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Its funny how posting something and having people comment on it can open up our perspective.
A had posted something really interesting about our last blog - Good yoga teachers are both.
Both?! What?! It can't be black and white?!
And we agree with her. As both S and M have been school teachers they can see A's point of view. There comes a point where you guide people along on their journey allowing them to find the answers for themselves. This is true with yoga teachers. We will have to guide them along their journey hoping their bodies will come into alignment and find the true positions. However, in order to be that guider you have to teach a bit first. We'll give you an example:
S tried side crow.
S failed.
S watched our friend K rock out side crow.
S tried again.
S failed.
A wonderful teacher L taught S how to align his body in side crow.
S tried again.
S succeeded.
The moral of this story is....where was L to begin with!
Seriously, S tried to align his body and was guided into it. He couldn't quite get it, something just wasn't work. Then when L taught him, he took off.
Education, and yoga are very similar. You can't guide someone into something with out teaching the fundamentals first. If you know your class and you have the same students all the time - much like you do in education - guiding takes over. But Yoga teachers have it more difficult, there are some regulars, but you always have a few new ones that may need some teaching. So while you guide the others you will have to teach the few - but as we said in my last post, it might be better to reteach all just to be on the safe side.
Now S can be guided into side crow - but its been a few weeks since he last did it with L so some teaching may be good as a refresher.
So as we stated in our last post:
We are yoga teachers. That's our title. And we have to deal with it.
Thursday, 27 October 2011
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
To Teach or To Guide
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We've now been in Austin for almost 7 weeks. CRAZY?! How much do I miss Vancouver's sandy beaches meeting the rolling waves on one side while climbing into the peaceful mountains on the other. But We're in Austin now. Its a cool vibe, reminds me of the west coast, only housing prices aren't as expensive - getting there though.
So we took a class last night and have noticed a trend. The teacher tends to teach a few steps and then opens it up to "go into an inversion of your choice, if not stay in child's pose" Ok. Hey that's cool. I'm totally good with inversions. They're our 'work in progress' (M seems to have a better hold on them than S). We've been taught how to get into them, how to get up and how to align our bodies correctly. But what about those who haven't been taught this. Aren't we making a huge assumption that EVERYONE knows how to go into inversions.
This leads me to my question. Are we yoga Teachers? Or are we yoga guiders?
Let's go way back to when we were kids. We don't remember it, but at some point, our parents have told us that they had to hold us up and teach us how to stand up on our feet. They helped us practice and then they helped us to walk and then run.
S remembers vividly being terrified to ride his bicycle, but he was taught how to do it, but by bit with steps and support until now he runs Triathlons. M remembers all the time she had to practice on the piano, and how she was taught how to play it with a teacher (notice our use of words).
In neither or these scenarios were we guided into something. Imagine someone saying 'S go ride your bike if you can,' or 'M start playing mozart on the piano, here it is, if not then just sit at it and I'm sure you'll pick it up by osmosis'. Both of us spent time as school teachers (M is still working her but off as one) and never have we said 'ok kids, its time for a test, now I never taught you anything about science, but I'm sure you'll ace it!'
This gets me to my point. If we were trained to be yoga teachers (I'm certain we all spent lots of money and time on our practice - S and M both spend more than they can count now) why would we not use the skills to help others move into positions. But instead the common phrase of 'go into a pose if its in your practice' tends to dwell within our profession. I think its time as Yoga Teachers we actually teach something, and if we want to have an inversion in our practice or an arm balance, we proved the steps for our students to move into one.
Now we understand that some might say, but what about the advanced practitioners in our class, they'll be board.
We'll there's always the option of:'if you already know how to do this then move into it on your own time.'
or to be safer so there are no injuries: 'I know you know how to do this, but just listen its a good refresher for the steps.'
Remember we as yoga teachers have the power to teach to all, and with that comes the responsibility of safety. I say we teach and empower our students with knowledge to keep them safe rather than to have an injury!
Stay Grounded
S & M
We've now been in Austin for almost 7 weeks. CRAZY?! How much do I miss Vancouver's sandy beaches meeting the rolling waves on one side while climbing into the peaceful mountains on the other. But We're in Austin now. Its a cool vibe, reminds me of the west coast, only housing prices aren't as expensive - getting there though.
So we took a class last night and have noticed a trend. The teacher tends to teach a few steps and then opens it up to "go into an inversion of your choice, if not stay in child's pose" Ok. Hey that's cool. I'm totally good with inversions. They're our 'work in progress' (M seems to have a better hold on them than S). We've been taught how to get into them, how to get up and how to align our bodies correctly. But what about those who haven't been taught this. Aren't we making a huge assumption that EVERYONE knows how to go into inversions.
This leads me to my question. Are we yoga Teachers? Or are we yoga guiders?
Let's go way back to when we were kids. We don't remember it, but at some point, our parents have told us that they had to hold us up and teach us how to stand up on our feet. They helped us practice and then they helped us to walk and then run.
S remembers vividly being terrified to ride his bicycle, but he was taught how to do it, but by bit with steps and support until now he runs Triathlons. M remembers all the time she had to practice on the piano, and how she was taught how to play it with a teacher (notice our use of words).
In neither or these scenarios were we guided into something. Imagine someone saying 'S go ride your bike if you can,' or 'M start playing mozart on the piano, here it is, if not then just sit at it and I'm sure you'll pick it up by osmosis'. Both of us spent time as school teachers (M is still working her but off as one) and never have we said 'ok kids, its time for a test, now I never taught you anything about science, but I'm sure you'll ace it!'
This gets me to my point. If we were trained to be yoga teachers (I'm certain we all spent lots of money and time on our practice - S and M both spend more than they can count now) why would we not use the skills to help others move into positions. But instead the common phrase of 'go into a pose if its in your practice' tends to dwell within our profession. I think its time as Yoga Teachers we actually teach something, and if we want to have an inversion in our practice or an arm balance, we proved the steps for our students to move into one.
Now we understand that some might say, but what about the advanced practitioners in our class, they'll be board.
We'll there's always the option of:'if you already know how to do this then move into it on your own time.'
or to be safer so there are no injuries: 'I know you know how to do this, but just listen its a good refresher for the steps.'
Remember we as yoga teachers have the power to teach to all, and with that comes the responsibility of safety. I say we teach and empower our students with knowledge to keep them safe rather than to have an injury!
Stay Grounded
S & M
Friday, 21 October 2011
Where's my foundation?!
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So M and S took a class today at one of the many studios in downtown Austin. It was a wonderful sweaty class:
Hip openers.
Shoulder openers.
Back bends.
Everything we needed today!
But M and S have noticed a trend in this up and coming yoga center of Texas, most yoga teachers in Austin (at least the ones that we've experienced) move from Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I) to Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II) - the sanskrit is used for all the yoga geeks in us!
It puzzles us?! We can understand the fact that before our 200 hour intensive teacher training we would've had no problem. Its a natural progression, you move from I into II. But NOW that we've immersed ourselves in yoga and the principals of optimal alignment this natural progression seems flawed. They should really be named differently (neutral vs external warrior).
Warrior I uses neutral hips (which unless you are a much more avid practitioner will be tight), that point forward like headlights to the front of the room, while you have the back leg behind you and the femur, knee, and ankle and second toe pointed at a 45 degree angle as you bend into the front leg. And, the ankles need to either be in line or at hips width distance apart. Ok. Seems pretty simple we can handle that.
This is where it gets tricky!!
Teachers tend to move from Warrior I into Warrior II. This is when your foundation - your feet have to move. Your hips open and point in the direction of the side wall, you do this as you slide your back leg and rotate it open so that your front ankle is aligned with the back arch and your foot and knee and femur are pointing with your hips to the side wall.
Now this may seem pretty easy to do, but it gets more complicated.
Teachers expect the beginner student to move in between these postures, without calling out any alignments cues (starting at your feet and moving up to your hips). And they want students to do this quickly because you only have the length of an average breath to do this - we're not talking a meditative yogi breath which can last for minutes if there in 'the zone'. No these teachers want you to do this in a normal inhale-for-3-and-exhale-for-3-breath.
Let us take you through the risk platforms now so you can understand why this move is frowned upon:
1. The Knees: If you don't align your second toe with your ankle with your knee with your hip stress will occur. 'So what's a little stress?' is probably what your thinking right now. We'll our knees take a whole lot of stress. They are the Weakest Link! And they'll go home if you stress them too much - home of course really means they'll scream in pain and send you to the hospital. See the knee doesn't have any muscle around it unlike our hips. This means that our hips will power through a pose fine but the tendons around the knees won't hold and will get pulled out of shape - injuries that can last for a lifetime!
2. Lower Back: If the platform isn't cued properly not only do the knees suffer but if we don't cue for a neutral hip alignment (inner thighs back and sitting bone down - in this case) stress will go again to the next weakest link, our lower back. It will take a lickin' and keep on tickin' if the alignment is cued properly because it will engage our abs specifically our transverse abdominals - those deep abs that wrap around our bellies like a sexy corset. These will help protect our lower back from taking all the stress. But if we don't cue these our lower back is at risk of being injured - especially when our platform is changed (like going from Warrior I to Warrior II). And if you've ever thrown you back out you know that getting out of bed isn't so easy any more - its more like a log roll!
3. Periformis: This strong abductor (often used as a stabilizer - this means keeping you in alignment) can also be at risk for taking all the weight of your upper body. This muscle wraps from the tip of your femur (greater trochanter) to your sacrum. And S has pulled this baby. When it goes, your lower back goes, your legs go. Everything. Its like that last piece of jenga that gets pulled and topples the entire tower. You won't be able to walk, run, swim, cycle, even sit on a chair without a dull ache or more if you injure this. So once again, cue from the base (the foundation) up to the main weight bearing girdle - the hips! And be smart don't move from two different foundation postures.
So now that you've seen the risks, and the timing. We would reiterate again, be sensible and don't move from Warrior I to Warrior II. Teachers are there for the students welfare, so cut out the risks and keep the postures simple. Just because postures are numbered in order doesn't mean they should be done that way. And to all the yogis that are cued to do these postures: take your time to find yourself in the pose, watch your base and be smart. If something feels oddly uncomfortable in any of the areas mentioned - and you'll know what oddly uncomfortable feels like (that sensation before the 'ouch' pain comes in) - stop, move out of the posture and take one your more comfortable with.
Stay grounded,
S & M
Go Back To rollingwithmyogis.com
So M and S took a class today at one of the many studios in downtown Austin. It was a wonderful sweaty class:
Hip openers.
Shoulder openers.
Back bends.
Everything we needed today!
 |
| Warrior I |
 |
| Warrior 2 |
It puzzles us?! We can understand the fact that before our 200 hour intensive teacher training we would've had no problem. Its a natural progression, you move from I into II. But NOW that we've immersed ourselves in yoga and the principals of optimal alignment this natural progression seems flawed. They should really be named differently (neutral vs external warrior).
Warrior I uses neutral hips (which unless you are a much more avid practitioner will be tight), that point forward like headlights to the front of the room, while you have the back leg behind you and the femur, knee, and ankle and second toe pointed at a 45 degree angle as you bend into the front leg. And, the ankles need to either be in line or at hips width distance apart. Ok. Seems pretty simple we can handle that.
This is where it gets tricky!!
Teachers tend to move from Warrior I into Warrior II. This is when your foundation - your feet have to move. Your hips open and point in the direction of the side wall, you do this as you slide your back leg and rotate it open so that your front ankle is aligned with the back arch and your foot and knee and femur are pointing with your hips to the side wall.
Now this may seem pretty easy to do, but it gets more complicated.
Teachers expect the beginner student to move in between these postures, without calling out any alignments cues (starting at your feet and moving up to your hips). And they want students to do this quickly because you only have the length of an average breath to do this - we're not talking a meditative yogi breath which can last for minutes if there in 'the zone'. No these teachers want you to do this in a normal inhale-for-3-and-exhale-for-3-breath.
Let us take you through the risk platforms now so you can understand why this move is frowned upon:
1. The Knees: If you don't align your second toe with your ankle with your knee with your hip stress will occur. 'So what's a little stress?' is probably what your thinking right now. We'll our knees take a whole lot of stress. They are the Weakest Link! And they'll go home if you stress them too much - home of course really means they'll scream in pain and send you to the hospital. See the knee doesn't have any muscle around it unlike our hips. This means that our hips will power through a pose fine but the tendons around the knees won't hold and will get pulled out of shape - injuries that can last for a lifetime!
2. Lower Back: If the platform isn't cued properly not only do the knees suffer but if we don't cue for a neutral hip alignment (inner thighs back and sitting bone down - in this case) stress will go again to the next weakest link, our lower back. It will take a lickin' and keep on tickin' if the alignment is cued properly because it will engage our abs specifically our transverse abdominals - those deep abs that wrap around our bellies like a sexy corset. These will help protect our lower back from taking all the stress. But if we don't cue these our lower back is at risk of being injured - especially when our platform is changed (like going from Warrior I to Warrior II). And if you've ever thrown you back out you know that getting out of bed isn't so easy any more - its more like a log roll!
3. Periformis: This strong abductor (often used as a stabilizer - this means keeping you in alignment) can also be at risk for taking all the weight of your upper body. This muscle wraps from the tip of your femur (greater trochanter) to your sacrum. And S has pulled this baby. When it goes, your lower back goes, your legs go. Everything. Its like that last piece of jenga that gets pulled and topples the entire tower. You won't be able to walk, run, swim, cycle, even sit on a chair without a dull ache or more if you injure this. So once again, cue from the base (the foundation) up to the main weight bearing girdle - the hips! And be smart don't move from two different foundation postures.
So now that you've seen the risks, and the timing. We would reiterate again, be sensible and don't move from Warrior I to Warrior II. Teachers are there for the students welfare, so cut out the risks and keep the postures simple. Just because postures are numbered in order doesn't mean they should be done that way. And to all the yogis that are cued to do these postures: take your time to find yourself in the pose, watch your base and be smart. If something feels oddly uncomfortable in any of the areas mentioned - and you'll know what oddly uncomfortable feels like (that sensation before the 'ouch' pain comes in) - stop, move out of the posture and take one your more comfortable with.
Stay grounded,
S & M
Go Back To rollingwithmyogis.com
Wednesday, 19 October 2011
The yoga dream
M is working her buns off at a school in Austin. She hasn't given up the yoga teacher dream, she's merely postponed it while trying to support S. S is working on the yoga dream. He is working as a yoga teacher, but it doesn't always make the 'big-bucks', especially when you're the new kid on the block. Thankfully M is there. Slowly it's working out for S, but patience is key.
2 Studios have shown interest in S:
Be Yoga (www.behappybeyoga.com) has picked S up for the time being while two teachers are out - one on her honeymoon in Hawaii (congrats to L) and the other is having knee surgery. Yoga can be hard on the knees, as we all know. So flex your foot and check out alignment within the hip-knee-ankle-2nd toe (our wonderful yoga teachers E and R taught us well).
A second studio opening in December, Barre 3, has seen promise in S and is sending him on training in Portland for the first weekend in November. S is stoked about the possibilities. The studios roots are in Yoga, but with a Pilates twist. M wasn't a fan of the first class she took with them. S however loved the idea. It really clicked with his passion for alignment and his personal training background.
So, S is busy trying out his yoga career, M is teaching. And things are OK for now. At times both S and M dig into the negative side flooded with questions:
Will these kids ever stop driving me crazy?
How can we get out names out into the Austin yoga community?
Will we make enough money?
But its ok. Some negativity is good. It just makes you realize how much better life is being positive, because:
M's class is calming down.
We have patience.
and because
We will survive...yada yada yada yada yada something something Alive - my best attempt at singing and blogging!
Stay grounded,
S & M
2 Studios have shown interest in S:
Be Yoga (www.behappybeyoga.com) has picked S up for the time being while two teachers are out - one on her honeymoon in Hawaii (congrats to L) and the other is having knee surgery. Yoga can be hard on the knees, as we all know. So flex your foot and check out alignment within the hip-knee-ankle-2nd toe (our wonderful yoga teachers E and R taught us well).
A second studio opening in December, Barre 3, has seen promise in S and is sending him on training in Portland for the first weekend in November. S is stoked about the possibilities. The studios roots are in Yoga, but with a Pilates twist. M wasn't a fan of the first class she took with them. S however loved the idea. It really clicked with his passion for alignment and his personal training background.
So, S is busy trying out his yoga career, M is teaching. And things are OK for now. At times both S and M dig into the negative side flooded with questions:
Will these kids ever stop driving me crazy?
How can we get out names out into the Austin yoga community?
Will we make enough money?
But its ok. Some negativity is good. It just makes you realize how much better life is being positive, because:
M's class is calming down.
We have patience.
and because
We will survive...yada yada yada yada yada something something Alive - my best attempt at singing and blogging!
Stay grounded,
S & M
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