YOGA FOCUS
YOGA FOCUS
CONNECT WITH EVERY YOGA STUDENT When the fundamental purpose of yoga is connection , you need to make sure you ’ re teaching in a way that clicks with every participant says Lisa Greenbaum .
T he fundamental reason for
practicing yoga is connection : connecting with ourselves and , in so doing , helping us find a deeper connection with others . For many people , this lack of connection is the source of many afflictions , from anxiety and depression to addiction , PTSD or other stress-related illnesses . In teaching any fitness modality we have an amazing opportunity to connect with our clients , and in teaching them alignment principles they find the road back to their physical bodies and ultimately their physical health . The unique opportunity to increase this feeling of connection in yoga is through the breath and meditative mind , by reminding our students of the power behind the breath and to keep the breath full and even . Taking time for meditation through stillness at the beginning and end of class in effect resets the nervous system . This gives participants the chance to spend more time in parasympathetic nervous system , also known as ‘ rest and digest ’, which conserves energy .
An important aspect to consider when connecting with our students is their particular learning style . Many of us in the fitness industry are kinaesthetic and visual learners by nature . We love to learn through the physical sensations in our body and we need to see what to do , whether through photos , videos or in person . Whatever our preferred learning style is will also be where we primarily want to teach from . In order to get your message across to your many and varied participants , you should cater to all three learning styles : visual , auditory and kinaesthetic ( VAK ).
Visual
Make sure students can see you demonstrating new poses ( though you don ’ t need to demo the entire class , as this would prevent you from taking the opportunity to walk around and make personal connections as well .) Also , consider what cues you can use to evoke imagery . Phrases such as ‘ visualising ourselves strong and tall like a tree ’ or even ‘ looking down to ensure alignment of our knee over our ankle ’ work well for visual learners .
Auditory
Auditory learners need clear and concise cues . Make sure that your students can hear you and your directions in order to move correctly and safely . Stay away from too much fluffy language and feeling the need to fill every space with your voice . Actionoriented words help here , such as ‘ stepping back into Warrior 1 , aligning our hips towards the front of the room .’
Kinaesthetic
These are your feeling cues . Kinaesthetic learners will most often have their eyes closed , focusing on the sensations each pose brings . Cues such as ‘ squeezing the muscles of our legs in dynamic tension ’ or ‘ feeling our breath deep in our bellies ’ will help our kinaesthetic learners feel their way into each pose .
If you remember to employ cues from each learning style in every class , you will quickly notice the engagement of your class increase . The more they experience the joy of yoga or fitness , the more opportunities they will have to connect both with you , the other participants in the class and , most importantly , themselves .
Lisa Greenbaum holds her E-RYT 500 in yoga and is the Program Development Manager for YogaFit Australia and Director of YogaFit Canada .
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