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| I'm thinking about taking the Level 1 Teacher Training course. It's mostly for myself, but I may want to become an instructor some day. I know a weekend course is just the beginning, but I wanted to get any opinions. I've read a few opinions on this forum, but they were from awhile back. Any new info/opinions??
Thanks,
Carole
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Expert Yogi
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| Hi Carole - the opinions probably still stand. If you are wanting to study more for yourself, a really good option is to find a good local studio and work toward their teacher training program. Do you currently attend classes? | |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 2479
Location: A Blue State |
I don't know anything about yogafit other than what I've read on here, but
on the basis of that I would not go near it.  | |
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| I've mostly been practicing at home lately, because I just had my third child a year ago. It's been hard to get to a studio before now. However, over the past several weeks I've been looking into local studios. Problem is, I used to live in California, and now I live in Nebraska. The pickins are pretty slim. There is one studio I really like, but the training course is very expensive and quite a time committment. I thought I might start with the Yogafit, and see if I even like the idea of teaching before I spend $3500 on the other program.
I've heard the Yogafit program has made a lot of changes for the better in the past few years.....
Carole
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| Wow, is that how much it is just for level I?
From what I know about it (which isn't much), the improvements they have made is to add levels II-IV onto the original level I. Now anyone who completes all 4 levels and does some additional testing at the end will qualify for 200-hr registration with the Yoga Alliance.
I have taken several classes with several teachers who did just the Level I YogaFit certification, and they were pretty weak. I did not get the impression that they knew anything about yoga, proper alignment, flow, even names of the poses. Generally this is the route for current aerobics teachers who want to also offer yoga. They already know some general anatomy and how to instruct a class, and this gives them just enough basic yoga info to be dangerous (and I do mean dangerous).
But, I've also taken classes with a teacher who took all 4 levels of YogaFit, and she was AMAZING. Really incredible teacher. Now, I'm not sure whether YogaFit is fully responsible for how great she is - she also does a lot of independent study, and she might just happen to be an awesome teacher of anything. But, it could be the YogaFit, she spoke very highly of it.
That's all I know about it! 
If you do decide to deepen your practice, teacher training can be a good way to do it. Definitely take some classes with other live teachers first, sample different styles. And take your time, research all the yoga schools that you can. There's one out there that's right for you, maybe it is YogaFit or maybe not. But there's no hurry! Yoga's been around for thousands of years, it will still be there no matter how long you take to decide! | |
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| It also depends on where you want to teach . . . most gyms/YMCA's will accept YogaFit as a perfectly fine certification, but most yoga studios will not. | |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| Carole - my very personal opinion is that if you have three young kids, you would do best to get to a regular class at whatever level you are and just go to that once a week for the next while. I'm talking years here - seriously! I do understand the lack of availability - I have a friend in Idaho who is from the coast and she is having a heck of a time finding the quality of teaching and availability of classes we have out here. My kids are 22 and 24 and I didn't start back to yoga until they were in their later teens and I am so glad I waited. I don't think I would have given yoga the time or attention it needed to draw me into it as deeply when I had small kids. I don't think that I had the energy, brain power or maturity to understand how important it is to my life and I would have probably done myself a disservice by having my energies pulled between yoga and my kids. Teaching yoga does take a significant amount of nurturing of both yourself and your students and you need to keep as much of that for your kids, yourself and (I presume) your partner as you can for the next while. rAs I say, my personal opinion - if I were you I would just do yoga for yourself for now and wait to think about teaching later. Of course, this is me and you are you Let us know what you end up doing! | |
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Extreme Veteran
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Location: New York | I took YogaFit's levels 1 & 2 and I really enjoyed them. I had very knowlegable trainers for both workshops. However, I don't think that Level 1 (or even Levels 1 & 2) really prepares one to jump right in and start teaching.
In Level 1 in particular, they really just cover the very basics. I found the sequencing info to be particularly lacking. And you won't learn the real (Sanskit) names for the poses, as they don't recommend using them. (Which I don't really understand- kind of like not using French in a ballet class- but whatever . . . ) But as a springboard for perhaps a more in-depth training, I think it's fine. However, I also agree with Tourist that regular attendance at a class with a teacher you respect will be more beneficial/helpful. That has helped my own teaching far more than YogaFit did.
I've also found "regular" TTs to be in the $3500 range. I'm hoping to do OMYoga's 200 hour program in the fall and it is $3600. Yikes! | |
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| Wow! Betsey Downing's is $1800 for 200hr... ofcourse, she's not in NYC, either.
I asked dh to send me to Bryan Kest's TT in Mexico in July, but it's 3 weeks and $4500ish. IMO, that would be money well spent!
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| Thanks for the input guys, I really appreciate it.
By the way, the Yogafit is $300 a Level. It's my local TT that is over $3,000.
Carole
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| The 2-week plus internship program (200 hrs total) through Integrative Yoga Therapy was $1795, plus 2 weeks of lodging at whatever facility they happen to be using. Usually room and board is reasonable. I also opted to purchase the home-study manual/mentor program about 9 months prior to the in-person training. All told, it was around $2500 total. I'm starting their 500-hr program in January, that looks to be a little more cost-intensive. | |
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| I've been very happy with all of my YogaFit trainings. (I've been through 3 levels.) My trainers have been very knowledgeable. I have even had the opportunity to do a workshop with Beth Shaw (founder of YogaFit).
I also have taken yoga teacher workshops (not entire certifications) in Anasura, Iyengar, and Ananda. I feel that blending different styles of yoga has been beneficial in my teaching practices.
In my opinion, YogaFit makes more of an effort to keep up with safety guidelines of exercise science. I was learning a lot of modifications in 1999 through YogaFit that I am just now seeing the traditional yoga world begin to use.
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Expert Yogi
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| You did Iyengar teacher trainings? Hmmmm. I don't know about elsewhere but in Canada you would have to be a strictly Iyengar student to do teacher training. I am not questioning you so much as wondering about the people doing the training. Were they Iyengar certified teachers or people who said they teach Iyengar "style"? | |
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| I agree, it's very good to get some training from various schools of thought on yoga. I hope to one day take the training at White Lotus too. For now, I'm starting with Yogafit. I also do tons of reading on my own, lots of traditional yoga books. I guess you could say I have my own teacher training program.... ;)
Carole
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| I say go practice at a good studio regularly and attend lots of workshops with great teachers. There are lots of good weekend immersions at studios that will deepen your practice. Although, if there isn't anything else around, taking the yogafit level 1 won't be the worst way to spend your weekend. I wouldn't rush right out and call yourself a teacher after that though. | |
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| YogaGuy-
What do you mean??!! I've already got my business cards printed up!!! ;)
Carole
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| Tourist,
To answer your questions about the Iyengar teacher I did weekend workshops (not entire trainings) under, it was K-lea Gifford. She offers workshops out of her studio in Nashville, TN. She is an Iyengar instructor, and I believe was (at one time) the chair for the Souteast Region of the Iyengar Membership Committee. She does open up her workshops to teachers in different disciplines of yoga, not just Iyengar. She also offers a weekend continuing education course for massge therapists, and intensive weekend workshops for yoga students who aren't instructors but want to deepen their personal practice. Sorry if I was unclear about teacher workshop vs. teacher certification in my previous post! 
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| I agree with YogaGuy. No training (YogaFit or any other) can adequately prepare you to teach an entire yoga class after just 16 hours of training.
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Expert Yogi
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| Thanks for clarifying Yoga chick. I can imagine that in some areas it would be necessary to open workshops to students of other traditions. A great opportunity for you! I have seen K-lea's name before - how the heck does she pronounce it? I imagine it would be Kay-Lee but it could also be Klee-Ah, I suppose. | |
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| Tourist, you are correct. It is pronounced Kay-Lee. | |
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| I just received several of the Yogafit DVDs, and they are pretty darn good. Especially the yoga for seniors, kids, and prenatal. I was surprised. I think they will be a good starting point for me. Their CDs/music is good too, so I ordered a few.
Carole
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| I just completed the Level 1 training this past weekend 6/18-19. There was a variety of people in the class - some who had been teaching yoga for years already and some that weren't sure whether they wanted to teach at all, but wanted to learn a lot more about yoga. I truly enjoyed YogaFit's training. It was thorough, showed modifications, talked about different styles of yoga and broke down all the basic poses piece by piece.
I had heard criticism of Beth Shaw's book (which I admit I have not read). Some said it was too "industry" based. I did not get the impression that YogaFit is concentrating too much on the money aspect or business side, rather I learned what I thought I should in a level 1 and much more. I definitely got the tools I need to start teaching yoga safely as well. The instructor was down to Earth, in top form and was able to answer 99.9% of our questions.
There were 22 people in the training and we all couldn't say enough good about it at the end. It's definitely worth the money. | |
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Expert Yogi
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| Welcome Lotus C - I am curious about whether or not you have a yoga background already? The reason I ask is that something can seem to be "very thorough" to someone who is new to a subject even when it isn't. I have had 4 years of teacher training and won't do my final exam (a very large take-home written and a weekend of practical with 4 national level assessors) until October. So thorough is a very subjective word here. | |
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| LotusC
Any chance you were at the Chattanooga, TN training? (If so, you were at my YMCA!) | |
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| one of my teacher training apprentices has taken the yogafit trainings. she is a gym owner and a certified aerobics instructor who has been taking yoga with me for 3 years now and doing her apprentice training for 8 months. During this time, she decided to investigate yogafit for herself, since it is really catered to 'her industry.'
she found it to be informative, but also found some things to be really off. For the informative part, she said that she was repeatedly told that she should only, and could only, teach the level one class, as taught to them during the workshop. So, she would have the same script for that class over and over. she felt that this was a good idea, to limit people's teaching to the area that they would know after the workshop.
on the really off side, she said that she didn't necessarily feel comfortable with some of the other trainees in class teaching (again, as a gym owner, she is looking at it from a who-could-teach-for-me standard) just due to their lack of experience. but, she fully admits that she is spoiled in that she currently has 5 yoga teachers on staff, all of whom have studied for 5 yrs or more and taught for 3 yrs or more. So, we're all really experienced and comparatively, she said that she wouldn't feel safe putting her clients under her level of teaching (again, already in apprentice training) let alone under a single workshop of training.
she also noticed (and i've noticed from the books) a lot of alignment issues in many of the postures demonstrated in the pictures as well as some of the modifications being a bit 'off' or 'uncomfortable' for her. When she showed me the videos for senoirs, prenatal, we were both able to pick out potential repetitive motion problems that could come from certain movements, particularly if an individual was already weak in that area (for example, many senoirs are very weak in the shoulders. while many people focus on their weak knees, they forget the shoulders, and some of those movements could be too difficult or could cause problems in the long term).
i think that yogafit workshops may be a good idea for someone to get a 'basic' training or an idea of how classes can be run in fitness settings. But, with so many other high-quality programs out there that involve travel for weekends and real home-study with mentors (think Kripalu or WHite Lotus), i think it's possible to find excellent programs that really work from the yoga perspective, rather than the fitness perspective (either way, today there's a money perspective involved, so it's six and one-half dozen to the other).
i also like taking workshops from different disciplines, particularly for continuing education credits. i do this frequently. | |
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| Well, I'm a pretty experienced yogi, and I'm taking Level 1 in August. I've read multiple books on yoga, and have practiced many styles of yoga. I'll let you guys know how it is.....
Carole
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| i look forward to hearing about your experience.
so far, i haven't attended one myself, and i have no intention of doing so. i'm lucky enough to live near to so many excellent teachers that if i want more training, i can go to them. currently, i'm attending dharma mittra's teacher workshops at his studio in NYC: dharmayogacenter.com. he has a teacher training program for people who aren't teachers as well, but since i'm already a teacher, i get to take the 'extended' program (which is an ongoing program). I really enjoy studying with him. | |
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| I'm really interested in the whole subject of the yogafit training. I've been teaching yoga for about 11 years after 10 years of study with various teachers in various styles. Yes, I've been a very lucky girl!
I've taught in yoga studios, gyms and spas and yes the class format does change according to your teaching venue.
I've tried some classes in gyms with instructors who obviously did the yogafit training; my main criticism would be a total lack of understanding of yogic breathing. The classes seemed to be loosely based on a vinyasa format but without the phrasing of the movement with the breath. There are concrete physiological benefits that come with the deep breathing, not to mention the aspect of self-observation learned through watching the breath.
Also, ok so this might seem picky for a gym setting, but the yogafit classes lacked that element of stillness essential for asana or "steady seat".
How many of you experienced yogis and yoginis can tell the difference between a yoga teacher who meditates and one who doesn't?
These yogafit instructors were very nice people but not really experienced in YOGA.
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 2479
Location: A Blue State |
I can't get past the idea that Yogafit is a kind of tantrum that Yogis throw. | |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
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You guys know I work with little kids, right? Every once in a while one of our little folk lies down and has a full fledged, kicking, screaming, spitting, snarling temper tantrum. We pretty much ignore them (except to monitor for safety blah, blah, blah. Don't think we just let kids scream alone in a corner all day, people....) Invariably one of the teachers will look at another nearby adult and say something like, "When is it my turn to do that?"
I'm going to spend the next few days looking for opportunities to have a yoga fit! | |
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| I just finished the Yogafit training this weekend. I was very pleased with it, and feel confident to start teaching a basic level class. However, I do have about 7 years of prior yoga experience, which may add to my understanding and confidence.
Overall, I thought the Yogafit training was beyond my expectations. I'm not saying it's as comprehensive as White Lotus, because that's a two week program, but for the time spend it was amazing. I plan on taking other Yogafit trainings.
I wrote more about my experience on the other Yogafit thread.
Carole
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| I wouldn't confuse Yogafit with anything to do with yoga. It's not a branch of yoga like hatha/kundalini/ashtanga etc.
Yogafit has taken the physical aspect of yoga and modified it for a gym-orientated enviroment. They aren't trained, or interested in the meditation, chanting aspects of yoga but do acknowledge the stress-release benefits of slow-breathing, concious relaxation etc.
The pity is that their name is confusing but their benefits aren't. Ideally it is a stretch class to be marketed towards aerobics-junkies.
As yogis on this site we probaly have purist ideals of what yoga is meant to be- and we enjoy the mechanics that elevate our body/mind/spirit connection but many people aren't interested in the mind/spirit connection but want the enhanced flexibility- so let them do yogafit. They may be tempted to try yoga one day. We all grow as yogis!
Ideally, I would want a Yogafit teacher to have a yoga backgound and not an aerobics instructor masquerading as a yogi.
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| I have trained level 1 & 2 with YogaFit. I meditate at home. When I teach, I constantly cue for a mind body connection. I was never an aerobics teacher, never in the fitness industry at all. I talk about gratitude for the body and non-judgement in asana. I talk about the breath throughout the class. I am getting more and more afraid to admit I trained with YogaFit. Oh well. I came here to learn and to share ideas. I probably won't mention my training very often b/c I'm really not interested in defending it. I just wanted to put it out there that YF teachers are capable of more than some people think. | |
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| I have done yoga for 7 years as a student and took my yoga course being the full 200 hour course, at no point after 16 hours did my teacher say - ok go and only teach these things.
I don't know anything about Yoga Fit - do they make sure the students taking the training are fitness instructors? My main concern is the students safety and the teachers knowledge for variations and/or props.
I would be interested to see some of their videos -without that I really don't have an opinion, as long as the students are safe doing it - it is obviously a program meant completely for the fitness side of yoga... so that is not impressive, but besides that... I guess i don't have an opinion till I see it for my own experience. | |
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| Kym -
I probably won't mention my training very often b/c I'm really not interested in defending it. I just wanted to put it out there that YF teachers are capable of more than some people think.
I don't know a thing about YogaFit, but I can identify with what you're saying (only my particular situation deals with something outside of Yoga). In fact, I just said those words..."not interested in defending it." It just gets too tiring. | |
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| Funny to see this topic come up again. I'm the one who started this thread way back in August, after I took the Yogafit Level 1 training.
A lot has happened since then. I'm currently enrolled in a different 200-hour teacher training program that is very comprehensive. I've got about 140 hours done in that program, in addition to the Yogafit, and 16 more specialty pre-natal training hours through a Kripalu instructor. So, I pretty much have 200 hours already.
Anyway, as I've received more training and had more experience teaching, I've had more time to reflect on my Yogafit training.
I think Yogafit can be a good basic training program for someone with prior experience, but they are clear that only completing one level of training is only 18 of their 200 hour program. It evens states that on the certificate you receive. You are told you can teach after the Level 1, 18 hour training, but are only supposed to only teach the 30 or so poses they taught you.
The Level 1 training does go into ailignment for those 30 poses, but you are told you are not to physically adjust people yet. That is taught in another level. I don't know how many Yogafit Level 1 teachers really stick to those rules. It's hard to teach a yoga class and not tough a single person.
My other concern is for people who's ONLY exposure to yoga is that basic 18 hour YF training. Without a person knowing previously about yoga and educating themselves, I think the training would be hard to grasp and apply. I think the assumption that a person with only that 18 hour training can teach a safe yoga class in not correct. However, like I said previously, if a person has yoga experience it's a different story. They have a foundation to build on. Also, a person who is an aerobics or pilates instructor, at least comes into the training knowing the basics about the human body and movement. Not ideal, but better than coming in with zero knowledge.
I'm still glad I took the Yogafit Level 1 training, because it allowed me to find out if teaching yoga was something I wanted to pursue further. I had a positive experience with YF, but I never had the intention of only taking one Level and completing my yoga education there. I think I'm the exception.
In my training there were many pilates instructors who were taking the class because the gyms where they worked wanted them to be able to offer combo yoga/pilates classes. I think Yogafit is definately catering to the "gym" or "fitness" population.
Yogafit Level 1 did not even touch the history or philosophy of yoga, sutras, chakras, ayurveda, pranayama, Gita, meditation, yamas, niyamas, ethics, pranic sheaths, or gunas just to name a few. The only anatomy we covered was briefly discussing the curves of the spine. Level 1 simply focused on the physical component of yoga, and that type of yoga is different than the traditional type of yoga that has been around for thousands of years. To me, that is teaching a "fitness" yoga. Not the whole package. The problem with this, is that people who don't know any better, think they got the whole package.
Carole
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| >Carol - Yogafit Level 1 did not even touch the history or philosophy of yoga, sutras, chakras, ayurveda, pranayama, Gita, meditation, yamas, niyamas, ethics, pranic sheaths, or gunas just to name a few.
I think that exposure to that stuff comes pretty naturally no matter where you start with Yoga. If you are doing Yoga, no matter what level, it’s going to come up in your readings, studies or from other Yogis. Like you, I would be concerned about teaching with only 18 hours of formal training under ones belt and the possibilities of injuries. There’s so much to learn that I hope, like you, Yogafit teachers would go on to additional training.
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| Huh. I didn't get the impression that the people at Level 1 were only going to take the one class then teach with no further training. But, then again, I didn's ask anyone and it never came up in conversations. When I took level 2, last fall, there were several people who were doing their re-trains and were just about finished. In fact, one gal there was celebrating completing the program and getting her 200 hrs for Alliance cert. I am truly excited to continue the training! I am also looking forward to different styles of trainings, tho I wonder how I"m going to afford it all. I guess my point is, taking just one level isn't the norm around here to my knowledge. | |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 1738
Location: right where I'm supposed to be | I find this converstaion interesting. I definitely agree that someone who takes a level one yoga program, whether through AFAA, IDEA, or yogafit is not necessarily prepared to teach a yoga class. Unfortunately this happens often in the gyms. But on the flip side, this is what the gym enthusiasts want and accept. I don't know if the majority want a more in depth class. It's a great starting point for a gym goer. But the instructor does need more training as the movements can really hurt someone and since the gym mentality is competitve, the instructor has to make clear all contraindictions, modifications,etc....
As far as fitness instructors teahing yoga, well, I am a certifed fitness instructor for over 22 years. I orginally taught specialty classes, and managed gyms. It was my love of fitness (and my doctor) that brought yoga into my life. My personal practice is exclusive to yoga. I feel my understanding, and education of the human body for all (children and seniors-certifed) and my experience instructing and communicating is a major plus. How can it not be?
The body changes as we age and instructors need to understand how to work with all populations.
I personally certified in Pilates Mat level I & II because I knew this was marketable. I love yoga but I am also a fitness professional. As I like to say, I slip out of my yoga clothes and put on my business hat.
I find teaching a class that is a fusion of Yoga and Pilates very strengthening. But it is purely physical and my format is catering to the gym mindset.
Listen, as long as you love yoga and are going through training that's a good thing. We all have to start somewhere. You can't start from any other place than the place you are. 
Peace!!!
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| Good point Mish, but Kym brings up another thought to me.
Scenario: A Yoga student who has studied for years and years. They find themselves beyond the ability to find teachers that can teach them any more then they know (in space, time or money). Latest teacher suggests this person teach. That person takes an 18 hr course at Yogafit.
In that way, certification is a pretty poor way to judge a person’s ability. But I guess there is that need for a minimum comfort level when engaging a teacher in a studio. If anything, when I look at bios on Yoga sites, the training they do catches my eye. Can’t seem to think of one that says “Only been doing Yoga forever, with all the teachers I could find. 18 hr course from Yogafit”.
Absolutely would have no idea that this person might be Yogic Avatar.
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| Jambo - 2006-02-25 5:36 PM
Good point Mish, but Kym brings up another thought to me.
Scenario: A Yoga student who has studied for years and years. They find themselves beyond the ability to find teachers that can teach them any more then they know (in space, time or money). Latest teacher suggests this person teach. That person takes an 18 hr course at Yogafit.
In that way, certification is a pretty poor way to judge a person’s ability.
Interesting Jambo. I was thinking myself that Kym really isn't the person we're all afraid of with the YogaFit teachers. She has her yoga background to fill in where the training might fail.
Many of my gym students tell me that they notice the difference in my teaching and that of teachers who have less training. I paid $3,000 for a one year local training and I still didn't feel like it was enough. I keep reading and studying constantly. I also keep looking for workshops and attending classes.
When I started teaching, however, I realized that most of what I teach comes from my yoga experience, not teacher training.
My real fear is people who simply don't pay any attention to subtle body anatomy or the connection between the asanas and their mental and spiritual effects. They simply have no idea what effect their classes can have on people.
Sharon | |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 418
Location: New York | skatrenah - 2006-02-25 6:43 PM
My real fear is people who simply don't pay any attention to subtle body anatomy or the connection between the asanas and their mental and spiritual effects. They simply have no idea what effect their classes can have on people.
Sharon
Hi Sharon (and others):
Do you (and if so, how?) address the mental and spiritual effects of asanas when you teach your class? I really don't, explicitly anyway. I have briefly spoken about the energetic effects of yoga postures, mainly in terms of the importance of savasana as that is the time when the body integrates the effects of the postures. But that's about it. I try to "live my yoga" in terms of attention to the yamas and niyamas, but I don't really talk about them explicitly in class. Do you? If so, how do you integrate it?
Just for the record, my training/certification is Bikram (no longer teach it- can't take the hot room anymore), YogaFit Levels 1 & 2, and Erich Schiffmann's training (about 40 hours over the course of about 9 days). I've done additional workshops with Erich, Baron Baptiste and Ana Forrest. | |
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| >JC - can't take the hot room anymore
I’m curious about that, the heat. I never took a Bikram class (personal reasons) but did drop into a Baptiste studio a few times to see if I could handle the heat, I couldn’t. What changed with you?
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| I paid $3,000 for a one year local training and I still didn't feel like it was enough. I keep reading and studying constantly. I also keep looking for workshops and attending classes.
Sharon
I totally agree with that! No matter what a person's initial training, if he/she is someone who truly loves yoga, they will never be finished with training and education.
I am starting to undestand the point some of you are making. YF does cater to the fitness industry and though that's not my style, it is for some who train with them, and many people are sad to see yoga be more about fitness and less about spiritual. For me, I'm taking the cueing, the poses, the adjustment work, and the other stuff they offer-they do offer something for 200 hours and $3000+ lol! But, whereas they leave out the spiritual, I bring it with me. But again, I can see that someone without personal training beforehand could think YF was all there was to it.
Edited to add- either I have been to training with a remarkable group of people, or was just naive in assuming eveyrone there had honest intentions to continue training. Going into it, I had no idea YF was as fitness oriented as it is. Uh, hence, the YogaFIT name! 
Edited by Kym 2006-02-25 9:12 PM
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| Jackie Cat- I like to subtly mention things about energy moving through the body during certain poses. For example, during backbends I mention opening the heart center, opening the heart chakra, and helping with Kapha conditions such as ashthma or chest congestion. Also, you can talk about the yamas and niyamas in the context of using contentment to be happy with where you are in your pose. Or using Tapas to stay a little longer in your pose, pushing your comfort zone. Or non-harm, in that you need to listen to your body and not subject it to harmful activities or habits. Subtle ways like that, then it moves the principles of the deeper yoga into the unconscious.
Carole
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Extreme Veteran
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Location: New York | Jambo - 2006-02-25 8:39 PM
>JC - can't take the hot room anymore
I’m curious about that, the heat. I never took a Bikram class (personal reasons) but did drop into a Baptiste studio a few times to see if I could handle the heat, I couldn’t. What changed with you?
I really got sick of teaching in the hot room. When teaching the class, all I did was give verbal instruction with a little bit of demonstrating here and there (and a few physical adjustments). I wasn't doing the practice but at the end of class I was just as sweaty and drained as if I had. I found it really depleting to be in the heat so much.
Also, while I like the series well enough, but it really bothers my neck. Right before I quit (in May 2005), I was having a lot of neck pain, which at the time I blamed on stuff I was doing in the weight room. When I quit Bikram, the neck pain went away. I just recently tried a Bikram class again after 9 months of not doing it, and the next day my neck felt sort of "tweaky." So I just think it's not the practice for me and it's definitely not the style I want to teach.
I'm not sure exactly what changed . . . I just got less and less tolerant of the heat. As I tried other types of yoga classes, I began to see that what made the Bikram practice so challenging WAS the heat- I felt like it created a false sense of difficulty. I've taken classes in the Baptiste style, as well as some workshops and master classes with Baron B., and I liked that much better if it wasn't TOO hot. I think now that I prefer a vinyasa class in an unheated room- I create enough internal heat, especially now that I'm on the march toward menopause (I've actually got about 8 years til then, but time flies, right?!) | |
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| JackieCat - 2006-02-25 8:23 PM
Do you (and if so, how?) address the mental and spiritual effects of asanas when you teach your class? I really don't, explicitly anyway. I have briefly spoken about the energetic effects of yoga postures, mainly in terms of the importance of savasana as that is the time when the body integrates the effects of the postures.
I don't talk about the spiritual and mental effects much at all. When I do, I use language that is somewhat safe.
i use the knowledge in how I sequence postures and adjust for the mood of the room. A class that is hyper or agitated for some reason may get more yin yoga postures like forward bends and child pose at the beginning of the class to bring them down a notch. I might teach early chest openers and gentle energizing movements to start out a sluggish class to get the blood flowing.
I also notice that sometimes I can do too much work that has similar effect on the mental state leaving the class unbalanced. For example too many back bends, chest openers too close to the end of class make it difficult to relax in savasanah.
If someone asks me a spiritual question I try to answer it. If they are having a strong, spiritual experience I might try to guide them to a more experienced spiritual teacher.
It's just that asana practice manipulate more than the muscles and I feel like I should have a clue what is going on with my students. | |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 418
Location: New York | skatrenah - 2006-02-25 9:49 PM
It's just that asana practice manipulate more than the muscles and I feel like I should have a clue what is going on with my students.
I agree! | |
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| Do you (and if so, how?) address the mental and spiritual effects of asanas when you teach your class? I really don't, explicitly anyway. I have briefly spoken about the energetic effects of yoga postures, mainly in terms of the importance of savasana as that is the time when the body integrates the effects of the postures. But that's about it. I try to "live my yoga" in terms of attention to the yamas and niyamas, but I don't really talk about them explicitly in class. Do you? If so, how do you integrate it?
I do not have time for an in-depth expression of what i do right now, but i'll do my best to give you a quick run down of how i work.
lets say that i have my students in tadasana. I'll start by describing the basic anatomical alignment and then how that 'feels.' From there, i talk about the basics of energetic movement (particularly when talking about mula and uddiyana bandha--how mula bandha starts in the arch of the foot, etc). I'll also talk about how this energetic level 'feels' particularly if it's different since we've engaged the bandhas. Then, i might talk about some sort of history or philosophy or life-lesson that can be learned through the practice of mountain pose.
Generally speaking, a posture is down twice (if held)--once on the right, and once on the left. I usually describe alignment, adjustments, and modifications while they're on the right side. Then, when they're moving into a posture on the left, i'll give the quick instructions for alignment, and then go into the energy movement, history or a story, or application of philosophy or whatever.
Also, sometimes classes tend to have themes. So, the focus may be on the first chakra and how all of the postures affect the first chakra and what that means.
You may be thinking that people must hold Mt pose for 20 minutes or something while i do this. that's not really the case. It's usually a minute or two per posture--the 'five breath' times that things are held. This means that all descriptions are short. One or two sentences on anatomy, one or two on adjustments, one or two on chakras, one or two on philosophy (and i'll continue the philosophy into the next pose). But, the key to this is repetition. I repeat the same information class-to-class in different ways, so that when a person didn't 'catch' it from the description in the last class, they might 'catch' it in the description for this class.
And, by repeating it, they eventually 'get' the different levels. THis also meets the issue of students in 'all levels' classes. For those students who really know the alignment and modifications, they'll move right in on the basic cues--such as the name of the pose. When they settle in, they'll hear me talk about the energy movement, and zero in on trying to apply that. Those who are beginners will focus on the alignment stuff, but phase out during the energetic stuff, and both sets will come back in on the philosophy discussion element. So, each person is working 'their level' and i'm also teaching 'their level' by including these various elements.
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| Two questions Zoebird
First.
Do you ever worry you're talking too much? My first teacher hardly talked at all and it was a little disconcerting for a beginner? But I worry that maybe I talk too much and it sounds like you give twice the information that I do.
Second
You mentioned your future training goals on the other thread, but how have you trained previously. I realized that you've done yoga your whole life, which is a big headstart. But did you go through a teacher training? Have done mostly personal study? Workshops?
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| first, i don't really worry that i say too much. in most classes, there is plenty of opportunity for silence. some students find my classes unnerving because there is a lot of time in the quiet. but, sometimes that's different. Sometimes there's more talking, sometimes less. depends upon the class, really. each class is very different.
i come out of every class feeling that i did my best, that i did what needed to be done, and that i did as i felt lead.
second, my education is varied. obviously, i started doing yoga as a child. at 14, i started yoga with books (this brought me into the more esoteric elements). I also started buddhist meditation at this age. At 18, i went to college and started taking yoga classes at a studio. within a few months, i started apprenticing with the teacher there (it was a small studio--only one teacher). she recommended that i also take classes at another studio in the town over. I took classes there for a couple of months, and started apprenticing there as well. The first teacher was kripalu trained, the second was iyengar trained. from 18 to 23, i apprenticed with these two teachers. in my 21st year, i also apprenticed briefly with a kundalini teacher. She was not in town long, but i worked with her for a year or so (maybe a bit more). At 23, i graduated rfom university, moved, and went to law school. At this time, i began to study vinyasa yoga and astanga yoga. I apprenticed and taught at a power yoga studio for 3 years. I took astanga workshops with beryl bender birch, predominently. Two years ago, i started practicing Thai Yoga Massage, getting my initial training through the Vedic Conservancy. Last year, i started working with Dharma Mittra. Sadly, i have not had a lot of time to attend to this relationship; i'm striving to go bi-monthly for workshops with him. I've also taken occassional workshops with Shiva Rae.
Last October, i took a workshop with Bhagavan Das to study mantra yoga; but, i was greatly attracted to the work of Russil Paul, and i work with his book The Yoga of Sound frequently. I'd like to work with him if ever i have the opportunity.
Independently, i spend a great deal of time working from my books--noteably iyengar books predominently, though a number of others as well. Beyond asana, i read the scriptures and contemplate on them (various traditions), i do a lot of meditation, and of course personal asana practice. My independent studies focus on ayurveda and the yoga of sound (currently). I've just started working with crystal singing bowls, with amazing result (particularly when combined with mantra).
As for my continuing education, i'm taking a workshop in april with beryl (a weekender), and i'm also taking a workshop (weekend) in Mayan abdominal massage (self care). I may have to cancel on the second one for various reasons. Long term, i'm looking to delve more into the yoga of sound--considering taking an extended trip to india to practice mantra and learn more of the musical tradition from the southern region of Kerala. If i do this, i may also have the opportunity to learn sitar--though there is also a local teacher here who is willing to teach me for a modest price. I'm also greatly interested in doing more with my Thai Yoga Massage. I'd like to make an extended stay in thailand (8-12 weeks) if possible to work in this area. Thai Yoga massage is really something special! For both of these (india and thailand) my husband and i have discussed putting off this education until we move to the west coast (relatively soon).
but, in the mean time, i have a great deal of access to a local (2 hrs away) gurukalam where i can study chanting and scriptures (for free!), and i'm also tapped into the local community for these as well. I really love attending kirtans, whenever i have the opportunity. Bhagavan das usually returns in april--so i hope to get to see him again then. | |
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| >ZB - Dharma Mittra
Is this the teacher who had a studio on Third Ave, NYC? I've checked out a lot of studios in NYC, but never got around to that one. Is that where you studied with him and how is that studio if you ever went there? | |
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| zoebird -
Thai Yoga massage is really something special!
Our studio offers Thai yoga massage. My sister was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia several years ago and is often in pain. Do you think something like this would help her...even if only a little? | |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 2479
Location: A Blue State |
Yeah , Dharma's place is down there somewhere.
http://www.dharmayogacenter.com/
160 East 25th at 3rd Avenue.
Dharma teaches a vinyasa yoga. His Hatha Raja IV (formerly called "Open" level)
is a good class. The studio is pleasant. He likes to chant at the beginning of
class. I think Dharma is way cool.
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| Kabu:
Yes, it's a great modality for anyone. Yoga and dietary changes would also be helpful for fibromyalgia. many of my students no longer have symptoms of it from regular asana practice and dietary changes. i do not do a lot of thai massage on individuals with fibromyalgia (i haven't had much opportunity as of yet), but i do think it is a great modality and would serve anyone with the syndrome well.
Jambo:
Yes, that's the studio. It's not like a lot of modern studios that had interior designers. it's kinda hodge-podge, but that makes it homey. The teaching is great though. I only go when dharma is there, but i've heard that the other teachers there are great too. | |
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| Zoe, thanks. I think I'll get her a gift certificate. And if I'm really lucky, maybe she'll get the "yoga bug" from the experience, and she'll start attending classes with me. She suffers a great deal, and modern medicine isn't helping too much. I don't blame the docs, but I don't want her to give up looking for relief just because pills aren't doing the trick. | |
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| kabu:
maybe she will. a number of my clients have been diagnosed with the disorder, but notice a significant decrease in symptoms. for many of them, sadly, yoga was the last resort--something they did to help manage pain. And yet they discovered that it actually relieved the pain, all of the symptoms, and ultimately, it's as if they don't have it anymore. But, most of them also find that if they're inconsistant with practice (and healthy diet), then they slide right back into pain relatively quickly (as little as 3-4 weeks).
thai yoga massage is great. i highly recommend it for anyone. i'd like to have a thai massage done, but no one around here does it 'on the mat' like i do. it's all massage therapists, on the table. it's not as good, i'm sorry to say. | |
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| Hello,
I've taken workshops and classes in Bikram, Iyengar, White Lotus, Ashtanga and YogaFit. Personally, I love YogaFit. Now, I've enjoyed the others, too, but I have loved YogaFit above all. It is true that if an instructor took only a Level I weekend workshop, I do not feel he/she would be a great instructor. I don't think any school could prepare someone to teach in a weekend, so that's not exclusive of YogaFit. YogaFit simply breaks their trainings into multiple 2, 3, and 4 day trainings. I have my 200 hour RYT from them, but I have also finished an Iyengar 200 hour program. I value both.
On another thread, I read something about 'lack of community' between trainer and student. That is not necessarily the case. I've had some great trainers who welcomed us to email or call them with questions and with whom I've even met locally after the trainings. Admittedly, I've had a couple who weren't as open to further communication.
I also read a misleading statement on these forums that YogaFit RYT didn't include anatomy training; that is not true. There is a 2 day intense Anat & Alignment training, but all trainings focus on this. I also read that "YF postures were out of alignment, wrong, etc." in the training manuals. That was an old post (2005), so I hope those have been corrected. In the spirit of protecting yoga students, I hope you will report mis-alignments to YogaFit. I see incorrect alignment in magazines and texts, which drives me nuts, because it confuses teachers and gets passed on to students.
Also, I read "studios probably don't accept YogaFit; only gyms." Again, that is not true. I teach at a studio. My students love the YogaFit style as a compliment to the Vinyasa and Iyengar the other instructors provide.
Back to the way YF offers their trainings. I think it is a great option (breaking it out into multiple 2, 3, 4 day segments). The Level I trainers DO caution participants that they need more training if this is their only yoga experience. However, I do concede that this may tempt fitness instructors into 'sliding by' and saying, "Heck, I'm certified. I'm ready to teach." However, IMO, that is the individual's responsibility; not YF's responsibility.
Namaste | |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| yogagal - well, we haven't had any discussions on the thread for a long time. It will be interesting to see what happens. I don't know of any 200 hour Iyengar trainings. Certified Iyengar training usually take several years to qualify for and several years to complete, along with certification exams. Where did you do your training? | |
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| Some Iyengar teachers do stand alone "teacher trainings" that can be used as part of the lengthy Iyengar Certification process or just a training in Iyengar techniques and teaching methodology. These type of trainings could apply towards a YA RYT 200. I think that it is important to distinquish between an actual "Iyengar Certification" and Iyengar style teacher training as the two are potentially very different.
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| Absolutely! | |
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| Yes, agreed. You are right, and I mis-typed or mis-spoke (but not intentionally; it was not my intention to mislead). That is actually what I did. Back when YA allowed you to 'mix and match' your 200 hours, I had several of my hours from Iyengar trainings.
My point was that I value all of the training I have rec'd. I've gone to workshops with instructors of different styles over the years. Some were better than others, but I learned something from all of them.
Sorry if I got carried away on the YogaFit thing. I have just heard so many people give negative press to the program, and my experience has been the opposite. | |
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| I am a 200 RYT which I earned at a wonderful local Hatha RYS. Prior to earning this credential I had enrolled in two levels of YogaFit and YogaFit Kids. I will say that my commentary about yogafit is somewhat positive, but somewhat mixed.
The pros are, that the provided a good introduction to basic Vinyasa Asana. The pros are they REQUIRED 8 hours of donated instruction to a well deserved population who could not otherwise take yoga. Community service was an integral part of level 1, and was required before the person could apply for a certificate. The cons were the constant barage of marketing....selling their music (which was pretty bad), their yoga apparel (pretty expensive). I really ended up kind of resenting the constant push for more money from me...to buy this or that and utlimately requested to be removed from their emails. Another con was the lack of grounding in yogic philosophy. It was glossed over at best. Yoga Fit has made inroads into Yoga Alliance by their founder hosting workshops at their conferences, and offering a RYT 500 program in Rishikesh. But really what they have done is earned a tremendous amount of money by training entry level fitness yoga instructors to teach at YMCAS and Gyms. I can't totally trash them, they openened the door for me......and I did get a couple of cool tank tops. | |
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