Help w/ supported reclined Hero pose

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]Hello and thank you. I teach yoga to disabled adults living in a supported residential community. The disability within the class is a wide spectrum, spanning both cognitive and physical challenges.

The class stresses restorative yoga poses, gentle flows and meditation to warm the body and bring awareness. I have tried to introduce supported reclined hero pose, supta virasana, twice. It is too challenging for the class, both physically and mentally. What would you suggest?

This class constantly amazes me in what the students can and can not do. For example, twists that incorporate bends to the right and left are a cognitive challenge but a supported Warrior 3 is quite easy.

I am very lucky for I see this class as a flower gently opening into bloom.

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#2

Good question.

It would be infinitely more helpful to know what “too challenging physically” actually means other then “they can’t do it”. Is this an ankle issue, a qudriceps issue, a hip flexor issue… Can’t really modify something when I don’t know what’s obstructing it.

That having been said -

Eka Pada Supta Virasana on a bolster or something with enough height to make the physical pose accessible to the population you’re working with. Then, of course, the requisite modifications of that pose for those that need it based on that which was imparted in the teacher training you completed.

#3

[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana][COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]Thank you for your reply, I appreciate your time. I believe that the class mostly has a mental challenge. The physical part is difficult to ascertain. Again, the class has a diversity of cognitive challenges. I am working with adults that have Trisomy 18, or Trisomy 21, another has a severe seizure disorder combined with cerebral palsy and Trisomy 13. Others are typical cognitive adults, yet are living with the aftermaths of a stroke.

I do not ask what the disability of my student is, that would be rude. I try to offer acceptance and non-judgment of the individual. It is very challenging, as a teacher one needs to find how to communicate with the individual on their level.

It is not a typical class where one can ask what is happening within a pose, or even realign a student within a pose. Unfortunately, the students lack the cognitive reasoning to explain the awareness of the pose.

Yes, quadriceps and hip adductors are a physical challenge. It is for most students in a typical yoga class going into supta virasana. That is a general assumption one can be confident in. I was hoping that someone has worked with cognitively challenged adults and could offer some advice on introducing new asana’s.

Yoga and meditation offers these adults the ability to find something else within their lives. I’m grateful I can offer my time in this way. Again, thank you.[/FONT][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR]

#4

You are, of course, welcome.

I think I’ll leave the rest of the conversation to “someone (who) has worked with cognitively challenged adults”.