October 6, 2025 • 14 mins
Do you feel overwhelmed by the thought of learning anatomy as a yoga teacher? You’re not alone. I'm sure you know the importance of understanding anatomy, but at the same time, it feels complicated, time-consuming, and intimidating.
In this episode, I'll dissect the reasons why learning anatomy often feels overwhelming and how it doesn’t have to be this way. I’ll walk you through the most common 'thought barriers' yoga teachers have around anatomy, from lack of time to fear of complexity, and I’ll offer you simple, practical ways to approach learning it without all the stress.
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
Let's connect:
- Check out my website: Enhanced Body
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Wanna work together? Book a Discovery Call
- Practice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)
- Join my Newsletter for teachers below!
Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!
Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Monica (00:00):
Instead of talking about why anatomy matters, which we've
(00:04):
already explored before in aprevious episode, I want to
unpack and dissect the very realoverwhelm that you might feel
when it comes to learning it.
Because if we're honest, theroadblocks usually aren't about
what the value of anatomy bringsto your teaching.
I'm sure you already know.
(00:24):
It's important to understand.
The roadblocks usually come fromhow hard it feels to learn.
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.
(00:44):
This is the podcast for you.
If you are a yoga teacher,you're looking for support.
You love to be in conversation,and 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, strategies
(01:09):
and systems I use and you canuse 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 wanna dive deep andset yourself up for success.
I am so glad you're here.
(01:29):
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.
Here we talk about the anatomy,the injuries, the nervous system
(01:51):
insights, plus all the real lifeknowledge you wish had been
included in your yoga teachertraining.
I wanna take on a topic that Iknow can bring up a lot of.
Feelings for you as a yogateacher.
It's the subject of anatomy, butinstead of talking about why
anatomy matters, which we'vealready explored before, that's
(02:13):
in episode number 35, and I'lllink it below just in case you
haven't listened to it yet.
But in this episode, I intend tounpack and dissect the overwhelm
that you might feel when itcomes to learning anatomy,
because if we're honest, theroadblocks aren't usually about
what the value of anatomy bringsto your teaching.
(02:34):
I'm sure you already know.
It's important to understand theroadblocks come from how hard
it.
Feels to learn how intimidatingit seems and how much time and
energy it looks like it's gonnatake.
So if you've ever thought Ishould know more anatomy, but I
just don't have the time, orit's too complicated for me, I'm
(02:57):
not a science person.
Or even it feels out of my scopeof practice as a yoga teacher.
Anyway, then this episode is foryou.
My goal here is to break downthose objections and help you
see that learning anatomydoesn't have to feel heavy or
overwhelming.
In fact, when you approach itdifferently, it can actually
(03:20):
feel empowering and inspiringand even fun.
So let's start with the mostcommon thought.
I don't have the time.
I hear this all the time fromyoga teachers, between teaching
classes, building a business,practicing your own yoga.
Maybe you have a full-time job.
Maybe it's caring for kids orother family members.
(03:44):
I get it.
Life is full and anatomy soundslike a whole new subject that
requires a ton of hours ofstudy.
But think of it like this.
Learning anatomy doesn't have tohappen in big chunks.
It's not an all or nothingproject.
You don't need to carve out fivehours a week to make progress.
(04:06):
In fact, you'll retain much moreif you take it piece by piece.
Imagine choosing one pose a weekfrom the classes you already
teach.
Maybe you pick Warrior two,spend just 15 minutes learning
which joints are moving in, whatdirection of movement, which
muscles are lengthening andwhich ones are stabilizing.
(04:28):
Then bring that insight intoyour teaching.
That right there is anatomystudy that fits into your real
life, not extra study on top ofit over time, 15 minutes here
and 15 minutes there starts toadd up in a big way.
The second big thought is thatit's too complicated, and I
(04:49):
totally understand thisthinking.
So many of us were taughtanatomy in a way that was
abstract.
And disconnected.
Maybe you remember looking atlong lists of muscles and their
Latin names, and it feels likeyou were memorizing random
vocabulary for an exam, Whichyou probably were, but here's
(05:10):
what I want you to know.
Anatomy for yoga teachers is notthe same as anatomy for medical
school.
You don't need to memorize everydetail about every muscle.
I remember when I was goingthrough yoga teacher training, I
did not have a background inanatomy, But my friend was in
(05:31):
nursing school, so she gave me acopy of her anatomy book, and
number one, it was super thick,super heavy.
I opened the pages, the font wassmall, and immediately I was
overwhelmed.
I didn't crack that book openagain because it was just too
(05:51):
much information.
Here's the thing, you need tounderstand movement.
You need to see how the bodyworks in real time.
On the mat, that means insteadof sitting with a textbook, you
could actually learn anatomy byobserving your students, by
moving in your own practice andby making connections between
(06:15):
what you see and what you feelanatomy is meant to be lived,
not just studied.
And when you live it, it makesit so much easier to learn.
Now let's talk about anotherthought that teachers have, and
this one really gets to me.
It's the idea that learninganatomy is out of my scope of
(06:35):
practice, and that could not befurther from the truth.
This one comes up a lot,especially for teachers who
wanna be careful and respectful.
We know that as yoga teachers,we are not diagnosing injuries
or prescribing medicaltreatment.
But understanding anatomydoesn't mean you're stepping
(06:55):
into that role.
It means you're becoming moreskilled at teaching movement.
When you understand how jointsand muscles function, you could
give clearer cues, sequence withmore purpose and recognize when
a student might need a variationthat supports their unique
(07:16):
structure that's not outside ofyour scope, that's doing your
job with more clarity andconfidence.
The fourth thing I often hear isI'm not a science person.
Have you ever said that toyourself?
I used to.
This really is a limiting beliefrooted in how we were introduced
to science in school.
(07:36):
If your memories of scienceclass involve complicated
formulas, long lectures, andfeeling like you were never good
enough.
Of course you're going to shyaway from it now, but yoga
anatomy is not high schoolbiology.
It's about understanding thebody.
You're already teaching and youalready know more than you
(07:57):
think.
If you've ever said Lift yourchest or bend your knee or
lengthen through your spine,you're already speaking in
anatomy terms.
You just might not realize it.
The next step is simply todeepen that knowledge so you can
see the connections moreclearly.
Here's another sneaky thoughtthat gets in the way of learning
(08:18):
anatomy, and it's the beliefthat I'll figure it out as I go.
And while it's true, thatexperience teaches us a lot,
this mindset can sometimes keepyou stuck without a foundation
in anatomy.
It's easy to fall back onteaching the way you were
taught.
Recycling cues.
(08:39):
You don't fully understand orsequencing based on what feels
creative rather than whatprepares the body.
The danger here is that you maynot notice when a sequence
unintentionally one area, orwhen a cue doesn't make sense
for a student's unique body.
(08:59):
Learning anatomy gives you theability to teach with intention
rather than guesswork.
Now, let's shift to somesolutions, because I can't just
talk about problems and not giveyou some solutions to follow.
The question is how do we make.
All this feel less overwhelming.
The first thing is to startsmall and specific.
(09:22):
Choose one part of the body orone movement pattern at a time.
Don't try to learn the wholeshoulder in one sitting.
Instead, ask yourself, what doesthe shoulder actually do in
downward facing dog?
How does it move in Chaturanga?
What stabilizes it side plankAsk yourself those questions
(09:44):
separately.
Not all at once, but when youlearn anatomy this way,
connected directly to the posesyou teach, it becomes easier to
understand and remember.
The second solution is topractice embodied learning.
Don't just read about a musclefeel it.
Notice what it feels like tocontract your quadriceps versus
(10:07):
relaxing them.
Notice how your pelvis tilts incat cow.
Can you isolate the pelvicmovement instead of moving the
entire spine?
By experiencing anatomy in yourown body, you'll not only
remember it better, but you'llalso be able to explain it to
your students in a way thatresonates.
(10:29):
The third solution is to learnin community or with guidance.
Trying to teach yourself anatomyfrom books or scattered online
resources is one of the fastestways to get to overwhelm.
But when you learn from ateacher or a mentor who connects
anatomy to yoga practice in aclear, practical way.
(10:51):
The pieces click into place muchfaster.
You don't have to figure it outalone, and having someone to
answer your questions can saveyou so much frustration.
And finally, give yourselfpermission to learn in layers.
You don't have to get it all atonce.
Anatomy is a subject you'llreturn to again and again.
(11:15):
Each time seeing something neweach time, connecting it more.
Deeply to your teaching.
Think of it as a spiral ratherthan a straight line.
Each time you come back, you'renot starting over.
You're actually going deeper.
So if you've been putting offanatomy because it feels too big
or too complicated, or even toofar outside of your comfort
(11:39):
zone, I want you to know this.
It doesn't have to be that way.
You are capable of learningthis.
And not only that, you mightfind that once it's broken down
into manageable, relevantpieces, you actually enjoy it.
Because anatomy isn't justscience.
It's the language of the movingbody.
(12:00):
And when you speak that languagewith confidence, your teaching
expands, your students feel moresupported, and you step into a
whole new level of confidence.
Remember, you don't have tomaster everything.
You just have to start, and eachsmall step you take will build
not only your knowledge, butalso your ability to show up
(12:24):
with clarity and care for yourstudents on a different level.
So my question to you is, whatare you going to start with
today, this week?
What new muscle will you learnabout?
What new direction of movementwill you practice?
What new understanding ofanatomy can you teach yourself
and think about teaching yourstudents?
(12:46):
Understanding anatomy,biomechanics, and the effects
yoga Asana have on the bodyhelps you help your students.
If you've been enjoying theseepisodes, I know that you are a
yoga teacher who's ready toteach with more intention and
less fear around injuries.
Let's continue to raise the barfor how yoga supports real
(13:09):
bodies in real life.
It's so important for us to havethese conversations so that you
remember that students of allshapes, sizes, alignment, and
abilities come to your classesand you can serve all of them.
You know that my goal is for youto love the yoga teaching life.
It's important to understandmovement and the issues students
(13:32):
come to your classes with.
Subscribe to the podcast soyou're always in the know when a
new episode drops.
And share it with another yogateacher who you think would love
to be in on these conversations.
And finally, thank you forhelping to spread the word about
this podcast.
Alright, thank you forlistening.
That's all for now.
(13:53):
Bye.
Instead of talking about why anatomy matters, which we've
(00:04):
already explored before in aprevious episode, I want to
unpack and dissect the very realoverwhelm that you might feel
when it comes to learning it.
Because if we're honest, theroadblocks usually aren't about
what the value of anatomy bringsto your teaching.
I'm sure you already know.
(00:24):
It's important to understand.
The roadblocks usually come fromhow hard it feels to learn.
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.
(00:44):
This is the podcast for you.
If you are a yoga teacher,you're looking for support.
You love to be in conversation,and 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, strategies
(01:09):
and systems I use and you canuse 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 wanna dive deep andset yourself up for success.
I am so glad you're here.
(01:29):
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.
Here we talk about the anatomy,the injuries, the nervous system
(01:51):
insights, plus all the real lifeknowledge you wish had been
included in your yoga teachertraining.
I wanna take on a topic that Iknow can bring up a lot of.
Feelings for you as a yogateacher.
It's the subject of anatomy, butinstead of talking about why
anatomy matters, which we'vealready explored before, that's
(02:13):
in episode number 35, and I'lllink it below just in case you
haven't listened to it yet.
But in this episode, I intend tounpack and dissect the overwhelm
that you might feel when itcomes to learning anatomy,
because if we're honest, theroadblocks aren't usually about
what the value of anatomy bringsto your teaching.
(02:34):
I'm sure you already know.
It's important to understand theroadblocks come from how hard
it.
Feels to learn how intimidatingit seems and how much time and
energy it looks like it's gonnatake.
So if you've ever thought Ishould know more anatomy, but I
just don't have the time, orit's too complicated for me, I'm
(02:57):
not a science person.
Or even it feels out of my scopeof practice as a yoga teacher.
Anyway, then this episode is foryou.
My goal here is to break downthose objections and help you
see that learning anatomydoesn't have to feel heavy or
overwhelming.
In fact, when you approach itdifferently, it can actually
(03:20):
feel empowering and inspiringand even fun.
So let's start with the mostcommon thought.
I don't have the time.
I hear this all the time fromyoga teachers, between teaching
classes, building a business,practicing your own yoga.
Maybe you have a full-time job.
Maybe it's caring for kids orother family members.
(03:44):
I get it.
Life is full and anatomy soundslike a whole new subject that
requires a ton of hours ofstudy.
But think of it like this.
Learning anatomy doesn't have tohappen in big chunks.
It's not an all or nothingproject.
You don't need to carve out fivehours a week to make progress.
(04:06):
In fact, you'll retain much moreif you take it piece by piece.
Imagine choosing one pose a weekfrom the classes you already
teach.
Maybe you pick Warrior two,spend just 15 minutes learning
which joints are moving in, whatdirection of movement, which
muscles are lengthening andwhich ones are stabilizing.
(04:28):
Then bring that insight intoyour teaching.
That right there is anatomystudy that fits into your real
life, not extra study on top ofit over time, 15 minutes here
and 15 minutes there starts toadd up in a big way.
The second big thought is thatit's too complicated, and I
(04:49):
totally understand thisthinking.
So many of us were taughtanatomy in a way that was
abstract.
And disconnected.
Maybe you remember looking atlong lists of muscles and their
Latin names, and it feels likeyou were memorizing random
vocabulary for an exam, Whichyou probably were, but here's
(05:10):
what I want you to know.
Anatomy for yoga teachers is notthe same as anatomy for medical
school.
You don't need to memorize everydetail about every muscle.
I remember when I was goingthrough yoga teacher training, I
did not have a background inanatomy, But my friend was in
(05:31):
nursing school, so she gave me acopy of her anatomy book, and
number one, it was super thick,super heavy.
I opened the pages, the font wassmall, and immediately I was
overwhelmed.
I didn't crack that book openagain because it was just too
(05:51):
much information.
Here's the thing, you need tounderstand movement.
You need to see how the bodyworks in real time.
On the mat, that means insteadof sitting with a textbook, you
could actually learn anatomy byobserving your students, by
moving in your own practice andby making connections between
(06:15):
what you see and what you feelanatomy is meant to be lived,
not just studied.
And when you live it, it makesit so much easier to learn.
Now let's talk about anotherthought that teachers have, and
this one really gets to me.
It's the idea that learninganatomy is out of my scope of
(06:35):
practice, and that could not befurther from the truth.
This one comes up a lot,especially for teachers who
wanna be careful and respectful.
We know that as yoga teachers,we are not diagnosing injuries
or prescribing medicaltreatment.
But understanding anatomydoesn't mean you're stepping
(06:55):
into that role.
It means you're becoming moreskilled at teaching movement.
When you understand how jointsand muscles function, you could
give clearer cues, sequence withmore purpose and recognize when
a student might need a variationthat supports their unique
(07:16):
structure that's not outside ofyour scope, that's doing your
job with more clarity andconfidence.
The fourth thing I often hear isI'm not a science person.
Have you ever said that toyourself?
I used to.
This really is a limiting beliefrooted in how we were introduced
to science in school.
(07:36):
If your memories of scienceclass involve complicated
formulas, long lectures, andfeeling like you were never good
enough.
Of course you're going to shyaway from it now, but yoga
anatomy is not high schoolbiology.
It's about understanding thebody.
You're already teaching and youalready know more than you
(07:57):
think.
If you've ever said Lift yourchest or bend your knee or
lengthen through your spine,you're already speaking in
anatomy terms.
You just might not realize it.
The next step is simply todeepen that knowledge so you can
see the connections moreclearly.
Here's another sneaky thoughtthat gets in the way of learning
(08:18):
anatomy, and it's the beliefthat I'll figure it out as I go.
And while it's true, thatexperience teaches us a lot,
this mindset can sometimes keepyou stuck without a foundation
in anatomy.
It's easy to fall back onteaching the way you were
taught.
Recycling cues.
(08:39):
You don't fully understand orsequencing based on what feels
creative rather than whatprepares the body.
The danger here is that you maynot notice when a sequence
unintentionally one area, orwhen a cue doesn't make sense
for a student's unique body.
(08:59):
Learning anatomy gives you theability to teach with intention
rather than guesswork.
Now, let's shift to somesolutions, because I can't just
talk about problems and not giveyou some solutions to follow.
The question is how do we make.
All this feel less overwhelming.
The first thing is to startsmall and specific.
(09:22):
Choose one part of the body orone movement pattern at a time.
Don't try to learn the wholeshoulder in one sitting.
Instead, ask yourself, what doesthe shoulder actually do in
downward facing dog?
How does it move in Chaturanga?
What stabilizes it side plankAsk yourself those questions
(09:44):
separately.
Not all at once, but when youlearn anatomy this way,
connected directly to the posesyou teach, it becomes easier to
understand and remember.
The second solution is topractice embodied learning.
Don't just read about a musclefeel it.
Notice what it feels like tocontract your quadriceps versus
(10:07):
relaxing them.
Notice how your pelvis tilts incat cow.
Can you isolate the pelvicmovement instead of moving the
entire spine?
By experiencing anatomy in yourown body, you'll not only
remember it better, but you'llalso be able to explain it to
your students in a way thatresonates.
(10:29):
The third solution is to learnin community or with guidance.
Trying to teach yourself anatomyfrom books or scattered online
resources is one of the fastestways to get to overwhelm.
But when you learn from ateacher or a mentor who connects
anatomy to yoga practice in aclear, practical way.
(10:51):
The pieces click into place muchfaster.
You don't have to figure it outalone, and having someone to
answer your questions can saveyou so much frustration.
And finally, give yourselfpermission to learn in layers.
You don't have to get it all atonce.
Anatomy is a subject you'llreturn to again and again.
(11:15):
Each time seeing something neweach time, connecting it more.
Deeply to your teaching.
Think of it as a spiral ratherthan a straight line.
Each time you come back, you'renot starting over.
You're actually going deeper.
So if you've been putting offanatomy because it feels too big
or too complicated, or even toofar outside of your comfort
(11:39):
zone, I want you to know this.
It doesn't have to be that way.
You are capable of learningthis.
And not only that, you mightfind that once it's broken down
into manageable, relevantpieces, you actually enjoy it.
Because anatomy isn't justscience.
It's the language of the movingbody.
(12:00):
And when you speak that languagewith confidence, your teaching
expands, your students feel moresupported, and you step into a
whole new level of confidence.
Remember, you don't have tomaster everything.
You just have to start, and eachsmall step you take will build
not only your knowledge, butalso your ability to show up
(12:24):
with clarity and care for yourstudents on a different level.
So my question to you is, whatare you going to start with
today, this week?
What new muscle will you learnabout?
What new direction of movementwill you practice?
What new understanding ofanatomy can you teach yourself
and think about teaching yourstudents?
(12:46):
Understanding anatomy,biomechanics, and the effects
yoga Asana have on the bodyhelps you help your students.
If you've been enjoying theseepisodes, I know that you are a
yoga teacher who's ready toteach with more intention and
less fear around injuries.
Let's continue to raise the barfor how yoga supports real
(13:09):
bodies in real life.
It's so important for us to havethese conversations so that you
remember that students of allshapes, sizes, alignment, and
abilities come to your classesand you can serve all of them.
You know that my goal is for youto love the yoga teaching life.
It's important to understandmovement and the issues students
(13:32):
come to your classes with.
Subscribe to the podcast soyou're always in the know when a
new episode drops.
And share it with another yogateacher who you think would love
to be in on these conversations.
And finally, thank you forhelping to spread the word about
this podcast.
Alright, thank you forlistening.
That's all for now.
(13:53):
Bye.
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.