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| I'm having a bit of a difficulty in preparing for my weekly yoga classes lately, and I was hoping some of the more experienced teachers here could give me some advice, insight, etc. I've been trying to get back to a regular home practice outside of taking classes, so I thought that having the weekly responsibility of having to teach two days a week (Friday and Saturday) would spur me to it. Practice what I'd like to present to my classes so that I'd have it in my body as opposed to just on paper. But I'm finding that isn't working too well for me. What I feel drawn to practicing when I'm on my mat isn't what I've prepared for the beginner/intermediate group; I need to go deeper and in other directions as well. So I find myself ending up avoiding my mat altogether during the course of the week, almost in spite, it seems. If I can't practice what I'm drawn to practice, I can't practice at all? Makes no sense, but that's what I'm finding is going on. I understand it's a matter of discipline, setting time aside for class prep practice as well as my own. This is the problem I suppose I'm having, and if anything, I guess I'm more surprised that this is the case. I have already stopped taking so many classes (cut down from 5-6 per week to at most 3) because I was finding what we did in class many times wasn't suiting what I (my mind? my body?) wanted to be doing at that time. So is this something that just will pass with time as I become more experienced at teaching? If it's just a matter of having patience with myself, that's an attitude I can handle and I'll be fine. But if this is something inherent in my attitude in general, in how I am, then I'm concerned as to how to proceed. I've been teaching classes only since May. Thanks!  |
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| When you are new at teaching you probably put a lot of pressure on yourself and usually your home practice suffers.
You should have a couple of class sequences that you don't need to recreate. Use them for a few weeks. I write my sequences down, because if I don't I'll forget them in a few months.
I also read Yoga Journal (back issues too) and use some of their sequences. I also use David Swenson's short form ashtanga and modify it for my classes. That way I don't have to start from scratch all the time.
I have some nice sequences on Microsoft Excel. Let me know if you are interested.
Eric (yoga support)
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| There are two types of teachers:
- Those who have done practice beyond what is needed for any classes. And, then they teach the class either for fun, for spending time, for helping others, or for making income, or any combination of this. Though they can learn something from this teaching, that is not really necessary or their focus.
- Those who are just certified, especially from a Western Secular type of Yoga School (sorry jimg, but that is true!) where a particular syllabus is completed to get a certificate. Now, they are using the classes to learn more about teaching or to confirm the syllabus. They are the ones who get pressure as they have resolve the conflict between their practice, knowledge, and classes, and responsibilites.
The former ones are at an advantage because, they have already resolved the conflicts in learning and in practice. And, now only doing the teaching for their goal as I stated above.
However, I am not suggesting to only by one method. I am only stating the fact. Which method to follow is one's own choice. I have students in my TT who are 15 years into teaching and have not resolved simple things such as role of breathing in Yoga exercise. They are breathing throughout the life and have read a lot about breathing. Still the conflict exists as they have not resolved them before teaching.
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Expert Yogi
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| OM - I think this is very common. My practice has gone through ups and downs over the years. This time last year I was convinced I had nothing to add to my classes and I was going to be on autopilot for the year. Somehow, a good deal inspired by my students and their individual issues, I found myself writing new sequences and being really interested again. It was a pleasant surprise! This year my classes are reconfigured so it will be a new challenge.
I know at least one of my teachers dedicates one practice per week to class planning. She chooses a theme and works through the various levels and sometimes adds poses just for herself as she goes along. That is a model I will follow one day when I gain that level of discipline! 
As for being inspired to practice, that is a lovely and wonderful thing. But it doesn't always happen. Sometimes we just have to put out the mat and put in the time. Sometimes just getting on the mat brings inspiration and sometimes it is a just-do-it day  |
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| Are you teaching Vinyasa based classes OM?
Jonathon
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| Yes, vinyasa classes. So the sequence of poses does matter, in that I'm leading up to prepare the body for a certain end pose, or that I'm trying to prove a point using the body in relation to my theme. Usually it's a combination of both. |
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| I don't prepare for classes other than getting myself internally in the right space. Since I don't know ahead of time who is going to be in my class and what their skill or fitness level is going to be, advance planning doesn't work for me. I have a very large general framework of what I consider good sequencing and I kind of pick and choose items from the appitizer list, the soup list, the salad list, the entree list and of course desert, picking appropriate poses and style for the people who are present and adjusting as I go. I look at it like improvising in music, where there are basic rules that you follow but follow your intuition within that context. I always start with breathing, build up heat and intensity, do some deep stretching, cool down and end with deep relaxation, breathing and savasana. This often takes the form of a gentle or vigorous flow class but sometimes (if attendence is low) I will do a Iyengar style class where we spend a lot of time working on a pose (getting really picky about the details) before going on to the next. Many classes will flow: breathing, gentle stretching, sun salutations, standing poses, balancing poses, back strengthening, abs strengthening, seated forward bends, back bends, deep stretching/hip openers/twists, breathing and deep relaxation. I also have re-alignment poses in between the types and start each type with easier poses, progress to more difficult poses and then finish with an easier pose before going on to the next type. (Example: Triangle, half moon, revolved half moon, half moon, triangle as a flowing vinyasa but holding each pose) I don't necessarily do all types in a single class. Sometimes we hold the poses for only a short time and work more on the breathing/flow aspect and sometimes we hold them for a much longer time. It all depends on who is there and what the energy level is. Since I often have older people (70-80 but usually very fit), overweight out-of-shape middle-aged people, weight-lifters, athletes, dancers, older teens (16-19), people with injuries, people who have been coming to my classes for years, people who are at their very first yoga class etc in the same class, I cannot follow a plan. By not having a plan and therefore making each class unique, I have a lot of room for growth as both a person and a teacher and never find it repetitive or boring. (I don't understand how Bikram teachers can do it.) I do my best to make every class worthwhile for each person in the class, although that is occasionally not possible if an individual is too different from the rest of the students. My wife or one of my daughters are usually in the class and they are not shy about telling me what they thought, so between their feedback and the feedback from the other students, I get plenty of feedback which I consider important. Since I have studied and practiced Iyengar, Power, Bikram, and Flow Yoga and have read (and viewed DVDs) about many other types (both American and Indian), I have a lot of tools to choose from for each class. I hope that this information is helpful to some of you.
My personal asana practice is basically the same. I am flexible in designing the practice for the student (me) who is there and their needs. My personal asana practice differs from my classes only in that I try to do "Yoga" all day every day and not just a couple times a week.
Edited by jimg 2007-08-10 1:31 PM
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| OrangeMat - 2007-08-11 8:07 PM
Hi OM,
Yes, vinyasa classes. So the sequence of poses does matter, in that I'm leading up to prepare the body for a certain end pose, or that I'm trying to prove a point using the body in relation to my theme. Usually it's a combination of both.
My only experience of teaching a vinyasa style class is the Ashtanga Vinyasa primary sequence, which of course always remains the same so I'm not really qualified to answer this.
What I would say is that I think I'd feel a litttle uncomfortable walking into a room with a pre-arranged class and not knowing my students. I usually have a theme/idea and depending on who turns up and their level/experience I will adapt accordingly.
I do think it's a wise idea to separate your personal practise from your class preparation practise though.
Jonathon
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| I'd love to assist you in any way OM but I fear I cannot. Someone better versed in Vinyasa should do that. I can only tell you conceptually that a home practice, based on our teachings, is to feel the poses in the body and be "able to" relate them to students in class. Our home practice is not specifically designed to work out sequencing though there is nothing wrong with trying something out at home before teaching it.
You are quite right, what your body may need relative to asana may not at all be "the sequence" you are trying to work through. And that is, in fact, a conundrum.
I do more experiential things with actions then I do with sequencing. But that may purely be a matter of differing disciplines of asana. |
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| When I get on my mat at home, I have no plan before getting on. I just start and enjoy doing what my body is asking for. Sometimes I'll do something and think, oh, that would be fun to teach, but I'm not on my mat for that reason.
As for planning, I do plan each class regardless of who is coming. I have it in mind, in writing, and offer tons of modifications for the asana. If someone gets tired, they know they can rest in child's pose. It is flat out not in my DNA to come to class without a plan!
Very simply put, each class follows a pattern of warm up, work, and cool down. My warm up will stretch the areas that I will work in the next phase, and the cool down will also address those areas as well. I always include a balance pose. Since I write it all down in small notebook, I can review what I've done, or go back for ideas if I start feeling stale. To "feed" myself and also to learn, I take yoga classes all the time. I go to studios and try new (to me) lineages. Lately, I've taken Ashtanga and Jivamukti. Often, I'll use something I learned (or knew but hadn't thought of in awhile) and use it in my class that week.
I think you need to try different ways to prepare and get ideas (like you are now) and see what works for you. I thought I would NOT like to plan my classes, but in fact, I need it.
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| kulkarnn - 2007-08-10 9:44 AM
There are two types of teachers:
- Those who have done practice beyond what is needed for any classes. And, then they teach the class either for fun, for spending time, for helping others, or for making income, or any combination of this. Though they can learn something from this teaching, that is not really necessary or their focus.
- Those who are just certified, especially from a Western Secular type of Yoga School (sorry jimg, but that is true!) where a particular syllabus is completed to get a certificate. Now, they are using the classes to learn more about teaching or to confirm the syllabus. They are the ones who get pressure as they have resolve the conflict between their practice, knowledge, and classes, and responsibilites.
The former ones are at an advantage because, they have already resolved the conflicts in learning and in practice. And, now only doing the teaching for their goal as I stated above.
However, I am not suggesting to only by one method. I am only stating the fact. Which method to follow is one's own choice. I have students in my TT who are 15 years into teaching and have not resolved simple things such as role of breathing in Yoga exercise. They are breathing throughout the life and have read a lot about breathing. Still the conflict exists as they have not resolved them before teaching.
Neel,
I totally agree with you on this one. The conflicts must be resolved in your own practice first or you will be teaching those conflicts to others. Although I believe that you learn to teach by teaching, if you haven't developed your personal practice first, you don't really have anything to teach (no matter how good you become at teaching it). In other words: you learn the content from your own practice and you learn how to present it to others through experience in teaching it.
Namaste,
Jim |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| Kym - I write down almost all of my classes as well. I often have a theme for the week, so I might just write down the first class of the week and jot down other poses that I have added for a higher level class, for example. The funny thing about going back to old plans is that I find I almost never use them. I get maybe an idea from it, but almost always end up veering off into a new direction  |
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| Here's my version of the Rocket Series...
I'm teaching this tomorrow for Power Yoga...
Surya Namskara A
Surya Namskara B
Utkatasana
Ardha Utkatasana
Bakasana
Vinyasa
Warrior 1, 2
Triangle, Revovle Triangle, Side Angle, Revolve Side Angle
Pincha Mayurasana
Dolphin one leg up
Pincha Mayurasana
Balasana
Padagusthasana
Elbows to toes
Heels lifted
prasarita Padottanasana
Tripod Headstand prep
prasarita Padottanasana c
prasarita Padottanasana d
samakonasana
Ardha Hanumanasana
Uphvista Konasana
handstand
Parsvottasana
Pashasana
parva bakasana
Heron
Heron B
Locust
Locust B
Supta Virasana
Pincha Mayurasana
Bakasana
Dhanurasana
Parva Dhanurasana
Raja eka pada Kapotasana
Ushtrasana
Urdhva Dhanurasana
Bakasana
Forearm Balance/Dolphin
Ardha Matsyendrasana
finishing
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| TampaEric - 2007-08-10 4:46 PM Here's my version of the Rocket Series... I'm teaching this tomorrow for Power Yoga... Wow, that's quite a full list of poses and sequences! I'm assuming you get an hour and a half at least for this class. With the group that's been attending my classes, I probably couldn't get much past bakasana as the final pose, it's way too much to pack into my 55 minutes (or less, if the previous class has run over). Where's all the prep work for the body to be ready for bakasana? The surya namaskars are sufficient for your group? I don't teach power yoga, and probably not even vinyasa then, from the looks of what I'm comparing here to mine. Yes, the poses flow one into the other in a way that makes sense to the body, but we spend time in each one, understanding and experiencing ourselves there. Also, do you commit this sequence to memory? Probably since you've practiced it so many times yourself, it's not an issue. Maybe that's the thing for me: I'm trying too hard to create a choreographed "flow", that's why I can't remember it without having to practice it multiple times. And once I do that, it isn't authentic for me anymore. Thanks so much for the perspective though! |
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| jimg - 2007-08-10 1:18 PM I look at it like improvising in music, where there are basic rules that you follow but follow your intuition within that context. Very good analogy for me, since I come from a background in music as well. OK, so then how would you instruct someone to learn how to improvise? For yourself, it's fine, but when you have a class with an unknown mix of students, as well as a life lesson or theme for the class to impart on them, as well as to connect to the physical focus, there has to be some sort of framework to draw upon, no? I'm starting to realize it's what I thought all along, just experience needs to be accumulated. Also having the confidence in my own abilities to draw on my resources to improvise as needed. I do this with my private clients all the time, it's the only way I know how to teach them, but when it comes to a group, I think I'm stymied by the sheer numbers. So then I tell myself I need a script. By not having a plan and therefore making each class unique, I have a lot of room for growth as both a person and a teacher and never find it repetitive or boring. Do you also not plan out what you're going to be talking about, aside from asana? Or is the dharma talk, yogic philosophy, physical to energetic connections, etc., not part of how you teach? |
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| Kym - 2007-08-10 4:12 PM It is flat out not in my DNA to come to class without a plan! That's exactly how I feel as well, though I've noticed that in the fitness classes that I teach (and have been teaching for close to 4 years now), I can "wing it" no problem. But then again, in fitness, I am doing the exercises along with the rest of the class, so my body tells me what to do next, it just feels like the next right thing, and I don't have to think. For yoga, I teach off the mat, so unless it's a sequence that is very familiar to my body, I don't always know what will feel good next, just by watching all the bodies. The bodies are all different too, and I think I get distracted by each one's different challenges. If the entire group is having trouble in low cobra, for example, I'll stop the class and work through the actions of that pose because they needed it, though now my entire class plan has gone to pot. Fifty-five minutes is SUCH a short amount of time! Thanks for your response. |
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| tourist - 2007-08-10 10:47 AM I know at least one of my teachers dedicates one practice per week to class planning. She chooses a theme and works through the various levels and sometimes adds poses just for herself as she goes along. That is a model I will follow one day when I gain that level of discipline! So yeah, it is a matter of discipline, isn't it? And because I opted to teach not at the same level that I practice, it does take a bit of doing one's homework to understand what is needed to convey certain feelings and actions to relative beginners. I think I've really become spoiled by working one-on-one for so long. Thanks for the insight and reminder! |
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| kulkarnn - 2007-08-10 9:44 AM There are two types of teachers: - Those who have done practice beyond what is needed for any classes. And, then they teach the class either for fun, for spending time, for helping others, or for making income, or any combination of this. Though they can learn something from this teaching, that is not really necessary or their focus. This is the type of teacher I strive to be, the type my teacher is, though she has many years of experience and I do not. Someone else said this in this thread (jimg perhaps?) that by teaching one learns how to teach. I believe I am in process right now, making all the necessary mistakes as I try to learn to do what I'm currently doing. - Those who are just certified, especially from a Western Secular type of Yoga School (sorry jimg, but that is true!) where a particular syllabus is completed to get a certificate. Now, they are using the classes to learn more about teaching or to confirm the syllabus. They are the ones who get pressure as they have resolve the conflict between their practice, knowledge, and classes, and responsibilites. Yes, I understand, and I try very hard NOT to fall into that rut. My practice is separate from what I strive to teach, but I teach from my own practice. I only offer what I, authentically, understand and know in my own self. The former ones are at an advantage because, they have already resolved the conflicts in learning and in practice. And this takes time and experience, yes? Though I read what you said, that even after 15 years, it may not be enough time and experience. Some days I feel that attempting to teach yoga is ruining my yoga for me. I'm trying too hard, and that's not yoga. It does not come as easily as, well, breathing, for the lack of a better comparison. Might still be my issues of lack of trust in myself, my abilities, my intuition. I think I need a script whereas the script is actually dragging me down. Maybe I'm just still being impatient. Thank you for your insight and opinions, Neel. It is always very much appreciated. |
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| jonnie - 2007-08-10 1:34 PM What I would say is that I think I'd feel a litttle uncomfortable walking into a room with a pre-arranged class and not knowing my students. Welcome to the wonderful world of teaching at a gym! Yes, it's very disconcerting not knowing who's going to show up that day, let alone if they're even be able to do a halfway decent downward dog! I do think it's a wise idea to separate your personal practise from your class preparation practise though. I finally did get on my mat last evening to practice a couple of the sequences from this morning's class (went fine, I suppose), and the "rehearsal" did end up being the practice I needed for myself: parsvottanasana, parivrtta trikonasana and eka pada rajakapotasana. I spent close to 45 minutes on those three poses, one side's sequence then the other, then had a good long savasana. I felt better as a result, but still had to look at my notes several times during class this morning, to remember which sequence I wanted to do next. Oh well, maybe tomorrow morning's class will fare better. Good thing there's always tomorrows! |
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| OM-"Do you also not plan out what you're going to be talking about, aside from asana? Or is the dharma talk, yogic philosophy, physical to energetic connections, etc., not part of how you teach?"
jimg-Sometimes what I want to talk about comes to me as I drive to the class, but mostly everything that I say or do comes out of the poses. For example: If we are doing a balancing pose, I may talk about balance in the body, mind, emotions or life in general. Since there are often conservative Christians in my classes, I am always careful not to use words that could offend their beliefs and I try to explain things in a way that they can accept. Since my class includes conservative and liberal Christians, Jews, athiests and agnostics, I stick to basics (body, mind and spirit), you can verbalize in a way that works for everyone. I truly believe that Yoga is good for everyone and can be done and explained in ways that don't challange anyone else's beliefs. I hope that I encourage my students to think on their own rather than tell them what to think.
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| OK, jimg, we're still on the same wavelength, good. Another question for you: how long were you teaching before you got to the confidence level you have now? I think my issue really has to do with me being impatient for achieving the level of competence I already have when I teach my private clients or my fitness classes. So was it 6 months? A year? Just one week? |
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| I think that this is a process that happens slowly. I am a also a performer so I am comfortable in front of people and I have taught music lessons since I was 14 (I'm 56 now) so some of it was already there before I started teaching Yoga. I would say that it took about six months of teaching regular classes before I started feeling really comfortable. Teacher trainings can be very important but I think that you need to find your own style through a combination of experimentation and experience. As I said before, you also need a personal practice so that you have something to teach other than just repeating someone else's monologue. Even though I have been teaching Yoga classes on a regular basis for over four years now, I am learning all the time and hope to continue learning. It is a lot of fun! |
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| This is a fantastic statement and I love it. Thanks for taking time to describe it in details.
jimg - 2007-08-10 1:18 PM
I don't prepare for classes other than getting myself internally in the right space. Since I don't know ahead of time who is going to be in my class and what their skill or fitness level is going to be, advance planning doesn't work for me. I have a very large general framework of what I consider good sequencing and I kind of pick and choose items from the appitizer list, the soup list, the salad list, the entree list and of course desert, picking appropriate poses and style for the people who are present and adjusting as I go. I look at it like improvising in music, where there are basic rules that you follow but follow your intuition within that context. I always start with breathing, build up heat and intensity, do some deep stretching, cool down and end with deep relaxation, breathing and savasana. This often takes the form of a gentle or vigorous flow class but sometimes (if attendence is low) I will do a Iyengar style class where we spend a lot of time working on a pose (getting really picky about the details) before going on to the next. Many classes will flow: breathing, gentle stretching, sun salutations, standing poses, balancing poses, back strengthening, abs strengthening, seated forward bends, back bends, deep stretching/hip openers/twists, breathing and deep relaxation. I also have re-alignment poses in between the types and start each type with easier poses, progress to more difficult poses and then finish with an easier pose before going on to the next type. (Example: Triangle, half moon, revolved half moon, half moon, triangle as a flowing vinyasa but holding each pose) I don't necessarily do all types in a single class. Sometimes we hold the poses for only a short time and work more on the breathing/flow aspect and sometimes we hold them for a much longer time. It all depends on who is there and what the energy level is. Since I often have older people (70-80 but usually very fit), overweight out-of-shape middle-aged people, weight-lifters, athletes, dancers, older teens (16-19), people with injuries, people who have been coming to my classes for years, people who are at their very first yoga class etc in the same class, I cannot follow a plan. By not having a plan and therefore making each class unique, I have a lot of room for growth as both a person and a teacher and never find it repetitive or boring. (I don't understand how Bikram teachers can do it.) I do my best to make every class worthwhile for each person in the class, although that is occasionally not possible if an individual is too different from the rest of the students. My wife or one of my daughters are usually in the class and they are not shy about telling me what they thought, so between their feedback and the feedback from the other students, I get plenty of feedback which I consider important. Since I have studied and practiced Iyengar, Power, Bikram, and Flow Yoga and have read (and viewed DVDs) about many other types (both American and Indian), I have a lot of tools to choose from for each class. I hope that this information is helpful to some of you.
My personal asana practice is basically the same. I am flexible in designing the practice for the student (me) who is there and their needs. My personal asana practice differs from my classes only in that I try to do "Yoga" all day every day and not just a couple times a week. |
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| jimg - 2007-08-10 4:19 PM
In other words: you learn the content from your own practice and you learn how to present it to others through experience in teaching it.
Namaste,
Jim
Fantastic. I love this way of putting it. |
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| OrangeMat - 2007-08-10 5:52 PM
Thank you for your insight and opinions, Neel. It is always very much appreciated.
===> Please see jimg's first response above. That is a better way to put it. |
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class prep vs. own practice
