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Informative Articles

Benefit of Yoga - The Christian Viewpoint
The Christian viewpoint is thus - if one opens the mind to clearer thinking and inner vision, they open the spirit to demonic possession.  It is felt that Yoga practice borders on occultism, and that opening one's mind and spirit to the...

Communication Skills for Yoga Teachers
Here is an oxymoron for you: Some of the best Yoga teachers are great listeners. This is a general guideline for Yoga students who aspire to teach some day. Listening skills, in Yoga, start when you take your first class, as you learn by...

Restorative Yoga for Stress Management
We now know that stress contributes to a multitude of ailments, such as: headaches, backaches, high blood pressure, stomach disorders, lowered immunity, muscular tension, depression, heart attack, and much more. Stress is definitely a "killer"...

Understanding the Yoga Sutras
In the West, there are many who practice Yoga for the physical benefits only. I'll never forget the first-time experience of teaching Yoga in a commercial health club setting. After practicing asanas and pranayama, I mentioned that we would start...

Which Yoga Mat Is The Right One For Me?
If you are just starting out with yoga, you already know that there are a number of different pieces of equipment that you may need and the yoga mat is one of them. But, how can you choose one that is right for you? There are several things to...

 
Yoga Teachers, Prepare for the New Year's Rush - Part 2

Let's continue with more ideas for workshops and some specialty classes that may fit in as part of your regular class schedule. You don't have to use all of these ideas, but you may find one, or two, that fit with your clientele and your Yoga studio.

Prenatal Yoga: Again, this is much better suited for the female Yoga instructor, but this teacher should be trained specifically in Prenatal and Postnatal Yoga. There are too many complications for the average Yoga teacher; this is for a Yoga specialist.

Modifications and contraindications change for pregnant Yoga students each trimester. Jane Mackarness has written such a course, and we carry it at our web site. This field requires much more research than the standard 200-hour training, but can lead to networking with medical professionals and hospitals.

Kids Yoga: Specialized training might be needed, but patience is a key element for Yoga instructors who want to embark on this path. I teach children myself, and a Kids Yoga class has to be fun and include games. Vinyasa will be very popular with children, since they get restless with nervous energy.

Children can learn a lot, but Yoga teachers, who spend time with them, realize they are not little adults. Sometimes, the Yoga teacher's lesson plan will not be finished due to questions, answers, and kids just having fun being kids.

Hot Yoga: Most Hot Yoga classes originated from Bikram's style. Be careful not to use his sequences; he has patented them. Also, the Yoga teacher who wants to pursue this path should be familiar with how she or he will perform under conditions of serious heat. Hot Yoga is good, but it is not for everyone. Hot Yoga classes are usually held at a temperature of 105 Degrees Fahrenheit.

108 Sun Salutations: Many Yoga studios and ashrams have these workshops at the beginning of a season. This is good bonding time for the more physical Yoga students within your facility. You could always go out to your favorite restaurant afterwards.

Yoga with Weights: Sherri Baptiste just released a book on this subject. Bodybuilders have practiced combining weight resistance principles, with Yoga, for years, but Sherri may be on to something here. Yoga purists aside - the contracting of muscles during weight resistance training, and the stretching of muscles when practicing Hatha Yoga, can be a harmonious relationship.

© Copyright 2005 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

About the author:

Paul Jerard is the director of Yoga teacher training at Aura in RI. He's a master instructor of martial arts and Yoga. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness. He wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students wanting to be a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org