Learning yoga in isolation is not possibly the best thing to do. That is probably, the reason why, students from across the globe are flocking to destinations like India, to pursue Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh. While most schools teach the same modules listed under the syllabus, you will find certain differences from one to another. Secondly, almost all schools have an RYS certification. But, while you will see most teachers teaching yoga well, and students emulating the same, things are not always perfect. By perfection, we mean that you may be doing something wrong underneath that is keeping you from achieving your goals.
Many of you will also get injured while doing yoga. Wasn’t yoga supposed to be something that everyone could try? Yes, of course, it is for all backgrounds and ages. However, many people do it wrong. Some try to copy their peers, while others try to pressure their muscles. Ligament injuries often occur as a result of such unaccounted-for movements. This is where alignments and modifications enter the scene.
Things To Keep In Mind – Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh
When you enroll yourself in the Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh, you will find out that there are lots of nuances that you were not aware of, earlier. You may have practiced yoga before, but your main goal was to achieve perfection. However, you must know that there is nothing called ‘perfection’ in yoga. Something that is good for you, may not be good for others and vice versa. Moreover, if you are unable to identify your comfort zone, you may not get all the benefits that yoga offers.
If you are eager to become an expert in yoga or teach others, there are a few things you need to be aware of. But, not every teacher or school is equipped to teach you that. Join Living Yoga School to get the best guidance.
- You should always take consent from your students later on if they are comfortable with the way you are guiding them. In yoga, some amount of physical contact may be necessary.
- You should allow students to find out their comfort zone.
- If a student refuses to do a pose the way you want them to do, do not feel bad.
- You should not startle your students while helping them to make adjustments.
- Self-awareness culture is absolutely necessary if you want to excel as a yoga teacher. This applies to both you and your yoga student.
Why Learning Alignments and Adjustments Is Necessary?
- The first thing is that you will not injure yourself while doing yoga. While it is necessary for each pose to be done according to the guidelines, there are alternatives as well. Sometimes, wrong practice can lead to stiffness in the body. You should stress on first, increasing the range of motion and then think about alignment. As your body gets used to the practice, alignments fall into place. You can actually correct your alignments with props, too.
- You will be able to get a good posture. There will be less stress on the joints and muscles, in a proper alignment. There is a specific position for each pose. But is absolutely difficult to define it. When you are able to maintain symmetry, it translates into the ideal posture.
- If you practice the right alignment, in due course of time, you will be able to conserve your energy. So, it results in longer sessions and you can deepen your practice. It will also consume less energy. So, you will not feel fatigued. The energy flow through the body also increases, as a result.
At Living Yoga School, you will get complete guidance on the above aspects. Just emulating what your teacher or peers are doing, will be of no help. Alignments assume a lot of importance in the realm of yoga practice.
Moving on to modifications, they are for all levels of yoga practitioners, beginners, intermediates, and advanced.
Yoga poses modifications help reduce stress, lessen the risk of injuries, and also reduce pressure on muscles. Most of us forget, that we hold stress by tensing the muscles. You need to observe your body, to find out what works for you. You can try two different modifications to see, which one fits better.
Scenarios Where Modifications Work Well
The most experienced teachers guide you in the Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh. There are a few instances, where modifications work well for you.
Wrist Discomfort
In this case, you may be doing too many repetitive poses with the pressure on your wrist. Doing too many planks can result in such conditions. There are modifications that can help you here. Instead of keeping the palms flat on the ground, you can put pressure on the knuckles. You can also place your dumbbells and then do the planks.
Elbow pain
The tendons and ligaments around the elbows may hurt at some point if you are putting too much pressure on them. You can opt out of poses like Crow pose, Crane pose, and Peacock pose, in such cases. You can do Chaturangasana instead. Do not lower yourself much.
Neck pain
The head positioning can impact the shoulders and neck. If you are working at a desk job often, you may suffer from neck pain. If you are among those suffering from neck pain, then avoid shoulder stands and headstands. Avoid camel pose as well.
You may also need to pay attention to body issues, like loss of bone density. You need to avoid certain poses, if you suffer from any sort of arthritis as well. Forward folds are considered the riskiest in such cases. Big backbends and side bends must also be avoided. These are just a few of the instances mentioned here.
If you want to learn yoga in the best manner, alignments and modifications come to the forefront. Join a good school to get the maximum knowledge. Not every teacher can guide you well.