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 Gentle Yoga Class - Help!Moderators: Moderators Jump to page : 1 Now viewing page 1 [25 messages per page] | View previous thread :: View next thread |
| Yoga -> Yoga Teachers | Message format |
twisti |
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| Hey Guys, long time no post! So I am in Cairns, Australia (again) and am teaching a few classes a week in someone else's studio. One of the classes is a 'gentle' class (which is certainly not my forte) and I am getting so bored with myself and need some inspiration and thought I might be able to find it here  The rules are, no standing postures or anything too strenous (backbends, inversions etc). I don't find it a very well rounded class yet I have to stick to the outline and its great for people who want to stretch yet don't want to 'work'. I think its good for people with injuries or as an addition to a stronger class ... yet for most people it's their 'one class a week' and I just don't know how I feel about that! Anyway, I start off in savasana, do some lying twists, setu bandasana then roll to sitting for some basic forward folds then its back to the floor for a little back release and then savasana again. Sometimes I throw in one legged pigeon or a lunge etc. The whole class is 75 mins long and I am sick of teaching it already. Can anyone offer some inspiration or ways to make this class more beneficial for me and my students? I just feel there isn't much I can do with it but I could be wrong ... Oh, props are way limited too as is wall space for viparita karani and such. Thanks in advance guys xx | |||
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| OrangeMat |
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| I helped my teacher write up a flow for a gentle class, and while there were no standing poses such as the warriors or triangle, etc., she did have some lunge work, modified sun salutes, even tree pose. Just off the top of my head, there was a whole section at the beginning (also starting in savasana) of seated arm work a la garudasana, side bending and stretching, supine twisting with chest openers, thread the needle, that sort of stuff. How about cat/cow and tiger pose variations? There's tons you can do! Hope this helped. | |||
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| mishoga |
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Expert Yogi Posts: 1738     Location: right where I'm supposed to be | |||
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| kulkarnn |
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| Orbilia |
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| I was going to suggest the one-leg standing balances too (tree, one leg prayer pose, one leg, lotus, perhaps even dancing lord shiva *wg*). Also, just teaching them how to stand in tadasana properly could take up quite a bit of time. How about substituting the supine twists with some seated ones and throwing in a little leg-folding such as the beginner preparation poses for Lotus? Also seated, wide-leg forward bend? The Bihar school of yoga have a routine I find useful as a warm-up and joint loosener .... the pawanmuktasana, anti-rheumatic and anti-gastric series : http://www.yogamag.net/archives/1997/1jan97/pawanmuk.shtml http://www.healthandyoga.com/html/yoga/asanas/pawanmuktasana1.asp http://www.healthandyoga.com/html/yoga/asanas/pawanmuktasana2.asp I've also done a routine I know as weaving the basket..... let me see if I can descibe (I may have the sequence a little awry as it's been a while since I watched this tape :-) ): - Sit cross-legged - Place hands on floor in front and walk them forward - Bring the hands/head back, stretch out the arms to the side, in line with the shoulders, hands in lose fists - Bring one arm across the body and hold in place with the forearm of the other, hold, repeat on other side -Bring hand to the floor either side, walk the fingers of one out to the side and bring the other arm up (side-stretch). Let the resting arm bend at the elbow if you can with lifting the buttocks from the floor. Repeat on other side. - Finish with seated twist each side, still cross-legged. Why no standing postures at all? My treacher does a class based around keeping the brain still / quiet once in a while where we do stuff like : - standing, wide-leg forward bend, head on blocks - D-F dog with head on blocks - Seated head to knee, head on blocks. - triangle, warrior II but keeping the head facing foward etc, etc You could also include the calming pranayama practises, visualisations and/or meditations? Of course, the rebel in you could always just ask the class if they'd like to sample a more typical Twisti class whilst they have the "opportunity" of sampling a different teacher's style   Fee Edited by Orbilia 2007-04-25 9:57 AM | |||
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| TampaEric |
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| twisti |
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| Thanks so much for the replies guys ... nice to know I haven't been forgotten I spent a few months in Thailand studying Thai Massage and since then (the last year or so) I haven't had the internet at home so I have been lurking just haven't had much time for posting ... the old website is still up (with lots of pop ups mind you) if you feel inclined: http://kristi-trinity.tripod.com/index.html not much new info on it though. Ok, back to the topic at hand ... Orange Mat - Yeah more arm work while seated would be an idea, forget about how effective yet simple that is! (Tick Garudasana arms for tonights class). I do already incorporate thread the needle and cat/cow like you mentioned. Mishoga - Visualisation would be good, not the usual for me in class but a great class to add it too (checked out your beautiful site they other day too ) Kulkarnn - Hee hee your post made me laugh Nice to hear from you Hun. My #1 rule is that class is NOT time for MY practice ... I guess I want the feeling that I have given my students as much as I could and because 'gentle' is so unfamiliar for me I don't feel I am doing that (although the feedback is always really positive from the students). But you are right, do what I can, do the job and just be happy ... got to stop focusing on perfection! Orbilia - Thanks for the links and descriptions! No standing postures ... just the outline and what people are prepped for I guess. I do do Downdog sometimes but thats the most standing upright we get ... oh, I have tried the rebel approach but the studio won't budge, the want they class kept as gentle. Being at 6.45pm - 8pm I can kinda dig that anyway ;) Tourist - No chairs ... Viparita is fine without a wall yet there are a few people in class that can barely do it in the middle of the room! (Bless their tight hamstrings). You are right though, got to see it more as a challenge not as a bore. Bruce - Buddy.... you still rock Thanks TampaEric - Similar to how my class goes some nights ... thanks for the input though, was good to see how you sequence it and also, cobra! Forgot to add that in, thanks. Jenifer - I hope you are enjoying NZ Darling, I almost went to HotYoga but stayed in Aussie instead (for now at least). Thanks for the links, might get the PDFs, they are alot cheaper than the other books I was looking at getting! You guys are great! MWAH | |||
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| Orbilia |
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| Hi Twisti, I hope some of the above was helpful. I really enjoyed my own class last night (7:30 - 9pm) as it was the first one that my Iyengar teacher has incorporated some of her newly qualified stuff into (mainly arm balances). Now if I could only find the courage to do inversions in the first place :-( The book that goes into the Pawanmuktasana in more detail is Asana, Pranayama, Mudra, Bandha by Swami Satyananda by the way and can be got through Amazon. Do let us know what you settle on for a revised sequence as I need a restorative/relaxing one for my home practise as my usual 90 minute one's designed to give everything a good work-out and get my head into the right place for meditation/yoga nidra. Sometimes though, well, you just need a yogic chill out, right?  Fee Edited by Orbilia 2007-04-26 5:07 AM | |||
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| mishoga |
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Expert Yogi Posts: 1738 Location: right where I'm supposed to be | Hey Twisti, I teach a mixture of classes although I have a feeling my faster paced classes are nowhere near what you teach, but the point is that sometimes my head is somewhere else when I teach my restorative class. I am not actually practicing with them but I am breathing with them so it does calm me as the class progresses. As far as the visualizations, it helps the students get into a place that is serene. I use all different scenerios, sitting on a big comfy chair on a rainy day, with your big fluffy rob on, (for older women) thinking about the day you gave birth to your first child, that time they placed that tiny baby in your arms, being in the arms of the one you love, taking a stroll in the garden after a spring shower and imagining the scents, etc...... (I know...corny) Sometimes I think because I am an artist I can see things in my head down to the last detail. I try to bring them there, like a blanket of security has washed over them. Anyway, I teach a few gentle classes. Thought I would share with you what my typical class would start off with. Rahini Yoga has 7 root warm-ups that are wonderful for every class but especially for restorative and gentle classes, plus they line up the Chakras/Windhorses. All warm-ups are in either Sukhasana or Padmasana The grind (spinal rotations linked with breath) The camel ride (spinal flexion and extension) Navel circles ( very subtle movement internally) Washing Machine (Fingers on shoulders,elbows extending from shoulder out, twisting softly right and left, linked with breath) Sway-away (releasing from side to side in same arm position) See-saw shrugs (finger tips release to sides of body, extending out to touch floor. Shoulders are like a plank-see-saw, lifting one as the other drops, linked with breath) Nose circles (movements is within the cervical region only, rest of the body is motionless) I don't think I'm explaining this good. If you want more particulars, PM me. Depending on how long you want to stay with this, it could eat up 10-20 minutes of class time. Usually this beginning follows 5 point seated pose from the buddhist tradition with equipose mudra. Also we start with cleansing breaths (alternate nostril breathing with Antar Kumbhaka between) I just know I'm not explaining this correctly to give you good idea of what I'm talking about. Pretty much my restorative classes are on the mat and are 1.5 long. Sometimes it's hard to be creative with format but it's really not about creativity. I really try to focus my students on slowing down thought patterns and being one with their breath. OK, if there are typos (which I'm sure there are) please forgive me. Twisti, need any info PM me. Good luck sista. Nice to have ya back! Edited by mishoga 2007-04-26 6:22 AM | ||
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| OrangeMat |
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| mishoga |
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Expert Yogi Posts: 1738 Location: right where I'm supposed to be | OrangeMat - 2007-04-26 7:24 AM How's it going with the new studio plan? Lots of luck and good thoughts to you on your new venture! I'm overwhelmed with all the information. I don't think that space will be avail for NOW!!!! But I do believe it will be mine sometime in 2008-2009. Maybe it's wishful thinking but I'm going to manifest my dream. Whether it will be in that location or some place close is a definite! It's happening in my future. Mishoga Wellness Yoga Center. Purple power all the way!!!! As far as those root warm-ups, they really do make you feel physically and emotionally balanced. Like taking the kink out of the hoseline and letting the water flow. Now go do some nose circles.   Edited by mishoga 2007-04-26 8:27 AM | ||
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| TampaEric |
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| twisti |
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