Often I am told that although they have completed either a 200 hour or even 400 hour course they do not feel qualified to teach such a complex and potentially dangerous form of exercise. The anatomy and physiology taught on some courses is not enough to understand what is happening when yoga is practiced. The knowledge of how the body moves normally and how to avoid damaging the body with yoga is essential. Many instructors are not aware of how powerful yoga is on the musculoskeletal system and how important it is to understand common pathologies and postural issues that occur in the general population.
Many yoga teachers are hypermobile and believe that this means that they are ‘good’ at yoga, this is totally untrue. Strength and stability, the ability to control the joints and maintain joint congruity is far more important. Encouraging a non-hypermobile student to accomplish the same movement as a hypermobile student/ instructor is WRONG. Respecting the body type of an individual, which can be based on ethnicity, genetics and lifestyle is paramount.
My method of teaching which prioritises clinical reasoning when practicing yoga gives the yoga teacher confidence . A confidence to work with young people, teaching them how to care for their bodies and avoid yoga injuries and to work with the aging population helping to restore strength, flexibility and balance.
Learn what each posture ACHIEVES, HOW it does that and therefore WHY and WHEN to prescribe it.
Understanding exactly what is happening in the CNS as a result of the breathing changes experienced in yoga is important as a teacher but the student should also be informed in an intelligent and scientific manner. Be able to explain to the student WHY the body is able to relax totally at the end of the class and WHY this is beneficial to health.
There is no necessity for ‘smoke and mirrors’ or metaphysical references, yoga is simple to explain, with nothing lost from the incredibly beneficial effect .