Conversations for Yoga Teachers

The Identity of a Yoga Teacher (EP.33)

For today’s episode, we’re going to talk about identity. I know, you’re thinking we’re supposed to be talking about anatomy, as that’s my specialty. But if you’ve listened to the podcast for a while, you know I like to build in some teacher development topics as what’s the point of learning anatomy if you’re too freaked about about teaching because there’s all this inner turmoil? It’s a dual process; learn the information but also grow as a person, and together, transformation happens!

 

Now, one of the things I’ll be sharing on the podcast is your special invitation to my October event called “The Urban Wellness Saturday.” This is a full day event, devoted to wellness and health by offering you a chance to move through yoga and a short fitness session, meditate with a local expert from the Cambridge Insight and Meditation Center and hear from speakers in science and nutrition. The day gets rounded out with healthy food, an inspiring speaker at the end of the day and more. Because you’re a podcast listener, you get a special VIP rate. First, take a look at the event on the registration page:

 

https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/the-bare-bones-yoga-urban-wellness-saturday/

 

Then, if you’re all in, email me for your special VIP invite and you’ll get a discount! Just email me at karen@barebonesyoga.com.

What are your feelings about learning anatomy? (EP.32)

Ever wonder why it’s hard for people to learn anatomy? There are a host of reasons but one may be that teachers just feel they can’t learn it! I often hear, “I’m not good at science” or       “anatomy is just such a big topic, I could never learn it all!” Well, in this episode, I tackle that mindset and shed light on it because in order for us to learn anatomy, we have to bring up any biases we have against our learning it. I also give you a 10 Step Plan (I review 3 of the 10 steps) to help you learn anatomy. In the episode, I give you access to a free download that lists them all out. You can get that download here:

 

https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/ten-steps-to-learning-anatomy/

 

Thanks for listening and please comment with your thoughts! 

 

Things I USED to believe as a new teacher (EP.31)

For today’s episode, I want you think about beliefs that you have about teaching. Close your eyes, go deep inside  and think about what you believe to be true as a teacher. It could be about money, or poses, or getting a teaching gig, or personality or any number of things. We’re going to talk in detail about beliefs in general and then dive into some beliefs that teachers hold that when you break them down, don’t hold water.

 

Now, if you missed episode 2, go ahead and listen to that one next. Because in that one, I outlined self limiting beliefs that teachers had. Today, it’ll be a mix of things but along the same lines.

 

Now, why does this all matter? Because if we don’t examine our beliefs, we will always be operating from the same limited space. From the same limited mindset. Beliefs can be something we picked up from someone else and often are things that limit us in taking action, for instance. So this is why, in the context of teaching, if you want to be a successful teacher, with opportunity and a way to reach more students, you must examine your beliefs and make sure they are not holding you back!

 

Now, I know this podcast often touches on anatomy. Heck, it’s often all about anatomy because that’s my specialty. But we cannot ignore the aspect of mindset in teaching. Teaching is an expression of our personality and our beliefs so whether we teach with a focus on anatomy or something else, if we’re not growing personally, we missing out on a wonderful, necessary way to grow as a teacher.



In the podcast, I talk about a download on myofascial release. 



Grab it here:

https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/understanding-basic-concepts-about-myofascial-release/

 

Alternatives to Warrior 1 and the Anatomy Behind It (EP.30)

Hello, and WELCOME to Conversations for Yoga Teachers! I’m your host, Karen Fabian and this is EPISODE 30!

 

This is just a quick episode, designed to spark conversation about one of the mainstay, fundamental poses we do in almost every class: Warrior 1.

 

Think about it. Have you ever taught a regular flow class and NOT included a Warrior 1? Probably not. It’s important to understand what’s happening in the pose and have some alternatives in your back pocket that you can offer up. However, it’s even MORE helpful if you know the anatomy behind WHY the pose is such a challenge. For that, you’ll have to listen to the podcast.

 

Now, on the podcast, I mention that THIS WEEK ONLY my flagship training program on anatomy called YOUR YOGA ANATOMY BLUEPRINT is open for enrollment. I tell you more in the episode and to see all the details, click here:

 

https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/your-yoga-anatomy-blueprint-2019-summer-launch/

 

Happy listening!

 

Meet Trina Altman: Bringing a fresh approach to teaching with the logic to back it up (EP.29)

WELCOME to Conversations for Yoga Teachers! I’m your host, Karen Fabian and this is EPISODE 29!

 

One of the things I love about hosting my podcast is I get to interview really interesting and innovative teachers and today is no exception.

 

I was introduced to Trina Altman through her thoughtful posts on social media. While they were focused on anatomy, which is my focus of teaching as well, they presented yoga in a new and different way. Trina, to me, is someone who is not willing to just “go with the flow” and do what everyone else is doing. And while you might think it’s about “being different just to try to be popular” nothing could be further from the truth. Her keen eye towards the practice, backed by her knowledge of anatomy and biomechanics, allows her to question “the way things have been presented” and give it a fresh new approach, all with the overall goal of helping as many students as possible access the practice as well as teachers and helping them learn new ways to present it and the WHY’s behind these different approaches (so important!!)

 

Trina’s background is as follows:

 

She received her training through STOTT Pilates® and is an E-RYT 500. She has created two programs: Yoga Deconstructed® and Pilates Deconstructed® to show teachers how to take an interdisciplinary approach to foster an embodied understanding of yoga and Pilates in relation to modern movement science. You can find out more about her here on her website, www.trinaaltman.com

 

Get ready for a great conversation and carve out some time because this one runs a bit longer and is full of interesting conversation!

Cues Breakdown for Challenging Yoga Poses, including Crow and Flip Dog (EP.28)

In some of my past episodes, I reviewed cues for different yoga poses to give you a sense of both the anatomy and the physical action cues you might share. If you missed those, they were episodes 17, 18 and 19.  So, I’m back today to run through 3 more poses that fall on the more “challenging” side of things versus some of the other episodes that covered fundamental poses.

 

Please keep in mind that what’s challenging to one person is not to another so things are always relative. Plus, it is not my intention to suggest that you add these poses to your teaching, only that we have a chance to discuss them to see how we might teach them. 

Now, I’m recording this episode on July 12^th, 2019 and starting next week, I’ll be offering a totally FREE video training on anatomy to my VIP mailing list. This will cover many of the fundamentals of shoulder anatomy so it’s SO applicable to teaching. If you’re wondering what the shoulders do in different poses, are looking for easy ways to understand the muscles at work, ALL in an effort to give better and CORRECT!! Cues, you must be IN on this training.

 

Now, it’s not on social media and will ONLY be released to those on my VIP list. You’ll get a three videos, all next week and ALL leading up a to a huge surprise launch the following week. (sneak peak!!)

 

So, to register for this training, just click here: 

 

https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/free-video-series-yoga-anatomy-sign-up/

 

OR maybe you’ve already downloaded one of my free tools and you’re on my VIP already!? If so, there’s NOTHING you need to do. You can also visit my website and look at the home page for some free tools to grab, like my yoga sequence template and that’ll get you on the list too. My website is www.barebonesyoga.com

Learn About the Body’s Connective Tissue Matrix, Fascia and Myofascial Release (EP.27)

Today, I’m going to give you a short primer on fascia, the body’s connective tissue matrix. Now, just to put it into further context, there is an ENTIRE MODULE on fascia in my online course as I prep for a July 2019 launch of the course. So, this little snippet here is your audio introduction to fascia but know that in the course, this topic is expanded upon even more AND the piece I can’t give you here, because it’s audio only, is the visual. This part is SO important to learning how to keep the fascia healthy AND how to show your students techniques they can use, using MFR balls. ALL THAT and MORE is included in the course. 

So for now, we’ll start with this brief introduction and know that I’ve got you covered when my flagship course on anatomy launches in July. Now, I want you to remember that ALL of this content is included in a FREE download so you don’t have to worry about keeping this all straight. Just grab the download here:

https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/understanding-basic-concepts-about-myofascial-release/

 

Learning about fascia will give you a more full and complete understanding of the body and give you more confidence around sharing it. 

 

Let’s dive in and leave a comment when you’re done!

Five Alignment Red Flags and the Anatomical Rationale Behind Each (EP.26)

Today I’m going to go over a teaching topic around red flags that can arise when we’re teaching. By Red Flag, I mean something that, from an alignment perspective might be unsafe or create a position for the student where it’s hard for them to be steady in the pose. I’m not only going to review the red flag itself, I’m going to give you the anatomical reason behind each one so you can have a complete picture. 

 

To get the full list of the red flags I’m reviewing, download it here:

 

https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/five-alignment-red-flags/

Raising the Bar for teachers: Meet Tiffany Cruikshank, International Yoga Teacher and Founder of Yoga Medicine (EP.25)

Today, I’m thrilled to be interviewing one of my mentors, Tiffany Cruikshank. Tiffany has a wealth and depth of experience that is unparalleled and shares it in a totally relatable, approachable fashion. In this interview, she gives us a glimpse into her beginnings as a teacher many years ago, how she began her work as a yoga teacher and how she developed her brand, Yoga Medicine, into the powerhouse it is today, with over 7,000 teachers around the world trained in her methods and part of her teaching network. You can find out more about her at www.yogamedicine.com.

Finding Your Way As a Teacher: Meet Nina Petruzzo (EP.24)

Today, I have a special guest on the show, fellow yoga teacher, Nina Petruzzo. Nina and I met many years ago at a training and I’ve always admired her work and especially her teaching style, commitment to her unique path and the way she personally expresses herself in all that she does, in a really beautiful authentic way. With Nina, you never feel like she’s trying to impress; you always get the sense its coming right from her heart. Also, she’s studied with some highly credible teachers and has extensive experience. Here she walks us through her growth as a teacher and there are tons of lessons we can learn from!

 

Along with being an experienced yoga teacher, Nina is an occupational therapist and a holistic wellness coach. You can find out more about her on her website, ninapetruzzo.com. 

 

She’s also on instagram as @nina_petruzzo_yoga

 

Once you’ve listened, don’t forget to leave a comment!