Revised anatomy topic

[Kimberly]

I couldn’t agree more with the beginning of this article, found at https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-10860/7-things-every-yoga-teacher-should-know-about-anatomy.html:

“There’s a lot to learn about the human body and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. As a yoga teacher, it’s helpful to remember that the biggest reason to discuss anatomy is to facilitate healthy practice and help students understand what’s going on in the body.”

Review the article and reflect on your time with Anne Reilly as well as the material presented. How do you feel about the study of anatomy now? Where do you feel you are still lacking in knowledge related to the human body? How will you continue to increase your expertise in anatomy?

Also comment on how this knowledge will impact your teaching.

[msinghal]

I confessed to Kimberly that I was finding Anatomy very difficult to wrap my head around. That being said, Ann concisely and aptly covered this difficult topic last week. I have a better understanding of the material, but I still do not have the terms and the knowledge on the tips of my tongue. It will require much more re-reading, memorizing, and forcing myself to be thinking in anatomical terms every time I think of a posture. With the time crunch I am feeling myself in right now as I prepare myself weekly for the Karma classes, staying ahead of the required reading, and completing all requirements of the YTT program, this will unfortunately have to take a back seat. I have promised myself to return to it and give it due diligence. Some ideas include:
• Creating a few class sequences based on certain muscle groups. This could help break down the material in chunks (like the article suggests).
• Analyzing the pains and aches people generally complain about and then finding the answers just like Ann had us practice during class. Possibly even checking with Ann if I got it right.
• Cueing using anatomical terms without intimidating the students.

[regmarlew63]

In Knowing the anatomy we are informed on what body parts are in motion & being used & will give an accurate area of concentration when deciding on a counter pose to bring balance and safety. The are many areas I need to study more on. Mostly, the “origin/insertion/action”of muscular system.

If student complains of specific pose hurting, knowledge of anatomy will allow me to know what is actually hurting & will instruct me on where the pose is not in proper alignment.

Anne made me aware of how a muscle is built. How the origin & insertion work together to put the body in motion. I learned that the body is beautifully complicated. And how amazing that it has components that work specifically to keep someone from getting injured.

By understanding the anatomy, it helps in building a sequence & having a more dynamic class. It gives an understanding of how different body shapes will dictate how each person should safely execute a pose.

Knowing the anatomy can guide me in knowing the difference between pushing the body just far enough to make it stronger, more flexible versus someone may be doing something that can cause injury.

I believe having this knowledge as a teacher, will enhance a students practice & will give them a sense of security knowing the teacher’s understanding of the anatomy will guide them to the best of their ability & will direct them to their medical team if something couldn’t be figured out.

I imagine too, it would give me a sense of confidence during any instruction.

The amount of material is daunting, both in volume & also it brings perspective into the responsibility I have as a teacher. I hope I will always reach out to those who are more educated than me with questions to gain better knowledge and to stay on top of new findings. I will pay close attention to the bodies in motion that will be in front of me & always find the reason (positive or negative) for how they look in any given asana.

Regina Lewis

[LAD92761]

Anne’s class was super helpful. I understand so much more about the anatomy but by no means am any type of expert. However I love our books and using them for reference will be so helpful. The biggest take away I had from Anne’s class is really the common areas that majority of people experience tightness and why. Such as hunched shoulders and painful neck and then understanding what areas to work on to strengthen ie pecs then taking that knowledge one step further to what poses will work the areas that need stretched ie fish pose. That’s what I thought was fascinating. IT bands are another area and understanding how it’s sll connected now helps think through pose application. I’m planning to continue to deepen my awareness of pose and area of focus and then the why behind it and work to tie into my classes. I’ve always loved learning what certain poses are good for ie twists for digestion, back rolls for spine massage, and want to bring this same insight to my students. My biggest take away however is never to diagnose!

[dooley]

Having a basic understanding of anatomy is important when it comes to teaching yoga. Learning from Anne was awesome in so many ways, but overwhelming as well. My brain was in overload. I do feel I have a better understanding of anatomy due to what I learned in her class, once I was able to process the information it become a little more clearer to me. I lack understanding all the terminology that relates to the muscles, joints, and bones, but again feel the books will be a great point of reference, especially when I am planning my classes. The article helped me realize that I can just focus on the main aspects of anatomy such as the structure, composition, and function of the spine, since the spine is the central axis of the body. Having this information on the spine makes sense since so many of the poses are connected with movement in the spine. I also liked how the article stated we have to start somewhere, so when planning my sequences for my classes, I will focus on reading and comprehending on the muscles for the poses I plan on teaching in class. I believe by doing this the information will become more understandable, because we will not be focusing on learning it all at one time. Just will take one pose at a time.

[Beth]

Anatomy has always been fascinating to me and I took classes in high school and college when I had planned on becoming a doctor at one point. I think as I’ve grown older, my own body is what interests me. Anatomy helps me understand the benefits of yoga to someone with spinal dysfunction and hopefully will allow me to help others understand how their bodies work. I will probably spend more time on my own researching the anatomy of poses in yoga and to build classes with a focus on muscle groups that are particularly troublesome for a large number of people. I find the shoulder and back muscles to be a problem area for women, as well as the lower back and hips. I look at yoga as a way to release tension and stress held in the muscles, as opposed to a work-out. I think strengthening the muscles which tend to overcompensate for posture irregularities or other pain, is really important to helping improve someone’s quality of life. Yoga can help a person explore how their stress is carried out in their bodies.

I think it was really helpful to see each other’s bodies from a yoga instructor / anatomical perspective. I think it helped to teach us how to observe others and make mental notes about poses or other things for individual students. I intend to show my OSU Newark Karma Yoga students, how to use a foam roller and massage ball for hard to reach muscles, as this is something I use frequently. There is a way to release a muscle that is triggering pain elsewhere in the body, and I want to help others understand pain pathways and referred pain. I think it is essential to know what is going on in the body as it relates to yoga, to be a careful instructor and keep students safe. That said, the level to which you teach from anatomy or learn more on your own, will depend on the interest level of the instructor. I think the most important thing is to help students learn how to feel in their own bodies and this is the best way to keep them safe.

[betshellhaas]

Luckily for me, I have an upper hand on anatomy because I am a massage therapist. Due to that fact, I have had a very extensive study of anatomy during my training about 1.5 years ago. It was so nice to have Anne come in and teach anatomy though. There were definitely some things I had forgotten and it was nice to have the refresher. I believe when you are working with the human body you are required to know how the body functions and moves. You need to know what is safe and what is not safe for the students who may not have any anatomy background. I do not feel any lacking in anatomy due to Anne’s class. I thought she did a great job of touching on what is most important to know for yoga without having to know everything. I also am lucky to have practiced in Tammy’s classes for the last five years. She was a personal trainer so alignment is very important to her and in her yoga classes. I have grown to find it is also very important for me in my practice. Alignment goes straight back to anatomy and to what is safe and effective for the body.
After working in the massage business for about 1.5 years now I have continually offered my clients different yoga poses to help with their areas of tension/pain. At first I was doing this subconsciously, that is just where my mind went. Now I realize how much it has helped me in becoming a yoga teacher. The two professions mix so well. I am blessed to help people find pain relief, relaxation and flexibility through massage and with this training I will do those same things through yoga.

[sally200]

I agree it is so much to learn, and where do you start. And I am working to keep the overwhelming shakes to take over, so I am applying my secret weapon.
Plan, do, study, act to all of the learning. This way of repetition helps me grasp information, create the library to refer, and give out info quickly, then create the next better version.

The teacher must be able to discuss the movement and what is effected in the body. Help a student connect to their body.

It’s the nitty gritty of yoga, one of the many layers of yoga. The science of how it works to build a better body. And eliminate risk.

My position right now is to have 7-10 basic poses that I have studied, and can explain, and will be using our books for reference. Anne went over some of the most asked questions, that was helpful.
I would love to have those questions with the answers to have for reference.

The only thing lacking is experience, and the tincture of time.

Continue to study and learn will support my confidence. And will create will rounded classes for students to grow.

[sally200]

I agree it is so much to learn, and where do you start. And I am working to keep the overwhelming shakes to take over, so I am applying my secret weapon.
Plan, do, study, act to all of the learning. This way of repetition helps me grasp information, create the library to refer, and give out info quickly, then create the next better version.

The teacher must be able to discuss the movement and what is effected in the body. Help a student connect to their body.

It’s the nitty gritty of yoga, one of the many layers of yoga. The science of how it works to build a better body. And eliminate risk.

My position right now is to have 7-10 basic poses that I have studied, and can explain, and will be using our books for reference. Anne went over some of the most asked questions, that was helpful.
I would love to have those questions with the answers to have for reference.

The only thing lacking is experience, and the tincture of time.

Continue to study and learn will support my confidence. And will create will rounded classes for students to grow.

[lisaclick48]

I loved taking an anatomy course in high school and I loved to know medical terms as I grew up around the terminology, so I went to Columbus State and received my Medical Transcription Certification. Also, I studied all the body recently reviewing with my daughter before she became a R.N. I know I have much to learn and I know I will learn as I go since this is a journey of practice and knowledge. I love the idea of educating or sharing knowledge with students about various body parts and how yoga benefits us in everyday life. Benefits of yoga for specific areas of the body based on stress or sitting in a chair too many hours a day. Using real life examples to help students relate and retain what they have learned. I had many light bulb moments in Kimberly’s class where I really enjoyed learning how yoga benefits the human body.
I really enjoyed Anne’s overview of areas of the body and terms used to describe the body in motion and the impacts of movement. The material was helpful, and I love the two books with illustrations. I really enjoyed her handouts too.
As a teacher, educating or sharing an anatomy lesson or statement will help me learn as a teacher and will help my students learn at the same time. I hope to always learn something new about anatomy each time I prepare for a class and sequencing of poses. I will always challenge to learn something new each week!
I think I know more than the basics, but I know I have so much to learn to grow as an instructor. I look forward to learning more and taking workshops that focus on anatomy too.

[melross1]

Review the article and reflect on your time with Anne Reilly as well as the material presented. How do you feel about the study of anatomy now? I find anatomy very interesting. I love learning how the body works. I don’t know each muscle or bone, so I love that Kimberly pointed out that we don’t have to be Dr.’s. Where do you feel you are still lacking in knowledge related to the human body? There is so much to learn, I still want and need to learn and retain how many of the muscles are connected. Or maybe I should say how “common” injuries occur and how to prevent them and how to modify poses when someone says they have injuries. Anne gave examples of sore should blades. Chest openers would be something to offer. I would never have thought to offer that. I need to learn more of things like that example. But really love learning how the body works, so I plan to keep reading about it. How will you continue to increase your expertise in anatomy? Reading and studying the books we have. I plan to reach out to Anne as time allows. She is so amazing, I loved her class and how simply she put things out there. I was able to follow what she was teaching (as long as I don’t have to remember the names of the muscles).

Also comment on how this knowledge will impact your teaching.
This will help me when I am observing my class, to determine if I should offer modifications that I might not have thought to offer. Or to approach someone and softly offer a modification for them if I see something that they might not tell me about.

[CindyHurst]

Our class with Anne was indispensable. Her correlation of the muscles and bones to yoga poses helped me to better understand the differences in everyone’s body. I also loved the exercise we did to respond to potential questions that students might ask about why they cannot do the “Yoga Journal version” of a pose or what to do when they have an injury. This helped me to understand my own limitations, and that offering modifications is definitely valuable to students (and to me in my own practice). If I can teach others to accept their anatomy as it is and make their yoga their own beautiful practice, then I will accomplish what I believe is one of the most important goals of my teaching journey.

I’ve been fascinated by the complex and miraculous human body most of my life. I’ve also had the privilege to practice with teachers that shared their incredible knowledge of anatomy with me as a student. As a yoga teacher, anatomy will be an area of study that I’m certain will continue until I retire from teaching. There is always more to learn.

[EmilyD]

Emily

Anatomy freaks me out. I couldn’t dissect a frog in high school. Blood makes me pass out. Yet, here I am studying it. And I have to say that the book was not as overwhelming as I expected, and Anne’s excitement on the topic is contagious.

The biggest area where I feel I am lacking is retention. I can see myself making some kind of cheat sheet or notecards to cover the things I think I will reference in class most frequently. I also predict I’ll have little reminders or terms jotted in the margins of my class plans. I think it will be a challenge initially trying to decide what terms to use and when to omit them and just use other descriptors.

Reading the suggested article made me feel better because I went into April with the intent to understand the basics. I know that I am not going to know all of the mucles, joints, ligaments, etc as I start my teaching. It just isn’t possible. That being said, I will continue to study them as I draft plans and pick muscle groups to work on in class. My karma yoga is a great place to start this. I am working with a middle school football team. We are going to focus on poses to stretch shoulders, hips, and hamstrings. I can review those areas as I layout my plan for the kids each week.

Anatomy will impact me as a teacher because it’s my job to keep students safe. I have to understand the basics well enough to cue or make adjustments for students. As I teach, I’m sure I’ll leave class with questions and things to look up to reinforce how I cue.

And I love this idea from Meenal: Analyzing the pains and aches people generally complain about and then finding the answers just like Ann had us practice during class. Possibly even checking with Ann if I got it right.

[Abby Rogowski]

After reading this article, I am more curious than ever to learn more about how our bodies work and the best way to keep them strong and healthy. Understand that most of our students will already have existing issues due to technology, sitting at their desks all day or standing for 9 hours on a concrete floor. Which all pays into all the amazing benefits yoga has to offer. I have personally found that by meditating 2x per day along with my own yoga practice it keeps me mentally, spiritually and physically happy from the inside out.

Having the ability to successfully fold in different mussels, joints and specific anatomy areas into our teaching will come in time as we all PDR-practice, drill and rehearse. Keeping in mind we are all still just learning, but confident it will come in time and grow stronger as teachers.

The most important aspect of learning the anatomy will allow us to keep our students practicing safely and empowering them to get the most out of every pose.

[heatherfly]

In theory I am interested in anatomy but the study of it directly was difficult on my little old attention span. I find the illustrations in the Long books overwhelming and coupled with a subject I have little background in i felt a bit out of my depth. I do want to know about anatomy. My own is something I bump up against frequently and I’d like to be able to make use of yoga to help people understand their own bodies. But the study of anatomy hits me like a big tax form or something. So much, so many details, so visually overwhelming, so hard to integrate.

But this month I’ve been working with a knee issue I’ve had before several times. Related to a hip issue. And likely related to more than that. So it’s been a great opportunity to try to integrate anatomy understanding from the point of view of what I’m experiencing in my own body. Not just pain, stiffness, arthritis, but trying to feel particular muscle groups, noticing the range of sensation and which motions exacerbate and which alleviate pain. So it’s become interestingly more relevant to me. And as in most learning I have to feel it in my body to really get it. So pain in the anatomy is a teacher.

And pain reminds me that it is so important to be strong. Because I feel less pain when I’m strong and when I deliberately increase strength in major muscle groups. Being able to encourage that by messaging and with sequencing will be something I focus on. I will endeavor to teach the kind of yoga that will make people strong which requires I understand more of the anatomy.

[Author]

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