Yoga class without teacher adjustments ?
it is nice to have group energy . But I do find it much better when a teacher teaches instead of just leading a class imho. …what do you think ?
Cheers
Peace
Working in a yoga studio I have noticed that there are many different aims a teacher may focus on. My favorite is of course the kind that teaches whether that may be alignment points or philosophy. The most common is the kind that flows. This isn’t to say that you can’t teach in a flow but in vinyasa classes the cues move so quickly there is little time for instruction. The variety doesn’t stop there however as there are also teachers that aim to lead you through an experience rather than tell you what you should be doing. Still others are in their own practice throughout the class.
I’m sure there are more types and really all are important because they all get numbers. The students who are still at the point of practice where they are pursuing purely physical benefits may not want instruction because they feel overwhelmed by it and may say, “calves do not move into shins, they are stationary.” (Hint: use your imagination in yoga, it’ll get you far).
As for hands on adjustments I heard once that iyengar instructors are told not to lay on hands for their first year of teaching. If that’s true then I think that is dumb. In YogaWorks TT they teach never to do an adjustment that you can otherwise instruct verbally. You can combine this concept with one from a teacher of mine. She will give an instruction three times. If you have not figured it out after the third then perhaps you will next time.
Thank you Nice well thought out response
I know I am a little dense and if my teacher adjust my arms ,legs or hips or hands feet head shoulders chest etc .and I feel it it sinks way better than words .case in point teachers says eyes of the elbows face forward …having them moved into that position by the teacher all of a sudden the student feels it and makes the connection .the laying on of hands can have a profound effect ,it has on me and I am always grateful for it from my teacher
In commersialised yoga there is little time for correction.
Sorry for my lack of commas!
Fixed- this came to mind. A hands on adjustment is initiated as an external lever. Some people enjoy this connection and others dread it. A methodical and well intended adjustment hopefully comes across as learning experience rather than a correction. This nature as an external lever however, can be a red herring to going inside. Basically, do yoga from your bones.
Fakeyogis- there is plenty of time for teaching in commercialized yoga. The difference is that not every student/teacher is a scholar of the subject. This isn’t itself a bad thing because like the different mediums of art there are the different methods of teaching/leading a yoga class/experience.
I wrote correction, not teaching . Happy new year.
Every class is different (read: unique).
In some you are adjusted. In others, you are not.
I personally do not come to class with an intention of adjusting students. I come with an intention of providing clear direction that cannot be misunderstood. When there are safety issues they must be attended to, absolutely. Other things as time permits, following a teaching construct (tell, trace, touch).
[QUOTE=fakeyogis;81420]I wrote correction, not teaching . Happy new year.[/QUOTE]
Whoops, sorry!
I love the adjustments I get in class… Sometimes our teacher will have a “helper” who is there to do adjustments while she leads the asanas. I feel like this works really well… Even when she is by herself though, I never feel as if she’s too busy “leading” to come correct a pose.
I attend a Vinyasa flow class 4 nights a week at the same studio. Each night is a different teacher and each night is a very different class.
the toughest one is the guy who is very technical and takes the time to instruct and correct.
While he is correcting someone the rest of us can be gasping a bit as we hold the poses a loooong time it seems.
I am usually sore after his class, but feel I get the most out of his deliberate teaching.
I know a fellow he said " the yoga teacher does not like me ,he is always adjusting me"
I said" the teacher likes you otherwise the teacher would say nothing "
Imho
Cheers
I’m with Gordon in this. I never come to class thinking I’ll be adjusting or not. It depends on the student and what we are doing. There are definitely times when adjustments are needed for safety reasons and other times for refinement.
While most students enjoy adjustments, they get the most out of cues. But as a teacher who does little if any demo-ing, walking around and simply touching the student if alignment is off, is their cue to do their own correct adjustment. More often than not, they move into correct alignment. If not, I work with them. Of course this depends on your students, their level of experience and how well they understand yoga.
Only for very experienced yogis I would say, what is the use of an asana if it is not done correctly?! it just harms the mind and body more then it does benifit. So the teacher if he gives CLASSES should TEACH and correct, if he just LEADS a class ( so then the people that join allready know what they are doing) he needs not to correct.