March 24, 2025 • 22 mins
I wholeheartedly believe every yoga teacher must have a working knowledge of anatomy, it is the responsible thing to do because you're teaching movement and working with bodies. Your students trust you, therefore you should be well-educated.
It doesn’t matter if you teach vinyasa, or yin; meditation or pranayama… understanding why a student might be uncomfortable in a seated cross leg position is important.
- Why does that hurt?
- What life experiences may have led to this pain?
- Is there anything you can do about it?
Get your journal for this one because you’ll want to write down these steps I’m going to walk you through to finally get a handle on anatomy.
I can't wait for you to listen!
Ep 64: Sequencing for Students with Rotator Cuff Injuries
Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode!
YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright
Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Monica (00:00):
I wholeheartedly believe every yoga teacher must have a
working knowledge of anatomy.
It is the responsible thing todo because you are teaching
movement and working withbodies.
Your students trust you so youshould be well educated.
It doesn't matter if you teachvinyasa or yin meditation or
(00:23):
pranayama.
Understanding why a studentmight be uncomfortable in a
seated cross leg position isimportant.
Why does that hurt?
What life experiences may haveled to this pain?
Is there anything you can doabout it?
Get your journal for this onebecause you'll want to write
down these steps.
(00:43):
I'm going to walk you through tofinally get a handle on anatomy.
So here we go.
Welcome to the EssentialConversations for Yoga Teachers
podcast with me.
I'm Monica Bright, and I've beenteaching yoga and running my
yoga business for over a decade.
This is the podcast for you.
(01:05):
If you're a yoga teacher, you'relooking for support.
You love to be in conversationand you're a lifelong student.
In this podcast, I'll share withyou.
My life as a yoga teacher, thelessons I've learned, my process
for building my business andhelpful ideas, tools,
(01:26):
strategies, and systems I use,and you can use so that your
business thrives.
We'll cover a diverse range oftopics that will help you
whether you're just starting outor you've got years under your
belt and you want to dive deepand set yourself up for success.
I'm so glad you're here.
(01:47):
Listen, I don't take myself tooseriously, so expect to hear
some laughs along the way.
Now, let's do this.
Together.
Welcome back to the podcast.
I'm Monica, and I'm so gladyou're here.
Guess what?
Your girl had a birthdayyesterday.
(02:09):
Birthdays these days look sodifferent.
I used to want to go out with mygirlfriends, have a little
drink, dinner, and party.
But you know how I celebratedthis year?
Facials and lunch.
it was perfect.
I was able to be in bed by adecent hour and my skin is
(02:31):
glowing.
How do you celebrate yourbirthday?
Whatever you do, make sure tomake it special and treat
yourself to something you'llremember for a long time to
come.
All right, enough about me.
Let's get on to anatomy.
When I took my first 200 houryoga teacher training, I admit I
(02:53):
didn't know much about anatomy.
My career had been in education,teaching children, teachers, and
administration in schools acrossthe country.
So I knew how to teach, but withanatomy, I needed to learn more
of the content.
I grew more and more fascinatedwith anatomy during my yoga
(03:15):
teacher training when we had theopportunity to visit a cadaver
lab and my mind was blown.
Initially I thought I'd just sitback and observe, but when we
were invited to touch tendonsand knee replacements and
various organs, I thought thisis my chance.
(03:39):
I have to, and I loved everyminute of it.
Yes, learning anatomy can feelintimidating.
I'm coaching a teacher right nowwho wants to learn more about
anatomy to teach her yin classesand she's feeling the overwhelm.
(03:59):
So if you feel it too, know thatyou are not alone.
break this down.
Remember I told you I have abackground in education?
Well, I used to be akindergarten and first grade
teacher and I love to break downbig ideas and concepts so that
even a kindergartner canunderstand it.
(04:21):
Now, I'm not calling you akindergartner, but I am saying
you will begin to understandanatomy and how to teach it in
your classes if you hang withme.
I wholeheartedly believe everyyoga teacher must have a working
knowledge of anatomy.
It is the responsible thing todo because you are teaching
(04:43):
movement and working withbodies.
Your students trust you, soyou've got to be well educated.
It doesn't matter if you teachvinyasa or yin meditation or
pranayama understanding why astudent might be uncomfortable
in a seated cross leg positionis important.
Why does that hurt?
(05:05):
What life experiences may haveled them to this hip pain?
Is there anything you can doabout it?
Get your journal for this one,because you'll want to write
down these steps that I'm aboutto go through.
Okay, you ready?
Number one.
Start with the basics, the majorbody systems, because
(05:28):
understanding the big picturewill help you see how everything
connects.
Let's focus on the skeletalsystem, the bones and joints,
and the muscular system, musclesand tendons.
First, as these are the mostrelevant to a physical yoga
practice, then learn the namesand locations of major bones.
(05:54):
For example, the femur, thescapula, the pelvis, and major
muscles, the hamstrings, thequadriceps, the deltoids.
Finally, use anatomy books,apps, or online resources.
My most favorite anatomy book isTrail Guide to the Body by
(06:17):
Andrew Bile.
It's big, it's thick, it'sdense, it's got a lot of
information, but it is my go tobook and I go to that book
First, when I want to review orlearn something new about
anatomy, but I also like trailguide to movement also by the
(06:41):
same author and your body, youryoga by Bernie.
Oh, one more book I like is yogaanatomy by Leslie Kamenoff.
That's a good one.
One question I get a lot fromyoga teachers is how do I
incorporate anatomy into myclasses?
(07:04):
Use simple cues like place yourfingers on the bony protrusions
on the front of your pelvis.
This is called the ASIS.
I may or may not further explainthe acronym and teach that it
stands for the anterior superioriliac spine, but it kind of
depends.
(07:24):
If I have a lot of teachers inclass, Or if I have a lot of
regular students in class whoare used to learning anatomy
with me, then I'll go into moredetail.
But if you're just starting toteach anatomy, you could have
students just feel that part oftheir body and get familiar with
it.
And in your next class, defineit for them.
(07:48):
Think about it like this.
You're introducing oneanatomical term per class, and
offering a brief explanation ofit.
Here's another example.
Your hamstrings are the muscleson the back of your thighs.
Feel the stretch in them?
in this forward fold.
then think about what othermuscles or bones that you could
(08:12):
call attention to in class andhave a little conversation about
them with your students.
next, think about diving deeperinto joints and movement because
joints are where movementhappens and understanding their
range of motion is key tounderstanding alignment.
There are different types ofjoints in the body.
(08:34):
Study them.
For example, ball and socket,hinge and pivot joints.
Study their movements, flexion,extension.
rotation.
Joints have different movementsand understanding them will help
you with sequencing,transitions, and student's
movement limitations.
(08:55):
You don't have to know all thejoints in the body, just focus
on learning about key joints inyoga.
Shoulders, hips, knees.
spine, maybe the wrist, andfinally learn about joint
stability and how musclessupport joints during movement.
(09:16):
Can you teach joint movement inclass?
Absolutely you can.
Cue joint awareness.
For example, keep your kneealigned over your ankle in
warrior two, or one of myfavorites is to push your knee
past your ankle in warrior twoand notice how your thigh feels.
(09:37):
This second example is a bitmore advanced as you're
combining joint movement andawareness with muscle engagement
and asking students to tune intothemselves and feel.
It also pushes the boundaries onalignment rules in yoga too,
which I personally love to do.
(10:00):
You can also practice explainingmovements and tie the movement
and feeling together.
For example, in this twist.
You're rotating your spine.
Notice what that feels like.
The third thing you'll want todo as you're tackling the beast
of anatomy is to learn aboutmuscle actions in yoga poses
(10:20):
because an understanding ofwhich muscles are active, lax,
or stretched in each pose willhelp you guide your students
from a more informed place.
Study agonist primary mover andantagonist opposing muscle
pairs.
For example, in a forward fold,the hamstrings agonists stretch
(10:44):
while the quadriceps antagonist,relax.
Explore how muscles work incommon poses like downward
facing dog, warrior two, andeven a standing balance like
tree pose.
A great resource forunderstanding this is the book
The Key Muscles of Yoga by RayLong.
(11:07):
The illustrations areexceptional and will definitely
help visual learners understandwhat's happening underneath the
mask.
the skin.
A couple ways to incorporatefeeling and noticing muscle
action into classes is to callit out.
First, cue muscle engagement.
(11:28):
Squeeze your glutes, Or in astanding pose, lift your
kneecaps and notice how yourquads feel.
Or make fists with your handsand notice how your forearms
feel.
Second, highlight stretching.
you could say, feel your hipflexors stretching in this
(11:48):
lunge.
Or notice how your hamstringsfeel in this forward fold.
Or ask, do you feel the stretchacross your chest?
In this supported backbend, wetalk about physical yoga a lot
when it comes to learninganatomy, but it's equally
important to understand thenervous system and breath
(12:10):
because the nervous system andbreath are central to yoga's
mind body.
Connection.
Take steps to learn about theautonomic nervous system,
sympathetic versusparasympathetic, and how the
yoga practice influences it.
Drill down and study thediaphragm and how breath impacts
(12:31):
its movement and relaxation.
Understand how a forward roundedposture affects breath mechanics
and teach this to your students.
To incorporate this into yourclasses, you can teach breath
awareness and subtle movement intwists, like Use your inhale to
lengthen your spine and yourexhale to deepen your twist.
(12:56):
Begin to explain the nervoussystem to your students.
You can say this restorativepose will help to activate your
parasympathetic nervous system,which in turn can help you
relax.
Once you get a good solidfoundation of anatomy, movement,
and the nervous system, startstudying common injuries and
(13:19):
modifications.
Understanding injuries helps youkeep students safer and offer
appropriate modifications aswell.
Learn about common yoga relatedinjuries.
For example, the rotator cuff,or lower back, or knees.
And learn about their causes.
In my last episode, In thispodcast, number 64, it's all
(13:43):
about understanding rotator cuffinjuries.
You should listen to it.
I'll link it in the show notesbelow.
Also study movements for theseposes that might aggravate these
injuries and what modificationsyou might be able to offer.
Another common question I getabout teaching a group class
(14:03):
when one student has an injuryis, do I modify the entire class
for this one student?
My answer is It depends.
It really depends on the injury,your sequence, the students in
the class, but don't freak outhere.
(14:24):
One of the things I like to dois to teach the modification to
the entire class.
This way, the injured studentisn't singled out and there's
valuable teaching you can offerin modified.
Pose variations, then teach yourstudents why you're doing the
modification.
You can say this variation helpsyour lower back by reducing the
(14:47):
feeling of compression.
If you feel confident inchanging bits of your sequence,
do it.
Or, if you don't want to changeyour sequence, you can say to
your injured student.
We're going to do a lot ofbackbends in this class.
they may not feel good for you.
You can try them and if theydon't, skip them.
(15:11):
Okay, so why would you want tobe learning anatomy and then
going to teach it at the sametime?
It's because when you apply whatyou learn in real time.
It helps you solidify yourknowledge.
It's really difficult to teachsomething you don't understand
yourself.
So getting the words out of yourmouth and teaching someone helps
(15:34):
you understand it betteryourself.
You just got to do it.
You can practice alone at homeor with someone you trust, maybe
even someone who doesn'tunderstand anatomy.
They'll be able to tell you ifthey understand what you're
saying and how you're explainingit.
Remember to start small byadding one or two anatomy based
(15:58):
cues.
per class and observe howstudents respond and adjust your
cues as needed.
How are you going to incorporatethis into your classes?
You're going to use clear,accessible language and you'll
encourage body awareness.
(16:18):
you can say, Notice how yourbody feels in this pose.
Where do you feel the stretch?
You can help them try to noticewhere they feel the stretch in
their bodies too.
Give them a few options like, doyou feel it in your hip, your
waist, or maybe across yourchest?
(16:39):
Students will feel stretches indifferent areas of their bodies,
so let them know that it's okay.
If they feel it somewhere.
that's different than whereother students feel it.
now here's your assignment.
You didn't think I was going tolet you go without giving you a
little homework.
Did you?
Okay, it's simple, but you'vegot to commit to it.
(17:01):
Okay, promise me.
Continue learning and growing.
That's it.
Because anatomy is a lifelongstudy and there will always be
more to learn.
Take workshops or courses onanatomy, read books and watch
videos.
If you want to get really nerdylike me, I have an app on my
(17:25):
phone.
It's called the EssentialAnatomy App and I refer to it.
all the time.
It does cost, I think I paid aone time payment of 25, but it
is so worth it.
Okay.
Don't let all of thisinformation overwhelm you.
You don't have to know all thethings.
Just remember to start small,learn about, and then introduce
(17:51):
one anatomical concept perclass.
You could say today, we'refocusing on your hamstrings, the
muscles at the back of yourthighs.
Next, use visuals.
You could use your own body todemonstrate muscle actions or
joint movements.
This is especially helpful forvisual learners.
(18:12):
Encourage exploration.
Ask your students to noticewhere they feel sensation in
their bodies.
For example, ask them, Do youfeel this stretch in your
hamstrings or your lower back?
Teach modifications.
Use your anatomy knowledge toprovide options for different
(18:32):
bodies and abilities and whythey're helpful.
finally, and dare I say mostimportantly, teach mindful
movement.
Teach students to connect withtheir bodies by noticing their
alignment, their engagement, andtheir breath.
(18:53):
Learning anatomy doesn't have tobe overwhelming.
By breaking it down intomanageable steps and integrating
it into your teaching gradually,you'll build confidence and
deepen your understanding overtime.
Remember, the goal isn't tobecome an anatomy expert.
expert overnight.
(19:14):
It's to create a safer, moreinformed practice for yourself
and your students.
If you want a deeperunderstanding of anatomy, it
might feel overwhelming at thestart, but there are ways to
make understanding it a littleless complex.
I love teaching teachers aboutanatomy because I believe with
(19:37):
my whole heart that yogateachers are movement educators,
and we must understand the humanbody and its movements in order
to be effective in our teaching.
It's so important for us to havethis conversation so that you
remember that there are so manyopportunities for you in the
teaching world.
(19:58):
Don't forget to download theebook sequencing for different
injuries.
The link is in the show notes.
I promise you it will help.
Form a foundation for teachingstudents with injuries and aging
bodies.
The information will also helpyou understand how to
accommodate students ofdifferent abilities, and it'll
(20:19):
be a great resource for you toreturn to again.
And again, when you download theebook, you'll be joining my
newsletter.
That's just for yoga teachers,but I've got more exciting
teachings coming soon.
So I want to tell you all aboutthem.
The link is in the show notesbelow, and I would love for you
to join it so we can always stayconnected.
(20:41):
I've also added a link toepisode number 64 that's
specific to rotator cuffinjuries.
You know that my goal is for youto love the yoga teaching life
and allow it to be fulfillingand rewarding.
And as always, Sometimes ittakes some work to get there.
If you loved this episode, letme know.
(21:03):
I've added a link in the shownotes for you to send me a quick
text message about your thoughtson this episode.
I won't know your phone number.
It's just a neat addition to theplatform I use that allows for
this new and really easy way foryou to communicate with me.
Once you click on it, it willtake you to your messages.
(21:23):
Don't delete the code.
That's how your message will getto me.
And I would love to know yourthoughts.
Subscribe to the podcast.
So you're always in the knowwhen a new episode drops and
share it with another yogateacher.
who you think would love to bein on these conversations.
Thank you for helping to spreadthe word about this podcast.
And if you've been taking notesin your journal, as you listen
(21:47):
to these episodes, I'm so gladyou are and I would love to hear
about it.
All right, that's it for now.
Bye.
Mhm.
I wholeheartedly believe every yoga teacher must have a
working knowledge of anatomy.
It is the responsible thing todo because you are teaching
movement and working withbodies.
Your students trust you so youshould be well educated.
It doesn't matter if you teachvinyasa or yin meditation or
(00:23):
pranayama.
Understanding why a studentmight be uncomfortable in a
seated cross leg position isimportant.
Why does that hurt?
What life experiences may haveled to this pain?
Is there anything you can doabout it?
Get your journal for this onebecause you'll want to write
down these steps.
(00:43):
I'm going to walk you through tofinally get a handle on anatomy.
So here we go.
Welcome to the EssentialConversations for Yoga Teachers
podcast with me.
I'm Monica Bright, and I've beenteaching yoga and running my
yoga business for over a decade.
This is the podcast for you.
(01:05):
If you're a yoga teacher, you'relooking for support.
You love to be in conversationand you're a lifelong student.
In this podcast, I'll share withyou.
My life as a yoga teacher, thelessons I've learned, my process
for building my business andhelpful ideas, tools,
(01:26):
strategies, and systems I use,and you can use so that your
business thrives.
We'll cover a diverse range oftopics that will help you
whether you're just starting outor you've got years under your
belt and you want to dive deepand set yourself up for success.
I'm so glad you're here.
(01:47):
Listen, I don't take myself tooseriously, so expect to hear
some laughs along the way.
Now, let's do this.
Together.
Welcome back to the podcast.
I'm Monica, and I'm so gladyou're here.
Guess what?
Your girl had a birthdayyesterday.
(02:09):
Birthdays these days look sodifferent.
I used to want to go out with mygirlfriends, have a little
drink, dinner, and party.
But you know how I celebratedthis year?
Facials and lunch.
it was perfect.
I was able to be in bed by adecent hour and my skin is
(02:31):
glowing.
How do you celebrate yourbirthday?
Whatever you do, make sure tomake it special and treat
yourself to something you'llremember for a long time to
come.
All right, enough about me.
Let's get on to anatomy.
When I took my first 200 houryoga teacher training, I admit I
(02:53):
didn't know much about anatomy.
My career had been in education,teaching children, teachers, and
administration in schools acrossthe country.
So I knew how to teach, but withanatomy, I needed to learn more
of the content.
I grew more and more fascinatedwith anatomy during my yoga
(03:15):
teacher training when we had theopportunity to visit a cadaver
lab and my mind was blown.
Initially I thought I'd just sitback and observe, but when we
were invited to touch tendonsand knee replacements and
various organs, I thought thisis my chance.
(03:39):
I have to, and I loved everyminute of it.
Yes, learning anatomy can feelintimidating.
I'm coaching a teacher right nowwho wants to learn more about
anatomy to teach her yin classesand she's feeling the overwhelm.
(03:59):
So if you feel it too, know thatyou are not alone.
break this down.
Remember I told you I have abackground in education?
Well, I used to be akindergarten and first grade
teacher and I love to break downbig ideas and concepts so that
even a kindergartner canunderstand it.
(04:21):
Now, I'm not calling you akindergartner, but I am saying
you will begin to understandanatomy and how to teach it in
your classes if you hang withme.
I wholeheartedly believe everyyoga teacher must have a working
knowledge of anatomy.
It is the responsible thing todo because you are teaching
(04:43):
movement and working withbodies.
Your students trust you, soyou've got to be well educated.
It doesn't matter if you teachvinyasa or yin meditation or
pranayama understanding why astudent might be uncomfortable
in a seated cross leg positionis important.
Why does that hurt?
(05:05):
What life experiences may haveled them to this hip pain?
Is there anything you can doabout it?
Get your journal for this one,because you'll want to write
down these steps that I'm aboutto go through.
Okay, you ready?
Number one.
Start with the basics, the majorbody systems, because
(05:28):
understanding the big picturewill help you see how everything
connects.
Let's focus on the skeletalsystem, the bones and joints,
and the muscular system, musclesand tendons.
First, as these are the mostrelevant to a physical yoga
practice, then learn the namesand locations of major bones.
(05:54):
For example, the femur, thescapula, the pelvis, and major
muscles, the hamstrings, thequadriceps, the deltoids.
Finally, use anatomy books,apps, or online resources.
My most favorite anatomy book isTrail Guide to the Body by
(06:17):
Andrew Bile.
It's big, it's thick, it'sdense, it's got a lot of
information, but it is my go tobook and I go to that book
First, when I want to review orlearn something new about
anatomy, but I also like trailguide to movement also by the
(06:41):
same author and your body, youryoga by Bernie.
Oh, one more book I like is yogaanatomy by Leslie Kamenoff.
That's a good one.
One question I get a lot fromyoga teachers is how do I
incorporate anatomy into myclasses?
(07:04):
Use simple cues like place yourfingers on the bony protrusions
on the front of your pelvis.
This is called the ASIS.
I may or may not further explainthe acronym and teach that it
stands for the anterior superioriliac spine, but it kind of
depends.
(07:24):
If I have a lot of teachers inclass, Or if I have a lot of
regular students in class whoare used to learning anatomy
with me, then I'll go into moredetail.
But if you're just starting toteach anatomy, you could have
students just feel that part oftheir body and get familiar with
it.
And in your next class, defineit for them.
(07:48):
Think about it like this.
You're introducing oneanatomical term per class, and
offering a brief explanation ofit.
Here's another example.
Your hamstrings are the muscleson the back of your thighs.
Feel the stretch in them?
in this forward fold.
then think about what othermuscles or bones that you could
(08:12):
call attention to in class andhave a little conversation about
them with your students.
next, think about diving deeperinto joints and movement because
joints are where movementhappens and understanding their
range of motion is key tounderstanding alignment.
There are different types ofjoints in the body.
(08:34):
Study them.
For example, ball and socket,hinge and pivot joints.
Study their movements, flexion,extension.
rotation.
Joints have different movementsand understanding them will help
you with sequencing,transitions, and student's
movement limitations.
(08:55):
You don't have to know all thejoints in the body, just focus
on learning about key joints inyoga.
Shoulders, hips, knees.
spine, maybe the wrist, andfinally learn about joint
stability and how musclessupport joints during movement.
(09:16):
Can you teach joint movement inclass?
Absolutely you can.
Cue joint awareness.
For example, keep your kneealigned over your ankle in
warrior two, or one of myfavorites is to push your knee
past your ankle in warrior twoand notice how your thigh feels.
(09:37):
This second example is a bitmore advanced as you're
combining joint movement andawareness with muscle engagement
and asking students to tune intothemselves and feel.
It also pushes the boundaries onalignment rules in yoga too,
which I personally love to do.
(10:00):
You can also practice explainingmovements and tie the movement
and feeling together.
For example, in this twist.
You're rotating your spine.
Notice what that feels like.
The third thing you'll want todo as you're tackling the beast
of anatomy is to learn aboutmuscle actions in yoga poses
(10:20):
because an understanding ofwhich muscles are active, lax,
or stretched in each pose willhelp you guide your students
from a more informed place.
Study agonist primary mover andantagonist opposing muscle
pairs.
For example, in a forward fold,the hamstrings agonists stretch
(10:44):
while the quadriceps antagonist,relax.
Explore how muscles work incommon poses like downward
facing dog, warrior two, andeven a standing balance like
tree pose.
A great resource forunderstanding this is the book
The Key Muscles of Yoga by RayLong.
(11:07):
The illustrations areexceptional and will definitely
help visual learners understandwhat's happening underneath the
mask.
the skin.
A couple ways to incorporatefeeling and noticing muscle
action into classes is to callit out.
First, cue muscle engagement.
(11:28):
Squeeze your glutes, Or in astanding pose, lift your
kneecaps and notice how yourquads feel.
Or make fists with your handsand notice how your forearms
feel.
Second, highlight stretching.
you could say, feel your hipflexors stretching in this
(11:48):
lunge.
Or notice how your hamstringsfeel in this forward fold.
Or ask, do you feel the stretchacross your chest?
In this supported backbend, wetalk about physical yoga a lot
when it comes to learninganatomy, but it's equally
important to understand thenervous system and breath
(12:10):
because the nervous system andbreath are central to yoga's
mind body.
Connection.
Take steps to learn about theautonomic nervous system,
sympathetic versusparasympathetic, and how the
yoga practice influences it.
Drill down and study thediaphragm and how breath impacts
(12:31):
its movement and relaxation.
Understand how a forward roundedposture affects breath mechanics
and teach this to your students.
To incorporate this into yourclasses, you can teach breath
awareness and subtle movement intwists, like Use your inhale to
lengthen your spine and yourexhale to deepen your twist.
(12:56):
Begin to explain the nervoussystem to your students.
You can say this restorativepose will help to activate your
parasympathetic nervous system,which in turn can help you
relax.
Once you get a good solidfoundation of anatomy, movement,
and the nervous system, startstudying common injuries and
(13:19):
modifications.
Understanding injuries helps youkeep students safer and offer
appropriate modifications aswell.
Learn about common yoga relatedinjuries.
For example, the rotator cuff,or lower back, or knees.
And learn about their causes.
In my last episode, In thispodcast, number 64, it's all
(13:43):
about understanding rotator cuffinjuries.
You should listen to it.
I'll link it in the show notesbelow.
Also study movements for theseposes that might aggravate these
injuries and what modificationsyou might be able to offer.
Another common question I getabout teaching a group class
(14:03):
when one student has an injuryis, do I modify the entire class
for this one student?
My answer is It depends.
It really depends on the injury,your sequence, the students in
the class, but don't freak outhere.
(14:24):
One of the things I like to dois to teach the modification to
the entire class.
This way, the injured studentisn't singled out and there's
valuable teaching you can offerin modified.
Pose variations, then teach yourstudents why you're doing the
modification.
You can say this variation helpsyour lower back by reducing the
(14:47):
feeling of compression.
If you feel confident inchanging bits of your sequence,
do it.
Or, if you don't want to changeyour sequence, you can say to
your injured student.
We're going to do a lot ofbackbends in this class.
they may not feel good for you.
You can try them and if theydon't, skip them.
(15:11):
Okay, so why would you want tobe learning anatomy and then
going to teach it at the sametime?
It's because when you apply whatyou learn in real time.
It helps you solidify yourknowledge.
It's really difficult to teachsomething you don't understand
yourself.
So getting the words out of yourmouth and teaching someone helps
(15:34):
you understand it betteryourself.
You just got to do it.
You can practice alone at homeor with someone you trust, maybe
even someone who doesn'tunderstand anatomy.
They'll be able to tell you ifthey understand what you're
saying and how you're explainingit.
Remember to start small byadding one or two anatomy based
(15:58):
cues.
per class and observe howstudents respond and adjust your
cues as needed.
How are you going to incorporatethis into your classes?
You're going to use clear,accessible language and you'll
encourage body awareness.
(16:18):
you can say, Notice how yourbody feels in this pose.
Where do you feel the stretch?
You can help them try to noticewhere they feel the stretch in
their bodies too.
Give them a few options like, doyou feel it in your hip, your
waist, or maybe across yourchest?
(16:39):
Students will feel stretches indifferent areas of their bodies,
so let them know that it's okay.
If they feel it somewhere.
that's different than whereother students feel it.
now here's your assignment.
You didn't think I was going tolet you go without giving you a
little homework.
Did you?
Okay, it's simple, but you'vegot to commit to it.
(17:01):
Okay, promise me.
Continue learning and growing.
That's it.
Because anatomy is a lifelongstudy and there will always be
more to learn.
Take workshops or courses onanatomy, read books and watch
videos.
If you want to get really nerdylike me, I have an app on my
(17:25):
phone.
It's called the EssentialAnatomy App and I refer to it.
all the time.
It does cost, I think I paid aone time payment of 25, but it
is so worth it.
Okay.
Don't let all of thisinformation overwhelm you.
You don't have to know all thethings.
Just remember to start small,learn about, and then introduce
(17:51):
one anatomical concept perclass.
You could say today, we'refocusing on your hamstrings, the
muscles at the back of yourthighs.
Next, use visuals.
You could use your own body todemonstrate muscle actions or
joint movements.
This is especially helpful forvisual learners.
(18:12):
Encourage exploration.
Ask your students to noticewhere they feel sensation in
their bodies.
For example, ask them, Do youfeel this stretch in your
hamstrings or your lower back?
Teach modifications.
Use your anatomy knowledge toprovide options for different
(18:32):
bodies and abilities and whythey're helpful.
finally, and dare I say mostimportantly, teach mindful
movement.
Teach students to connect withtheir bodies by noticing their
alignment, their engagement, andtheir breath.
(18:53):
Learning anatomy doesn't have tobe overwhelming.
By breaking it down intomanageable steps and integrating
it into your teaching gradually,you'll build confidence and
deepen your understanding overtime.
Remember, the goal isn't tobecome an anatomy expert.
expert overnight.
(19:14):
It's to create a safer, moreinformed practice for yourself
and your students.
If you want a deeperunderstanding of anatomy, it
might feel overwhelming at thestart, but there are ways to
make understanding it a littleless complex.
I love teaching teachers aboutanatomy because I believe with
(19:37):
my whole heart that yogateachers are movement educators,
and we must understand the humanbody and its movements in order
to be effective in our teaching.
It's so important for us to havethis conversation so that you
remember that there are so manyopportunities for you in the
teaching world.
(19:58):
Don't forget to download theebook sequencing for different
injuries.
The link is in the show notes.
I promise you it will help.
Form a foundation for teachingstudents with injuries and aging
bodies.
The information will also helpyou understand how to
accommodate students ofdifferent abilities, and it'll
(20:19):
be a great resource for you toreturn to again.
And again, when you download theebook, you'll be joining my
newsletter.
That's just for yoga teachers,but I've got more exciting
teachings coming soon.
So I want to tell you all aboutthem.
The link is in the show notesbelow, and I would love for you
to join it so we can always stayconnected.
(20:41):
I've also added a link toepisode number 64 that's
specific to rotator cuffinjuries.
You know that my goal is for youto love the yoga teaching life
and allow it to be fulfillingand rewarding.
And as always, Sometimes ittakes some work to get there.
If you loved this episode, letme know.
(21:03):
I've added a link in the shownotes for you to send me a quick
text message about your thoughtson this episode.
I won't know your phone number.
It's just a neat addition to theplatform I use that allows for
this new and really easy way foryou to communicate with me.
Once you click on it, it willtake you to your messages.
(21:23):
Don't delete the code.
That's how your message will getto me.
And I would love to know yourthoughts.
Subscribe to the podcast.
So you're always in the knowwhen a new episode drops and
share it with another yogateacher.
who you think would love to bein on these conversations.
Thank you for helping to spreadthe word about this podcast.
And if you've been taking notesin your journal, as you listen
(21:47):
to these episodes, I'm so gladyou are and I would love to hear
about it.
All right, that's it for now.
Bye.
Mhm.
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