When yoga harms rather than heals - Fitness - MSNBC.com
When yoga harms rather than heals - Fitness - MSNBC.com
This was sent to me by Liam who thought of me (I am worried now that he thinks poorly of me as a teacher.)
At any rate I do have a very strong opinion about this subject and (no pun intended) it is a sore subject for me...
There seems is a frenzy in the fitness industry to churn out Yoga teachers (I am guessing because of the Yoga 'craze'). First of all the word yoga and craze should never be in the same sentence. PERIOD. Secondly, churning out anything as if it were a factory is wrong. But especially so when it comes to Yoga. You can't make a Yoga teacher in 6-weekend session classes. Not at all. To me at least - it takes YEARS to make a Yoga teacher. I have been studying Yoga since I was 17 years old - and while most people do not take on a life-long study the way I did, all that aside, it took me 2.5 years to train to become a Yoga teacher. The 6 months were spent 'student teaching'. I had to read over 20 books, take countless hours of classes, theorum, anatomy, physiology, ethics, philosophy, nutrition, psychology, AND practicum - I had a very, very intensive training not some 'learn Yoga in your spare time' bullshit. I was drilled over and over about the importance of keeping students safe, and the HARM NONE (Ahimsa) philosophy. I was not allowed to teach until my teachers (gurus) felt *I* was ready. All in all it was a journey - not a lark.
Now to teach and tell - something I don't want to really do but in defense of my colleagues I feel I must.
People/Students are idiots. Not all of them certainly - but a lot of them. If I had a nickle for every time a student didn't listen, or was way too eager to get that 'Yoga butt', or to achieve a perfect pose, or to compete - I would not have to teach. I have taught literally hundreds of students. For the most part I adored my students but let me give you an example of how horribly awry things can go for us on the teaching end of the classroom. Before I beginning this 'tirade' I want to let you know that as Yoga teachers one of the first things we are taught to ask our students is if they have any problems or injuries we need to be aware of in order to help them in class. In Yoga Journal magazine there is a cartoon ad for insurance that depicts a Yoga teacher asking a class full of students with bandaged heads and on crutches who all shout out they have no problems...yeah go figure - it's why we need to carry millions of dollars worth of insurance.
When you take any physical class you should come prepared. This means wearing proper clothes and perhaps bringing proper equipment. When I taught I sent e-mails to my students beforehand or spoke with them on the phone explaining what they needed to wear and bring to class. So imagine my surprise when I had a student (with whom I had had this conversation), show up in 'street clothes' (she was dressed for work in a professional office), heels, and as her Yoga mat she decided to use her winter coat (which was constructed of that slippery microfiber crap) - in essence this was a recipe for injury and as her TEACHER I politely told her she needed to remove her shoes and NOT use her coat - instead since we had indoor/outdoor non-skid carpeting in the room she would need to go without the mat for that session.
The very next day, I resent her the e-mail I send all students telling them how to prepare for class - I also said I would being extra mats just in case she needed one.
The next session this same student showed up STILL dressed inappropriately for class and this time her Yoga 'mat' was a garbage bag. I gave her a Yoga mat and took away her garbage bag. After class was over I asked her to stay so I oculd speak to her - I told her she needed to follow instructions not because I am a control freak but for her own SAFETY. I was nice but firm. She never showed up for class again (thank Shiva). Did this make me happy? No, I wanted the student in class - but more so I wanted her safe and I wanted her not to set a bad example for the other students. As a teacher I NEED to make sure above all my students are OK/safe - then comes enjoyment and helping them achieve their goals as Yoga practitioners.
There are, I am sure, a lot of stories like this on both sides of the Yoga fence. I just felt the need to place mine out there in the universe and try to perhaps initiate some understanding between students and teachers so perhaps injuries become something that never takes place in classes anywhere ever again (wishful thinking but so be it).
Namaste,
C~
This was sent to me by Liam who thought of me (I am worried now that he thinks poorly of me as a teacher.)
At any rate I do have a very strong opinion about this subject and (no pun intended) it is a sore subject for me...
There seems is a frenzy in the fitness industry to churn out Yoga teachers (I am guessing because of the Yoga 'craze'). First of all the word yoga and craze should never be in the same sentence. PERIOD. Secondly, churning out anything as if it were a factory is wrong. But especially so when it comes to Yoga. You can't make a Yoga teacher in 6-weekend session classes. Not at all. To me at least - it takes YEARS to make a Yoga teacher. I have been studying Yoga since I was 17 years old - and while most people do not take on a life-long study the way I did, all that aside, it took me 2.5 years to train to become a Yoga teacher. The 6 months were spent 'student teaching'. I had to read over 20 books, take countless hours of classes, theorum, anatomy, physiology, ethics, philosophy, nutrition, psychology, AND practicum - I had a very, very intensive training not some 'learn Yoga in your spare time' bullshit. I was drilled over and over about the importance of keeping students safe, and the HARM NONE (Ahimsa) philosophy. I was not allowed to teach until my teachers (gurus) felt *I* was ready. All in all it was a journey - not a lark.
Now to teach and tell - something I don't want to really do but in defense of my colleagues I feel I must.
People/Students are idiots. Not all of them certainly - but a lot of them. If I had a nickle for every time a student didn't listen, or was way too eager to get that 'Yoga butt', or to achieve a perfect pose, or to compete - I would not have to teach. I have taught literally hundreds of students. For the most part I adored my students but let me give you an example of how horribly awry things can go for us on the teaching end of the classroom. Before I beginning this 'tirade' I want to let you know that as Yoga teachers one of the first things we are taught to ask our students is if they have any problems or injuries we need to be aware of in order to help them in class. In Yoga Journal magazine there is a cartoon ad for insurance that depicts a Yoga teacher asking a class full of students with bandaged heads and on crutches who all shout out they have no problems...yeah go figure - it's why we need to carry millions of dollars worth of insurance.
When you take any physical class you should come prepared. This means wearing proper clothes and perhaps bringing proper equipment. When I taught I sent e-mails to my students beforehand or spoke with them on the phone explaining what they needed to wear and bring to class. So imagine my surprise when I had a student (with whom I had had this conversation), show up in 'street clothes' (she was dressed for work in a professional office), heels, and as her Yoga mat she decided to use her winter coat (which was constructed of that slippery microfiber crap) - in essence this was a recipe for injury and as her TEACHER I politely told her she needed to remove her shoes and NOT use her coat - instead since we had indoor/outdoor non-skid carpeting in the room she would need to go without the mat for that session.
The very next day, I resent her the e-mail I send all students telling them how to prepare for class - I also said I would being extra mats just in case she needed one.
The next session this same student showed up STILL dressed inappropriately for class and this time her Yoga 'mat' was a garbage bag. I gave her a Yoga mat and took away her garbage bag. After class was over I asked her to stay so I oculd speak to her - I told her she needed to follow instructions not because I am a control freak but for her own SAFETY. I was nice but firm. She never showed up for class again (thank Shiva). Did this make me happy? No, I wanted the student in class - but more so I wanted her safe and I wanted her not to set a bad example for the other students. As a teacher I NEED to make sure above all my students are OK/safe - then comes enjoyment and helping them achieve their goals as Yoga practitioners.
There are, I am sure, a lot of stories like this on both sides of the Yoga fence. I just felt the need to place mine out there in the universe and try to perhaps initiate some understanding between students and teachers so perhaps injuries become something that never takes place in classes anywhere ever again (wishful thinking but so be it).
Namaste,
C~
Labels: People are Idiots, Rants, Teaching, Yoga
posted by Colette at 2:51 PM
2 Comments:
Of course I didn't send this to you because I think you are a bad teacher, far from it!
Anything yoga makes me think of you my dear!
I think people just in GENERAL have a problem with rules, they don't see that there are often very good reasons for them based on the wisdom and experience of others and they are also designed in many cases to protect the rights of others. I understand wanting to question rules especially if they seem arbitrary. But I also think we should defer to those who know better, like a teacher.
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