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9 Top Benefits of Ustrasana | How to Perform Ustrasana – A Step-By-Step Instructions of Camel Pose
#ustrasana #camelpose #yoga #yogapractice #backbend #yogainspiration #yogachallenge #yogateacher #yogalife #yogaeveryday #yogaeverydamnday #heartopener #yogagirl #camelposevariation #yogalove #asana #yogaeverywhere #yogapose #yogi #yogini #yogaposes
Introduction – 9 Top Benefits of Ustrasana | How to Perform Ustrasana – A Step-By-Step Instructions of Camel Pose Ustrasana, commonly known as Camel Pose, is a dynamic and heart-opening yoga posture that embodies grace, strength, and flexibility. The name “Ustrasana” is derived from the Sanskrit words “ustra,” meaning camel, and “asana,” representing a yoga pose or posture. This asana is…
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#how to perform ustrasana#step-by-step instructions of ustrasana#the yogic philosophy of the ustrasana#top benefits of ustrasana#which chakra is activated by practicing ustrasana
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Mastering Camel Pose: A Comprehensive Guide to Ustrasana
The journey of yoga is a personal exploration of mind, body, and spirit. Today, we'll delve into a pose that stretches both the physical and emotional boundaries: the Camel Pose, or Ustrasana. This yoga posture is often considered a heart-opening pose, known for its numerous benefits and transformative power.
Origin of Ustrasana: Linking Back to Nature
The term Ustrasana is derived from Sanskrit, where 'Ustra' means Camel and 'Asana' means Pose. Hence, it's referred to as the Camel Pose due to the body resemblance to a camel's hump when performed correctly.
How to Do the Camel Pose (Ustrasana)
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to perform the Camel Pose. These steps are meant to serve as a guide. Remember to listen to your body and adjust the pose to accommodate your unique needs and comfort level.
Begin in a kneeling position: Plant your knees hip-width apart on the mat, keeping your thighs perpendicular to the floor. Position your shins and tops of your feet pressed against the floor.
Hands on the hips: Rest your palms on the back of your pelvis, fingers pointing downwards. Lengthen your back and rotate your shoulders back to open the chest.
Lean backward: Exhale and slowly lean back, pushing your hips forward, maintaining their alignment over your knees.
Hand positioning: Reach back and hold your heels. If this feels too intense, you can tuck your toes under to elevate your heels. Another option is to place blocks next to your feet and rest your hands on them.
Open your chest: Allow your head to fall back, opening your throat, and keep your hips pushing forward to increase the stretch across your belly and chest.
Hold the pose: Stay in this pose for 30-60 seconds, breathing deeply. To release the pose, bring your hands back to your hips and slowly come up leading with your heart.
Benefits of Camel Pose: Healing from Within
Ustrasana is more than a physical exercise; it is a gateway to holistic well-being. Here's how:
Strengthens Back and Shoulders: Camel Pose strengthens and stretches the back and shoulders, improving posture and alleviating backache.
Boosts Digestion: The pose exerts pressure on the abdomen, stimulating digestion and relieving constipation.
Promotes Respiratory Health: By expanding the chest, it helps in increasing lung capacity, thus beneficial for respiratory ailments.
Relieves Stress: Camel Pose is known to reduce fatigue, alleviate anxiety, and promote emotional stability.
Enhances Flexibility: Regular practice of Ustrasana enhances the flexibility of the spine and hip flexors.
Tips for a Safe and Effective Ustrasana Practice
Ustrasana, though beneficial, should be practiced with proper knowledge and care. Here are some tips to ensure you're doing the Camel Pose safely and effectively:
Warm-up properly before practicing Ustrasana, as it's a deep backbend. Sun salutations or a few rounds of Cat-Cow pose can effectively prepare the body.
Always maintain alignment of your hips over your knees to avoid undue stress on the lower back.
Do not strain your neck; let it fall back comfortably without any tension.
Beginners may find it helpful to practice Ustrasana in front of a mirror to monitor their form and alignment.
Pregnant practitioners and those with back injuries or high blood pressure should avoid this pose or practice under the guidance of a certified yoga teacher.
Master Ustrasana with Time and Practice
Remember, yoga is not about perfection but the journey towards achieving balance, flexibility, and serenity. So, take your time, be patient, and honor your body's signals as you practice Ustrasana. Let the Camel Pose serve as a path to open your heart, strengthen your body, and enrich your yoga practice. With consistent effort and patience, mastering Ustrasana will soon be within your reach, guiding you toward a healthier, more harmonious self.
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Fish Pose

Traditionally Fish Posture is performed with the legs in Padmasana. Since Padmasana is beyond the ability of a lot of beginning pupils, below we 'll function either with the knees bent, feet on the flooring, or with the legs directly pressed against the floor.
(mot-see-AHS-anna)
matsya = fish
Fish Posture: Detailed Instructions
Lie on your back on the floor with your knees curved, feet on the flooring. Inhale, lift your hips slightly off the floor, and glide your hands, hands down, listed below your buttocks. Then relax your buttocks on the backs of your hands (as well as do not lift them off your hands as you perform this present). Make sure to tuck your forearms and also elbows up near to the sides of your torso.
Inhale as well as press your forearms and also elbows firmly versus the flooring. Next press your scapulas into your back and also, with an inhale, raise your upper torso and also head away from the flooring. Release your head back into the flooring. Depending on how high you curve your back as well as lift your chest, either the rear of your head or its crown will certainly relax on the flooring. There must be a very little amount of weight on your head to stay clear of grinding your neck. (For even more concerning this, see the Beginners Tip listed below.)
You could maintain your knees curved or correct your legs out onto the floor. If you do the latter, maintain your upper legs active, and press out through the heels.
Stay for 15 to 30 secs, breathing smoothly. With an exhalation reduced your upper body and also visit the flooring. Draw your thighs up right into your stomach and squeeze.
GO BACK TO A-Z POSE FINDER
Pose InformationSanskrit NameMatsyasanaPose Level1Contraindications and Cautions
High or low blood pressure
Migraine
Insomnia
Serious lower-back or neck injury
Modifications and PropsThe backbending setting in Matsyasana can be hard for beginning students. Do the position with your back supported on a heavily rolled covering. Make certain your head relaxes comfortably on the flooring and also your throat is soft.Deepen the PoseTo enhance the challenge in this present, move your hands out from underneath your buttocks and bring them into Anjali Mudra (Salutation Seal) with arms outstretched and also fingertips directing toward the ceiling.Theraputic Applications
Constipation
Respiratory ailments
Mild backache
Fatigue
Anxiety
Menstrual pain
Preparatory PosesWhile Sarvangasana isn't really exactly a primary pose, Matsyasana is commonly sequenced as a counter-pose after Shoulderstand. Other preparations for this posture could consist of:
Baddha Konasana
Bhujangasana
Dhanurasana
Salabhasana
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
Supta Virasana
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
Virasana
Follow-up Poses
Gomukhasana
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
Supta Virasana
Ustrasana
Virasana
Beginner's TipBeginners occasionally strain their neck in this position. If you feel any discomfort in your neck or throat, either lower your chest a little towards the floor, or place a thickly folded up covering under the rear of your head.Benefits
A typical text that Matsyasana is the "destroyer of all illness. "
Stretches the deep hip flexors (psoas) and the muscle mass (intercostals) between the ribs
Stretches as well as stimulates the muscles of the belly and front of the neck
Stretches and also boosts the organs of the stomach and also throat
Strengthens the muscle mass of the top back and rear of the neck
Improves posture
PartneringA companion could help you obtain a feel for the motion of the scapulas in this present. Do the pose. Have your companion stand straddling your pelvis. She needs to after that lean over and also spread her palms on your scapulas, pressing them firmly versus your back. But make certain that she does not pull you any type of further right into the back bend, she ought to only support the scapulas versus the back torso.VariationsAs discussed above this present is typically carried out with the legs in Padmasana, a setting that's beyond the capacity of even several skilled trainees. Right here's a challenging variant of the posture as defined over. Carry out the position with the legs straightened out on the flooring, as defined in step 3 above. Then with an exhalation lift the legs off the floor to an angle of 45 levels loved one to the floor. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds, pressing actively with the heels. Ultimately lower the legs to the floor with an exhalation, as well as lay the torso and head on the floor.
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Camel Pose: The Complete Guide
Camel Pose: The Complete Guide
Table of Contents Introduction to Camel Pose The Basics Pose Benefits Step-By-Step Instructions Explore the Pose Camel Pose Variations Preparatory and Counter Poses Your Body In Camel Pose | Anatomy Put Camel Pose Into Practice Section divider Powerful and exhilarating, Camel Pose (Ustrasana) is a backbend that works on multiple levels to strengthen your back, open your shoulders, and…

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Using Yoga Poses To Improve Your Health

Yoga Poses are the body and mind places you are trying to achieve through Yoga that are also called Asanas. The benefits of practicing Yoga is mainly to exercise, strengthen and tone your body's muscles and exercise your mind. It takes a great deal of willpower and tenacity to accomplish each Yoga Pose and you have to have the discipline to practice your routine of poses or asanas daily.
You may or may not know that the effort required for yoga is certainly not easy (what program ids that actually works though!), but the total body benefit is worth all the hard work. The art of practicing Yoga exercises or Asanas can and will improve your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. To be able to accomplish the Yoga Poses requires you to study each pose and perform it deliberately as you control your body and mind simultaneously. Learn the following different Yoga Exercises, Postures, and Poses in the following sections and then incorporate them into your routine tadasana steps.
Warm-Up Poses
In general, warming up depends on the particular style of yoga that you practice and your studio, class, DVD, or online training will show you the best warm up for the type of yoga you are doing.
Standing Poses - You should learn the following Standing Poses
o Virabhadrasana or Warrior Pose
o Utkatasana or Squat Pose
o Uttanasana or Standing Forward Bend
o Tadasana or Mountain Pose
o Uthita Trikonasana or Extended Triangle
o Garudasana or Eagle Pose
o Natarajasana or Dancer
o Bakasana or Crow Pose
o Chaturangsana or Plank Pose
o Purvottanasana or Back Bend
o Vasisthasana or Inclined Plank
Seated Poses - These poses can be done while sitting.
Sitting Neutral
o Vajrasana or Hero Pose
o Dandasana or Staff Pose
o Baddhakonasana or Bound Angle Pose
o Gomukhasana or Cow Face Pose
Sitting Forward
o Pascimottanasana or Sitting Forward Bend
o Paripurna navasana or Boat Pose
Sitting Back Bends
o Bidalasana or Cat Stretch
o Ustrasana or Camel Pose
o Bhujangasana or Cobra Pose
o Dhanurasana or Bow Pose
Sittting Twist
o Ardha matsyendrasana or Half Twist
Inverted Postures and Balance Poses - These poses help to increase circulation, stimulate the brain, enhance glandular system functioning, and relieve pressure on the abdominal organs helping with digestion and blood flow.
o Sarvangasana or Shoulder Stand
o Halasana or Plow Pose
o Adho Mukha Svanasana or Downward Facing Dog
o Setu Bandha or Half Bridge
o Urdhva Dhanurasana or Full Bridge
o Karnapidasana or Spider Pose
It's recommended that people try and practice different yoga poses at home or even in the office or workplace but if you are feeling like you're not able to complete a posture, please don't push yourself. Yoga is not a competition so just relax, rest for a minute and try the pose again. Also remember not to try yoga poses that are beyond your capabilities. If you attempt asanas that are beyond your level you can injure yourself which is not what we are trying to achieve with yoga! You might find it helpful to get some expert guidance through popular online training websites where a professional teacher can instruct and coach you through each Yoga Pose ensuring you are doing the exercise correctly.
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5 Ways to Teach a Better Yoga Class
Original blog post from www.lotusheartmindfulness.com

I just got home from taking what I would consider a terrible yoga class. It was bad on so many different levels. I KNOW, I know, we aren’t supposed to be judgmental….but it got me thinking about what I would have told my teacher today, had she asked for input. This doesn’t come from a place of ego…there’s no “my teaching style is better than yours”….promise! This ultimately comes from a place of concern for the safety of the students in the yoga class that I took today.
SO, here is some unsolicited advice for my yoga teacher today (which may or may not include a mini-rant about the importance of savasana)…and hopefully it can help you teach your class with a little more awareness and sensitivity to those taking your class.
Open your eyes. Not figuratively, LITERALLY. Literally open your eyes and look at the class. Are they able to do the simple warm-ups? Do they seem extra stiff? Are they young and fit? Super bendy? Or older and less flexible? My teacher today had her eyes closed…a LOT…and when they were open, she was fully engaged in her own practice at the front of the mat. How do your students look when they are in the poses? Are they getting close to blowing out a knee? Can you give them a verbal adjustment to help avoid a knee-blow-out-situation? You have to open your eyes to see.
Teach people not poses. It’s almost a cliché among teachers, isn’t it!! It starts with that “open your eyes” step in #1. Look at your students!! And THEN determine what you are going to teach…that might mean that your super-challenging class needs to be thrown out the window. Teaching Ardha Chandra Chapasana (sugar-cane pose) to a group of mostly 55+ women who can’t hold Ardha Chandrasana (half moon), AND who can BARELY do a lunge with ease is NOT a great idea. This is what my instructor did today. Yes, I was impressed that she could go smoothly from one balance pose to the next..but her students were frustrated, and more seriously, had an increased risk of injury because they were ATTEMPTING those poses with little to no instruction, and absolutely no modifications.
Be logical in your sequencing. Work up to your challenging poses. Working toward Bakasana (crane)? Make sure you do plenty of core so that it helps your students learn how to use their abs in a way that will increase their chance of success in this pose. If you don’t have a peak-pose, think about the progression of poses…You learned this stuff in teacher training, I hope. My teacher today had the following poses SPRINKLED in her class: ustrasana (camel), matsyasana (fish), baddha parsvakonasana (bound side-angle), virabhadrasana 3 (warrior 3), supta virasana (reclining hero), ardha chandra chapasana (sugar cane pose) and bakasana (crane). There was no logic to her sequencing…ESPECIALLY considering her class’ abilities. There should be no sprinkling of challenging poses in a yoga class.
Watch what you say. Please can we stop the yoga-speak? Don’t just say something because it sounds “yogic”. Take the phrase “let it go”. When you say “let it go” what do you mean? What do you want us to let go? I think it would be more beneficial to cue our breath or alignment than to tell us to “let go” in Virabhadrasana 2 (warrior 2). That happened in a class this week. Soften through the shoulders? Sure! Unclench our jaws? Absolutely! Not just a generic “let it go” please. Today we were told to “inhale love…and let it go”. I’m not so sure that I wanted to let go of love today. But…maybe it motivated me to do this post…I’m feeling extra snarky.
Let your class savasana. Come ON teachers…you KNOW this is important, don’t you?! Then shut the hell up while I’m trying to savasana, and give me more than 2 minutes. Seriously! Guide me to relaxation, and then let it be quiet…or, as quiet as it can be…I can relax to the sound of weightlifters slamming their giant weights to the floor upstairs MUCH more than I can with you reading some passage from a book you like.
Follow Lotus Heart Mindfulness for more inspiration and tips!
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5 Ways to Teach a Better Yoga Class posted first on https://lotusheartmindfulness.com/
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5 Ways to Teach a Better Yoga Class
Original blog post from www.lotusheartmindfulness.com

I just got home from taking what I would consider a terrible yoga class. It was bad on so many different levels. I KNOW, I know, we aren’t supposed to be judgmental….but it got me thinking about what I would have told my teacher today, had she asked for input. This doesn’t come from a place of ego…there’s no “my teaching style is better than yours”….promise! This ultimately comes from a place of concern for the safety of the students in the yoga class that I took today.
SO, here is some unsolicited advice for my yoga teacher today (which may or may not include a mini-rant about the importance of savasana)…and hopefully it can help you teach your class with a little more awareness and sensitivity to those taking your class.
Open your eyes. Not figuratively, LITERALLY. Literally open your eyes and look at the class. Are they able to do the simple warm-ups? Do they seem extra stiff? Are they young and fit? Super bendy? Or older and less flexible? My teacher today had her eyes closed…a LOT…and when they were open, she was fully engaged in her own practice at the front of the mat. How do your students look when they are in the poses? Are they getting close to blowing out a knee? Can you give them a verbal adjustment to help avoid a knee-blow-out-situation? You have to open your eyes to see.
Teach people not poses. It’s almost a cliché among teachers, isn’t it!! It starts with that “open your eyes” step in #1. Look at your students!! And THEN determine what you are going to teach…that might mean that your super-challenging class needs to be thrown out the window. Teaching Ardha Chandra Chapasana (sugar-cane pose) to a group of mostly 55+ women who can’t hold Ardha Chandrasana (half moon), AND who can BARELY do a lunge with ease is NOT a great idea. This is what my instructor did today. Yes, I was impressed that she could go smoothly from one balance pose to the next..but her students were frustrated, and more seriously, had an increased risk of injury because they were ATTEMPTING those poses with little to no instruction, and absolutely no modifications.
Be logical in your sequencing. Work up to your challenging poses. Working toward Bakasana (crane)? Make sure you do plenty of core so that it helps your students learn how to use their abs in a way that will increase their chance of success in this pose. If you don’t have a peak-pose, think about the progression of poses…You learned this stuff in teacher training, I hope. My teacher today had the following poses SPRINKLED in her class: ustrasana (camel), matsyasana (fish), baddha parsvakonasana (bound side-angle), virabhadrasana 3 (warrior 3), supta virasana (reclining hero), ardha chandra chapasana (sugar cane pose) and bakasana (crane). There was no logic to her sequencing…ESPECIALLY considering her class’ abilities. There should be no sprinkling of challenging poses in a yoga class.
Watch what you say. Please can we stop the yoga-speak? Don’t just say something because it sounds “yogic”. Take the phrase “let it go”. When you say “let it go” what do you mean? What do you want us to let go? I think it would be more beneficial to cue our breath or alignment than to tell us to “let go” in Virabhadrasana 2 (warrior 2). That happened in a class this week. Soften through the shoulders? Sure! Unclench our jaws? Absolutely! Not just a generic “let it go” please. Today we were told to “inhale love…and let it go”. I’m not so sure that I wanted to let go of love today. But…maybe it motivated me to do this post…I’m feeling extra snarky.
Let your class savasana. Come ON teachers…you KNOW this is important, don’t you?! Then shut the hell up while I’m trying to savasana, and give me more than 2 minutes. Seriously! Guide me to relaxation, and then let it be quiet…or, as quiet as it can be…I can relax to the sound of weightlifters slamming their giant weights to the floor upstairs MUCH more than I can with you reading some passage from a book you like.
Follow Lotus Heart Mindfulness for more inspiration and tips!
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5 Ways to Teach a Better Yoga Class posted first on https://lotusheartmindfulness.com/
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5 Ways to Teach a Better Yoga Class
Original blog post from www.lotusheartmindfulness.com

I just got home from taking what I would consider a terrible yoga class. It was bad on so many different levels. I KNOW, I know, we aren’t supposed to be judgmental….but it got me thinking about what I would have told my teacher today, had she asked for input. This doesn’t come from a place of ego…there’s no “my teaching style is better than yours”….promise! This ultimately comes from a place of concern for the safety of the students in the yoga class that I took today.
SO, here is some unsolicited advice for my yoga teacher today (which may or may not include a mini-rant about the importance of savasana)…and hopefully it can help you teach your class with a little more awareness and sensitivity to those taking your class.
Open your eyes. Not figuratively, LITERALLY. Literally open your eyes and look at the class. Are they able to do the simple warm-ups? Do they seem extra stiff? Are they young and fit? Super bendy? Or older and less flexible? My teacher today had her eyes closed…a LOT…and when they were open, she was fully engaged in her own practice at the front of the mat. How do your students look when they are in the poses? Are they getting close to blowing out a knee? Can you give them a verbal adjustment to help avoid a knee-blow-out-situation? You have to open your eyes to see.
Teach people not poses. It’s almost a cliché among teachers, isn’t it!! It starts with that “open your eyes” step in #1. Look at your students!! And THEN determine what you are going to teach…that might mean that your super-challenging class needs to be thrown out the window. Teaching Ardha Chandra Chapasana (sugar-cane pose) to a group of mostly 55+ women who can’t hold Ardha Chandrasana (half moon), AND who can BARELY do a lunge with ease is NOT a great idea. This is what my instructor did today. Yes, I was impressed that she could go smoothly from one balance pose to the next..but her students were frustrated, and more seriously, had an increased risk of injury because they were ATTEMPTING those poses with little to no instruction, and absolutely no modifications.
Be logical in your sequencing. Work up to your challenging poses. Working toward Bakasana (crane)? Make sure you do plenty of core so that it helps your students learn how to use their abs in a way that will increase their chance of success in this pose. If you don’t have a peak-pose, think about the progression of poses…You learned this stuff in teacher training, I hope. My teacher today had the following poses SPRINKLED in her class: ustrasana (camel), matsyasana (fish), baddha parsvakonasana (bound side-angle), virabhadrasana 3 (warrior 3), supta virasana (reclining hero), ardha chandra chapasana (sugar cane pose) and bakasana (crane). There was no logic to her sequencing…ESPECIALLY considering her class’ abilities. There should be no sprinkling of challenging poses in a yoga class.
Watch what you say. Please can we stop the yoga-speak? Don’t just say something because it sounds “yogic”. Take the phrase “let it go”. When you say “let it go” what do you mean? What do you want us to let go? I think it would be more beneficial to cue our breath or alignment than to tell us to “let go” in Virabhadrasana 2 (warrior 2). That happened in a class this week. Soften through the shoulders? Sure! Unclench our jaws? Absolutely! Not just a generic “let it go” please. Today we were told to “inhale love…and let it go”. I’m not so sure that I wanted to let go of love today. But…maybe it motivated me to do this post…I’m feeling extra snarky.
Let your class savasana. Come ON teachers…you KNOW this is important, don’t you?! Then shut the hell up while I’m trying to savasana, and give me more than 2 minutes. Seriously! Guide me to relaxation, and then let it be quiet…or, as quiet as it can be…I can relax to the sound of weightlifters slamming their giant weights to the floor upstairs MUCH more than I can with you reading some passage from a book you like.
Follow Lotus Heart Mindfulness for more inspiration and tips!
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5 Ways to Teach a Better Yoga Class published first on https://lotusheartmindfulness.com/
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5 Ways to Teach a Better Yoga Class
Original blog post from www.lotusheartmindfulness.com

I just got home from taking what I would consider a terrible yoga class. It was bad on so many different levels. I KNOW, I know, we aren’t supposed to be judgmental….but it got me thinking about what I would have told my teacher today, had she asked for input. This doesn’t come from a place of ego…there’s no “my teaching style is better than yours”….promise! This ultimately comes from a place of concern for the safety of the students in the yoga class that I took today.
SO, here is some unsolicited advice for my yoga teacher today (which may or may not include a mini-rant about the importance of savasana)…and hopefully it can help you teach your class with a little more awareness and sensitivity to those taking your class.
Open your eyes. Not figuratively, LITERALLY. Literally open your eyes and look at the class. Are they able to do the simple warm-ups? Do they seem extra stiff? Are they young and fit? Super bendy? Or older and less flexible? My teacher today had her eyes closed…a LOT…and when they were open, she was fully engaged in her own practice at the front of the mat. How do your students look when they are in the poses? Are they getting close to blowing out a knee? Can you give them a verbal adjustment to help avoid a knee-blow-out-situation? You have to open your eyes to see.
Teach people not poses. It’s almost a cliché among teachers, isn’t it!! It starts with that “open your eyes” step in #1. Look at your students!! And THEN determine what you are going to teach…that might mean that your super-challenging class needs to be thrown out the window. Teaching Ardha Chandra Chapasana (sugar-cane pose) to a group of mostly 55+ women who can’t hold Ardha Chandrasana (half moon), AND who can BARELY do a lunge with ease is NOT a great idea. This is what my instructor did today. Yes, I was impressed that she could go smoothly from one balance pose to the next..but her students were frustrated, and more seriously, had an increased risk of injury because they were ATTEMPTING those poses with little to no instruction, and absolutely no modifications.
Be logical in your sequencing. Work up to your challenging poses. Working toward Bakasana (crane)? Make sure you do plenty of core so that it helps your students learn how to use their abs in a way that will increase their chance of success in this pose. If you don’t have a peak-pose, think about the progression of poses…You learned this stuff in teacher training, I hope. My teacher today had the following poses SPRINKLED in her class: ustrasana (camel), matsyasana (fish), baddha parsvakonasana (bound side-angle), virabhadrasana 3 (warrior 3), supta virasana (reclining hero), ardha chandra chapasana (sugar cane pose) and bakasana (crane). There was no logic to her sequencing…ESPECIALLY considering her class’ abilities. There should be no sprinkling of challenging poses in a yoga class.
Watch what you say. Please can we stop the yoga-speak? Don’t just say something because it sounds “yogic”. Take the phrase “let it go”. When you say “let it go” what do you mean? What do you want us to let go? I think it would be more beneficial to cue our breath or alignment than to tell us to “let go” in Virabhadrasana 2 (warrior 2). That happened in a class this week. Soften through the shoulders? Sure! Unclench our jaws? Absolutely! Not just a generic “let it go” please. Today we were told to “inhale love…and let it go”. I’m not so sure that I wanted to let go of love today. But…maybe it motivated me to do this post…I’m feeling extra snarky.
Let your class savasana. Come ON teachers…you KNOW this is important, don’t you?! Then shut the hell up while I’m trying to savasana, and give me more than 2 minutes. Seriously! Guide me to relaxation, and then let it be quiet…or, as quiet as it can be…I can relax to the sound of weightlifters slamming their giant weights to the floor upstairs MUCH more than I can with you reading some passage from a book you like.
Follow Lotus Heart Mindfulness for more inspiration and tips!
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5 Ways to Teach a Better Yoga Class syndicated from https://lotusheartmindfulness.com/
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5 Ways to Teach a Better Yoga Class
Original blog post from www.lotusheartmindfulness.com

I just got home from taking what I would consider a terrible yoga class. It was bad on so many different levels. I KNOW, I know, we aren’t supposed to be judgmental….but it got me thinking about what I would have told my teacher today, had she asked for input. This doesn’t come from a place of ego…there’s no “my teaching style is better than yours”….promise! This ultimately comes from a place of concern for the safety of the students in the yoga class that I took today.
SO, here is some unsolicited advice for my yoga teacher today (which may or may not include a mini-rant about the importance of savasana)…and hopefully it can help you teach your class with a little more awareness and sensitivity to those taking your class.
Open your eyes. Not figuratively, LITERALLY. Literally open your eyes and look at the class. Are they able to do the simple warm-ups? Do they seem extra stiff? Are they young and fit? Super bendy? Or older and less flexible? My teacher today had her eyes closed…a LOT…and when they were open, she was fully engaged in her own practice at the front of the mat. How do your students look when they are in the poses? Are they getting close to blowing out a knee? Can you give them a verbal adjustment to help avoid a knee-blow-out-situation? You have to open your eyes to see.
Teach people not poses. It’s almost a cliché among teachers, isn’t it!! It starts with that “open your eyes” step in #1. Look at your students!! And THEN determine what you are going to teach…that might mean that your super-challenging class needs to be thrown out the window. Teaching Ardha Chandra Chapasana (sugar-cane pose) to a group of mostly 55+ women who can’t hold Ardha Chandrasana (half moon), AND who can BARELY do a lunge with ease is NOT a great idea. This is what my instructor did today. Yes, I was impressed that she could go smoothly from one balance pose to the next..but her students were frustrated, and more seriously, had an increased risk of injury because they were ATTEMPTING those poses with little to no instruction, and absolutely no modifications.
Be logical in your sequencing. Work up to your challenging poses. Working toward Bakasana (crane)? Make sure you do plenty of core so that it helps your students learn how to use their abs in a way that will increase their chance of success in this pose. If you don’t have a peak-pose, think about the progression of poses…You learned this stuff in teacher training, I hope. My teacher today had the following poses SPRINKLED in her class: ustrasana (camel), matsyasana (fish), baddha parsvakonasana (bound side-angle), virabhadrasana 3 (warrior 3), supta virasana (reclining hero), ardha chandra chapasana (sugar cane pose) and bakasana (crane). There was no logic to her sequencing…ESPECIALLY considering her class’ abilities. There should be no sprinkling of challenging poses in a yoga class.
Watch what you say. Please can we stop the yoga-speak? Don’t just say something because it sounds “yogic”. Take the phrase “let it go”. When you say “let it go” what do you mean? What do you want us to let go? I think it would be more beneficial to cue our breath or alignment than to tell us to “let go” in Virabhadrasana 2 (warrior 2). That happened in a class this week. Soften through the shoulders? Sure! Unclench our jaws? Absolutely! Not just a generic “let it go” please. Today we were told to “inhale love…and let it go”. I’m not so sure that I wanted to let go of love today. But…maybe it motivated me to do this post…I’m feeling extra snarky.
Let your class savasana. Come ON teachers…you KNOW this is important, don’t you?! Then shut the hell up while I’m trying to savasana, and give me more than 2 minutes. Seriously! Guide me to relaxation, and then let it be quiet…or, as quiet as it can be…I can relax to the sound of weightlifters slamming their giant weights to the floor upstairs MUCH more than I can with you reading some passage from a book you like.
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A Year Of Yoga Desk Calendar 2018
A useful, inspirational calendar for new and experienced yogis alike, from the expert editors of Yoga Journal. Each week, A Year of Yoga 2018 desk calendar introduces a new pose, with step-by-step instructions and original photography—like the heart-opening Ustrasana, or Camel Pose, and the leg-strengthening Utkatasana, or Chair Pose, as well as tips on how to modify and deepen the stretches in…
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5 Ways to Teach a Better Yoga Class
Original blog post from www.lotusheartmindfulness.com

I just got home from taking what I would consider a terrible yoga class. It was bad on so many different levels. I KNOW, I know, we aren’t supposed to be judgmental….but it got me thinking about what I would have told my teacher today, had she asked for input. This doesn’t come from a place of ego…there’s no “my teaching style is better than yours”….promise! This ultimately comes from a place of concern for the safety of the students in the yoga class that I took today.
SO, here is some unsolicited advice for my yoga teacher today (which may or may not include a mini-rant about the importance of savasana)…and hopefully it can help you teach your class with a little more awareness and sensitivity to those taking your class.
Open your eyes. Not figuratively, LITERALLY. Literally open your eyes and look at the class. Are they able to do the simple warm-ups? Do they seem extra stiff? Are they young and fit? Super bendy? Or older and less flexible? My teacher today had her eyes closed…a LOT…and when they were open, she was fully engaged in her own practice at the front of the mat. How do your students look when they are in the poses? Are they getting close to blowing out a knee? Can you give them a verbal adjustment to help avoid a knee-blow-out-situation? You have to open your eyes to see.
Teach people not poses. It’s almost a cliché among teachers, isn’t it!! It starts with that “open your eyes” step in #1. Look at your students!! And THEN determine what you are going to teach…that might mean that your super-challenging class needs to be thrown out the window. Teaching Ardha Chandra Chapasana (sugar-cane pose) to a group of mostly 55+ women who can’t hold Ardha Chandrasana (half moon), AND who can BARELY do a lunge with ease is NOT a great idea. This is what my instructor did today. Yes, I was impressed that she could go smoothly from one balance pose to the next..but her students were frustrated, and more seriously, had an increased risk of injury because they were ATTEMPTING those poses with little to no instruction, and absolutely no modifications.
Be logical in your sequencing. Work up to your challenging poses. Working toward Bakasana (crane)? Make sure you do plenty of core so that it helps your students learn how to use their abs in a way that will increase their chance of success in this pose. If you don’t have a peak-pose, think about the progression of poses…You learned this stuff in teacher training, I hope. My teacher today had the following poses SPRINKLED in her class: ustrasana (camel), matsyasana (fish), baddha parsvakonasana (bound side-angle), virabhadrasana 3 (warrior 3), supta virasana (reclining hero), ardha chandra chapasana (sugar cane pose) and bakasana (crane). There was no logic to her sequencing…ESPECIALLY considering her class’ abilities. There should be no sprinkling of challenging poses in a yoga class.
Watch what you say. Please can we stop the yoga-speak? Don’t just say something because it sounds “yogic”. Take the phrase “let it go”. When you say “let it go” what do you mean? What do you want us to let go? I think it would be more beneficial to cue our breath or alignment than to tell us to “let go” in Virabhadrasana 2 (warrior 2). That happened in a class this week. Soften through the shoulders? Sure! Unclench our jaws? Absolutely! Not just a generic “let it go” please. Today we were told to “inhale love…and let it go”. I’m not so sure that I wanted to let go of love today. But…maybe it motivated me to do this post…I’m feeling extra snarky.
Let your class savasana. Come ON teachers…you KNOW this is important, don’t you?! Then shut the hell up while I’m trying to savasana, and give me more than 2 minutes. Seriously! Guide me to relaxation, and then let it be quiet…or, as quiet as it can be…I can relax to the sound of weightlifters slamming their giant weights to the floor upstairs MUCH more than I can with you reading some passage from a book you like.
Follow Lotus Heart Mindfulness for more inspiration and tips!
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest
5 Ways to Teach a Better Yoga Class posted first on https://lotusheartmindfulness.com/
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