...mportant, and the options on teacher training so varied, the responsibility for selecting a high quality yoga teacher is passed to the students and should not be taken lightly.

So what makes a good teacher? The yoga instructor is elemental in setting the tone of the class. The teacher, their style of yoga and their approach to teaching, can not only determine whether you enjoy a session, but whether you like yoga at all. But more than that the yoga teacher, the routines they teach and the quality of their teaching will control how much benefit we get from the practice.

While there are many complexities that determine whether we enjoy a class, there are two things a yoga teacher must always do.

The teacher must guide our practice on a macro-level with a well rounded practice. It is important that we develop our bodies in a balanced and uniform manner which means in a single session we should develop strength, flexibility to all muscles and joints without over emphasis on one area that could lead to strains and injury. On top of this it's important perform balancing poses that improve body co-ordination and improve concentration. Finally every pose, particularly the flexion and compression of the back, has a counter pose. A well designed yoga routine takes this into consideration to prevent over straining muscles and reduce soreness.

The yoga teacher must guide our learning on a micro-level with correct technique and alignment to increase our abilities without injury. Firstly the teacher needs to provide demonstration and detailed instruction on how to safely enter, hold and exit the poses. The descriptions should include details about correct steps to enter the pose as well as key points to consider such as alignment and muscles to use.

In addition the teacher needs to quickly gauge each individual's abilities so they can advise on more basic or more advanced variations as appropriate. Then the teacher needs to observe how we are performing each pose helping to correct errors that may lead to injuries. Correction of poses can include verbal descriptions or by physical assistance and repositioning.

How to find a teacher that works for us? The best way to choose a yoga teacher is by giving their class a try. We usually know before the end of the first class whether we're going to be able to follow this style of yoga and the teacher.

However, if we have less experience of yoga, attending a new school of yoga or a new teacher may...more

Chair Yoga Vinyasa flow

...Here is an option for your Chair Yoga classes. There are seated flows and standing flows from the back, or side, of the chair. The flow, which we know as Vinyasa, is synchronized breathing with movement. This brings to mind vigorous Yoga classes for young, energetic, and fit Yoga students.

However, vinyasa can be gentle, too. If introduced correctly, vinyasa Flows can be fun for students of all ages and most health conditions. The exception to this is extremely severe arthritis. Unfortunately, excess movement is not encouraged for this particular group.

Do not give medical advice, and explain to your students that yo...more

Yoga teacher certification or Registration - Part 2

...ave a minimum of 200 hours of study. The Yoga teacher course selected should cover all the facets of Yoga, but when considering liability, anatomy, kinesiology, physiology, safety, modifications, props, and contraindications are of prime importance.

When I hire a Yoga teacher; safety, communication, and knowledge override any credentials. The teaching performance within a Yoga class is more important than any other factor. This is why some Yoga studios do an evaluation of a new Yoga teacher on a trial basis.

When should I become a Registered Yoga teacher? The fact is you dont have to join a Yoga teachers association or become a re...more

How to Start Pranayama?

... spare some time in office and do Pranayama sitting on a chair.

You can start with the following Pranayama exercises:

• Rhythmic Deep Breathing. It is the most beneficial Pranayama which can be integrated with your way of life. Rhythmic breathing can even be done walking, sitting in office or waiting at airports. It involves deepening your breath and reduce your breathing rate to 6 to 8 breaths per minute (average person breathes 15 times per minute). Less breathing rate reduces wear and tear of body while at the same time, deep breathing increases the amount of oxygen you breathe. You can recollect that before commencing a difficult task, we generally take a couple of deep breaths.
• Alom Vilom. It is the simplest Pranayama and any person can do it. Even very old or weak people can do it by lying down if they are not able to sit comfortably. Alom Vilom improves blood ci...more
  
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