, ligaments, muscles and bones lead to an experience of being more centered and balanced, while the student actually exerts less effort in the poses. An asana that is practiced according to correct alignment principals will also be much more stable and far less likely to create an injury.
Proper alignment also creates more ease and inner space in the joints as well as improving circulation and a balanced flow of energy throughout the entire body. An asana practice done in this fashion will create health, energy, and well-being for the student.
Additionally, Yoga teachers should be familiar with asana adjustments and modifications for those students who are recovering from an illness, injury, or who are pregnant. There are many different modifications available for Yoga asanas that still maintain proper alignment principals in the pose itself.
An instructor may offer the student suggestions of props or supports to use in order to do the pose properly, or may even suggest an alternative asana that reaches the same goal. In order to guide students safely during a Yoga class, it is imperative that an instructor be able to adjust the student’s asanas correctly based on a foundational knowledge of human anatomy and alignment principals.
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